A Question to students about where you study

kelloggs36

I was a mature student with 2 children at home and I couldn't be bothered to go to the library - I would rather be at home. I had a very supportive hubby though, who took the children out at weekends. I read in my bedroom and made notes, but wrote up my essays in the office in my house (lucky to have the space) - could you not fit your PC in your bedroom so you can lock yourself away if you don't have a spare room?

Bubbles_Blossom_Buttercup

redmel1621 wrote: »

Hi

My dh is starting f/t uni in sept and we are hoping for him to do most of his studying at university, he won't be stayng in halls so will have to commute each day about 50mins to hour each way.

The university library does have private study rooms, but I was wondering how feasible this actually is? How many of you do most of your work at uni, ie libraries, cafes, bar etc....

Mel x

I live at home and have to do an hour and a half commute to uni.

Ive just come to the end of my first year and did most of my studying this year at home, the long commute home put me off staying at uni longer than i needed to, thinking i coud just get all the work done at home. But all that driving made me so tired (9 oclock lecture i had to get up at 5:30 due to work traffic).

But to be honest in my home comforts, i would get easily distracted by tv and computer games and other such family stuff which reflected on my grades at the end of the year.

So this year i am going to spend more time in the uni library and just generally on the uni campus, my uni libraries open from 8 till 8 (i think!) so i should get a fair amount of work done. Also my uni's Student Union Bar is open all day, and because all the drinkers come out at night, around 6, the bar is generally pretty empty till then. So he could do some studying there if the library is too busy.

Basically what im trying to say is if there is a lot of distractions at home then the uni library maybe the best option as most should have quiet study areas and obviously all the books to aid him with his study.

Hope through my ramblings i've managed to help a lil

OohSoHolly

I was the same as the above ^^. Staying at home and because of that, had to commute everyday (about 40-50mins).
And i basically just wanted to get home as i new it was going to take me so long to get there, and completely missed the library all last year. But in the end i didnt really get anything done at home, too many distractions (tv, internet, forced to do housework ).
So this year im planning on making use of the library. I'm also going to look at using the local library, as i know this is relatively quiet during the day. Just anywhere where i wont be distracted :P

mboro

I am studying at Teesside Uni and out LRC (Learning Resource Centre) aka Library is spot on, it opens at 7am and closes at 12pm. I tend to go there most of the time.
For me, it depends on the type of studying I am doing. Sometimes I go to the LRC on other occasions I will stay in my room.

redmel1621

Thanks again guys...
It seems a lot of you do get a lot of work done at the library, I am sure he will manage this too.

La-Cara, he is going by train, but may find himself standing by the doors as he will be taking a bike on with him and there are only about 2 bike spaces on the train (thats if no-one is sitting there) so may not get much done there (train journey is 35 mins) but I said about 50 mins total travelling as he has to get to the train station then off train to the uni...so it is a bit of a trek really.

Kellogs36 - Unfortunately our bedroom is quite small, made worse by the fact it is fitted in wardrobes right the way round. we literally have enough room to walk around the bed!!!! Not our choice, it was already fitted in, but we left it. The 2 boys share the big room anyway.

I feel reassured now anyway, I was a bit worried as I felt like I was kicking him out the house and he might not get his work done. hehehe. Then again I know he does not work well AT ALL at home as he gets distracted too easily.

Mel x

ps his library is open 24hrs a day.....

bestpud

redmel1621 wrote: »

Thanks again guys...
It seems a lot of you do get a lot of work done at the library, I am sure he will manage this too.

La-Cara, he is going by train, but may find himself standing by the doors as he will be taking a bike on with him and there are only about 2 bike spaces on the train (thats if no-one is sitting there) so may not get much done there (train journey is 35 mins) but I said about 50 mins total travelling as he has to get to the train station then off train to the uni...so it is a bit of a trek really.

Kellogs36 - Unfortunately our bedroom is quite small, made worse by the fact it is fitted in wardrobes right the way round. we literally have enough room to walk around the bed!!!! Not our choice, it was already fitted in, but we left it. The 2 boys share the big room anyway.

