If you’re anything like me, the prospects of studying and handling a hefty academic workload intimidated me quite a bit when I arrived at Tulane. Knowing how to study smarter, not harder, was something I’d tried to perfect throughout high school, and hoped to keep up at Tulane. While my dorm desk was preferable for completing quick assignments, I quickly realized that trying to study properly there was like a nightmare—my roommate’s schedule, makeup, and skincare, and people talking and yelling in the halls, were such a distraction. I simply couldn’t block out. With this realization came my next thought: where do I go to study?
My first thought was the library, affectionately dubbed as “Howie T” by students, but there were several problems associated with this space. First of all, it’s a bit of a walk from my dorm, Monroe, and wasn’t ideal for late-night study sessions. The atmosphere in there also feels suffocating and quite dismal, to me. As a student who utilizes the testing center to complete tests, I’m often filled with jittery nerves when I swipe my SplashCard and head downstairs to the basement. My brain’s been conditioned to associate the library with the pre-test anxiety that I feel as I enter that building, making the library a place that I’m just not fond of. Although the library might be an academic heaven to certain students, it’s a place that I just can’t get behind to study at.
Some of my favorite study spots, particularly for group work, include the Hub, the spaces on the upper floors (The James Lounge) and the basement of the LBC, and the first floor of the GWBC, AKA the B-School. I enjoy the Hub when working on collaborative projects with my peers – this study space features huge, rolling whiteboards that essentially stretch from the floor to the ceiling. It’s very beneficial for writing and memorizing diagrams, long lists of information, and completing practice problems. I genuinely believe that the Hub helped my classmates in accounting, and I studied effectively for our first midterm, one that we were quite nervous about. As for the LBC basement and upper floors, I find those helpful when I want to grab lunch or a quick study snack, and then start completing work. The environment of minimal noise and working students who occasionally engage in light conversation creates a positive and relaxed study environment that motivates me to complete my work. There’s something about the sense of community in the LBC that makes me feel privileged to be a college student, and almost excites me to complete my work.
An article about my personal favorite study spots wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the Business School, the building that houses my major and is just a few steps away from my dorm. I could go on for hours and list countless reasons as to why I love the B-School, but I feel like it’s only appropriate to start with how much I love the building itself – it’s a sleek, modern, and state of the art design that makes me feel like a genuine business school, earning a degree in this field to impact the world of business. In addition to this, I consider this study spot to be my #1 because of the wide variety of study spots available there, for every type of “locking in.” Want to complete group work, finish up a quick homework, or meet up with a friend/tutor to work on an assignment? The lower level is for you – it features a spacious room with plenty of large tables in the middle, flanked by smaller tables near the curving windows that are designed to resemble a wave. Towards the back of the first floor, there are elevators and a cafe, The Opening Bell, that serves Starbucks, has two glass “quiet rooms” as well as tables around the kitchen area, and opens up to the front lawn of Monroe. A quick walk up the stairs brings you to the second floor, with countless tables, designed for solo or partner work and a quieter, but not totally silent, environment, perfect for occasional, relaxed collaboration mixed with effective studying. The floors above this feature countless study and breakout rooms, featuring long tables, enormous whiteboards, and even TVs! These rooms can be utilized to totally isolate yourself and force yourself to lock in and learn material, studying material that includes lots of formulas and practice problems, or even group collaborations of several people that need a more private space to meet. Whatever the study dilemma, the B-School has always got the backs of Tulane students – and you certainly don’t need to be a business major!
I know how lost I felt when I first arrived at Tulane and attempted to navigate the academic scene – an article like this would’ve been such a help and provided me with the guidance I needed. No matter your major, study habits, or grade level, these study spots can be used by any type of student to uplift yourself towards success.
