The Comfort in Studying by Kristin

The Comfort in Studying by Kristin - January 2014 Scholarship Essay

Studying during the college years requires sleepless nights, quick meals of chips or bars, and determination winning over procrastination. During my first year of college, I tried the tactics I had used in high school, the stereotypical methods from television and film, and spending my study sessions in the school library to try to find the best method for studying. None of them seemed to work. I ended up with scattered and lost notes, kinks in my neck, and seemingly no further knowledge of the subject matter. I resigned myself to studying at home: a place of eternal comfort and easily accessible meals. I tried to study at my desk simply because that is how I am expected to study. Yet I was still too uncomfortable to focus. Running out of time one night, I loaded my notes onto my bed, grabbed my text, and snuggled into the warm blankets and pillows. By the time I fell asleep, I had memorized the entirety of the vocabulary and possible short answers for my test the next day.

Since that night, I have done all of my studying in bed. I have never suffered another stiff back or neck, I have not gone hungry from lack of snacks or an actual meal, and I never have to worry about forgetting my notes at home. I work better when I am not confined to a single position, and being able to stretch out, sit up, or lean back is a lifesaver when it comes to my studying. My focus is on my material instead of how much longer I have to sit in the same chair. I also have plenty of room to spread out my notes, texts, and laptop, so that I can easily find which ones I need. Because I study in my room, I also don’t have to worry about being too warm or too cold. I have my fan, window, and the thermostat is right down the hall.

In my room I have something else very important my studying success: white noise. The television in my room is always on when I am studying. I leave it on a show I have no interest in and I am able to focus even more on my studying. I always need a mellow sound around me when I study, as I find any other noise, or absolute silence, to be distracting. Also distracting during studying is when I get too stressed or tense. It is easy to get overwhelmed when studying difficult material, and being able to walk around the house, vent to my parents, or pet the dog that joins me on the bed, is a welcome study relief. Were I not at home, I would not have these things to help me take a breather and I would be more inclined to plow through the material without a break.

College studying can be difficult, seemingly never ending, and even physically uncomfortable. However, now that I have transformed my bed into my study sanctuary, I am able to stay relaxed and well fed as I toll through the many long nights of hitting the books. My room has become my thinking space, and I am able to use the many pictures and nicknacks around my room for inspiration or for a quick smile as I think about happy memories. My studying, while still tedious and perpetual, has become a much calmer experience and the information is easier to absorb as a result. There is something to be said for being closer to home, and for me, making studying more comfortable is the key to success.