As a college student, studying and getting assignments done on time is necessary to graduating. The problem for me lies in where I get my work done. Sadly, the white insane asylum walls and deafening fluorescent white light of my dorm room makes this space extremely difficult to even want to do anything other than sleep.
I wonder sometimes why dorm rooms are like this if we are also encouraged to study within its confines. Has no thought to psychologically-engineering these rooms been brought up in construction meetings? Okay, I might have some anger towards that end of the spectrum, but I have crafted a neat little space within my room that helps. . .sometimes.
I call it my nook, modeled after a friend's room in the same dorm. My lofted bed allows for plenty of breathing room beneath it, so I set up a large blanket, some pillows, string lights, a coffee table, books, and a coffee maker to transport the feeling of a coffee shop into my room. With that ugly dorm light off, my nook feels atmospheric and even mystical. I get the sense I have left my room entirely and am in my own perfect world of technology, books, and coffee. All of these things motivate me to get some stuff done and feel good before going to bed right above me. Downside? It can get extremely uncomfortable, making it a place to work for only certain periods of time.
Therefore, I end up at the king of all my study places: the coffee shop. Yes, I ignore libraries because those are just dorm room feeling to the max and with hundreds of other people. Not exactly my style. The coffee shop, however, brews a wonderful combination of comfort, motivation, and productivity into a lively but chill location. The smells of espresso waft through the air, nesting upon my nostrils as my eyes gaze towards the soft yellowish lighting and the dark oak bookshelves everywhere. The place is subtly encouraging me to be productive and be relaxed while doing so. "This doesn't have to be stressful. None of it needs to be."
My perfect location isn't for everyone, and I recognize that. This is not here to say my coffee shop is the only place to get real work done. Rather, it can mean support for those who find the same truth, or it can offer a new path to explore and decide if it works or not. Whatever your place is, embrace its qualities and be lucky you have that spot to claim as your own.