I feel reassured now anyway, I was a bit worried as I felt like I was kicking him out the house and he might not get his work done. hehehe. Then again I know he does not work well AT ALL at home as he gets distracted too easily.

Mel x

ps his library is open 24hrs a day.....

I think he will be fine tbh as you are supporting him.

I find it makes a big difference if I haven't got to be home for a certain time. As in, if I have to get dd at 3pm, I tend to start winding down at around 1.30 (I leave uni at 2pm to make sure I get there on time but often have time to read in the car outside the school), and tbh I don't get so much done after lunch.

Whereas, if dh or someone else is collecting dd and I can work until I am fed up, or I may have to be home by a certain time but I'm not worrying about dd being left at the school gate iyswim, then I get far more done!

That's the problem with being the main carer and student I reckon - especially when a good chunk of the day is spent travelling. It's like my mind starts switching back to 'mummy' mode after lunch and so I leave the less demanding tasks for then, such as searching for journal articles or books etc and do any reading/writing in the morning.

What I am saying (in a very long winded way!) is he may find it easier if he isn't juggling uni and childcare, during the day at least.

And for that reason, I am in awe of anyone who studies with children at home all day! I have no idea how you all do it tbh!

I'm sure he will find what works for him, so if you can prepare yourself for a bit of swapping and changing until you find something that works, it will all be fine.

Hee hee, I hope you are interested in what he is studying too, as he is bound to be full of it, initially at least!

redmel1621

Ha Ha.. No! what he is studying bores me to tears i'm afraid (Physics) I am an artsy type, I am currently studying for a literature degree but want to continue afterwards and study creative writing and some languages.....(so i know exactly what you mean about switching back into mummy mode!)

But I do listen to him, I have done for the last few years whilst he was studying math and physics with the Open University. He is very lucky as I do most of the housework and organisation of, well, of everything really....But he does help out. The situation at the moment is, he is 7yrs older than me so we are trying to get his career going, I am just toodling along with my degree in the wings. Once he is sorted (or maybe before) i will go full steam ahead with mine. This is why we were concerned about him finding suitable places to study.

Thank you all so much for your replies.

Mel x

kelloggs36

redmel1621 wrote: »

Thanks again guys...
It seems a lot of you do get a lot of work done at the library, I am sure he will manage this too.

La-Cara, he is going by train, but may find himself standing by the doors as he will be taking a bike on with him and there are only about 2 bike spaces on the train (thats if no-one is sitting there) so may not get much done there (train journey is 35 mins) but I said about 50 mins total travelling as he has to get to the train station then off train to the uni...so it is a bit of a trek really.

Kellogs36 - Unfortunately our bedroom is quite small, made worse by the fact it is fitted in wardrobes right the way round. we literally have enough room to walk around the bed!!!! Not our choice, it was already fitted in, but we left it. The 2 boys share the big room anyway.

I feel reassured now anyway, I was a bit worried as I felt like I was kicking him out the house and he might not get his work done. hehehe. Then again I know he does not work well AT ALL at home as he gets distracted too easily.

Mel x

ps his library is open 24hrs a day.....

Well I think he should have to study in the wardrobe then!!!! :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: Strange adventures have happened there you know!!! They aren't that small are they, afterall, there is a whole land of Narnia in one of them!! Now, where was that wardrobe??????

FreheitOverture

My library is open 24/7 however it will still get very busy at all hours around exam time. I have always done my main study at home or found a spare room that is not being used, with a group of course mates so we can get some group studying done. I felt that I learned better this way

punkrockprincess

redmel1621 wrote: »

Hi

My dh is starting f/t uni in sept and we are hoping for him to do most of his studying at university, he won't be stayng in halls so will have to commute each day about 50mins to hour each way.

The university library does have private study rooms, but I was wondering how feasible this actually is? How many of you do most of your work at uni, ie libraries, cafes, bar etc....

Mel x

Hey I travel 60 miles to uni every day (an hour and a half there and then another hour and a half back) and I do a lot of my work on the train, its wasted time other wise, i find it quite useful for reading over notes etc on the way home, then when you get home, its done. Most unis will have internet cafes and computer labs. When i want to study at uni I usually got to the computer labs, and they are open all the time and very easy to work in.