Picture this: you are in your free block actually doing homework, something that rarely occurs for many, and you can’t focus. I’ve found myself surrounded by noises and distractions while trying to get work done, so here is a lineup of some of the best study spots around the school.
First, let’s address the lounges. They are great spaces, don’t get me wrong, but they are terrible spots to study. On many occasions when I am in the lounge areas, they are packed with noise, friends, and endless distractions. Occasionally, there are blocks where no one is in the lounge, meaning no distractions that create the ideal study spot; however, most of the time when you have a pressing assignment to get done, avoid the lounges like coughing classmates during COVID-19. Josh Berger ’24 doesn’t like the junior lounge because “it’s so open… Everyone is always passing through. Also, there are no tables and there are couches. You go to the junior lounge to lounge, not to work.”
Currently, my go-to study spot is the library. In the morning, the library and the commons are filled with noise and students, but once classes start, the loudest sound you will hear is the occasional drop of a pencil. I enjoy coming here to do my work because the comfortable furniture and minimal distractions allow me to reach maximum productivity. Berger also often goes to the library to study. He says, “This is my favorite place to study in the whole school.”
Last year, my go-to study spot was the chairs outside the orchestra room. I enjoyed this area because the tall windows created good lighting and the chairs were super comfy. In retrospect, if your free block is during choir or band rehearsal, you get a sneak peek at the upcoming concerts. The music, however, can make it hard for some to focus on work, leading to minimal productivity. Often, the chairs are occupied so I just stopped going there. However, other students such as Matthew Sun ’24 enjoy this study spot. Sun says, “typically it’s really quiet, and there’s a bunch of light and a bunch of windows.”
An underrated study spot is the tables up in the English wing. These one-to-two-person tables create a perfectly silent environment to get some homework done. If the entire school is noisy, you can count on the English wing to be quiet.
