Finals week: A time us college students have to make our week free of responsibilities and fill it with loads of stress and hours of studying. The one issue is that we aren't the only ones taking exams - so are the rest of the 65,000 plus students that attend the University of Central Florida.
With that being said, finding a quiet place to sit down and study is a difficult task that we must take on. For some, studying in their bedrooms is more than efficient, but for others, the thought of being anywhere near their bed will result in them taking a "quick nap," which we all know is not a thing.
UCF is known to be the university that is "Under Construction Forever" and boy, that could not be truer. As the library is in full renovation for the upcoming Fall 2018 school year ahead of us, it fully interferes on the number of students that can utilize the library, especially if you are one in need of studying on the quiet floor.
With the stresses of the week, going to the library can be a bit of an inconvenience when you get there and there is nowhere to sit. After walking there in the heat and fighting for a parking spot on campus, the next best place to resort to is one of the two All Knight Studies that aren't too far from the library.
Now the problem with All Knight Study is that likelihood of it being completely full to the point where the chairs with little tables are taken is more than possible. Being a student at UCF for the past two years now, I have learned where the best and worst places to study on campus are. This knowledge I have is what takes me 25 minutes away to the cute and quaint area of Winter Park that has coffee shops galore. Foxtail, Stardust Video & Coffee, and Starbucks are just a few places that offer great amenities to sit down and study in somewhat peace. Winter Park is a hidden gem that UCF students should take more advantage of, trust me.
When you go to these places, it is best that you don't forget to pack certain items, just in case of an emergency. To start, headphones are essential. If you are anything like me, studying in noisy places isn't my cup of tea, so headphones allow me to zone into my studying and zone out the people and noises that do nothing but distract me.
Once you figured out how to tune out the noise, make sure to not forget your laptop charger and phone charger. Being all the way in Winter Park and having your phone or computer die on you is a sign of misfortune and a complete hassle to deal with. If you make sure to have these few items, your experience studying will be way better than you could have ever expected.
Another tip that I highly suggest is to take the drive to your advantage and destress as you listen to your favorite jams with your windows down, not giving a care in the world before you go and hibernate in front of your computer and textbook. If you don't have a car to take you there, that's when other options fall into place.
Uber, the now-free bus service for UCF students, and asking a friend for a ride are a few of the best ways to get to Winter Park without breaking your bank account and can ensure that you get there with just enough time to enjoy the area but also focused on studying.
Once you get there, the studying is not going to stop for a while, so take your time to relax, because once you start, you won't be stopping for hours. I promise if you do these few things, finals week will be somewhat of a breeze and over before you know it. Good luck and stay motivated!
