{"id":117171,"date":"2026-01-14T01:40:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T01:40:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/117171\/"},"modified":"2026-01-14T01:40:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T01:40:10","slug":"where-you-study-might-matter-more-than-you-think","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/117171\/","title":{"rendered":"Where you study might matter more than you think"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/a>Choosing the right environment to study in could be a make-or-break for your success in this upcoming semester. ORACLE GRAPHIC\/ELLIE FROST<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re like the many USF students who find studying to be one of the most dreaded aspects of a new semester, there might be an unexpected fix to this concern.<\/p>\n

The root of the issue could actually be the location you\u2019re studying in, not the material itself.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s easy to just study in your dorm room or the first location you see on campus.<\/p>\n

Still, a variety of studies suggest that the environment you choose to study in can help increase your success and productivity in your classes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Students should make deliberate adjustments to their study environment to maximize their study experience.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Related: OPINION: Why you should study abroad at USF<\/a><\/p>\n

With colder weather approaching, the spring semester is also a great time to study outdoors \u2014 and doing so could bring a variety of benefits.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Studying in natural light has been shown to significantly improve mood and learning efficiency, according to a 2024 study published in MDPI Buildings<\/a>, a journal focused on building engineering and architecture.<\/p>\n

By studying outdoors rather than indoors, you benefit from fresh air and sunlight, which can create a more focused and calming environment.\u00a0<\/p>\n

During my first semester at USF, I took advantage of the wide range of study spots on campus and experimented with studying outdoors in various spaces.<\/p>\n

This included the steps of the Judy Genshaft Honors College to the picnic tables outside of Russell M. Cooper Hall.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I found that the fresh air, sunlight and nature that surrounded me in these locations not only helped me increase my focus, but made me enjoy studying more than I had before.<\/p>\n

However, if you still prefer studying indoors, there are small adjustments you can make in your choice of location that can produce different results.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For example, selecting an indoor spot near windows that let in natural light can have positive effects.<\/p>\n

In workplaces with natural light, employees experienced an 84% reduction in symptoms such as eyestrain, headaches and blurred vision, according to a 2018 PR Newswire<\/a> study.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Reducing these symptoms can help you study for longer and have a more enjoyable experience overall.<\/p>\n

Another subtle habit that could also be hindering your productivity is studying in the same place where you sleep.<\/p>\n

While it can be tempting to use your bed as a cozy study spot, it can make it harder to sleep.<\/p>\n

The American College of Healthcare Sciences<\/a> explains that studying in bed can not only make it harder to focus but also disrupt your sleep schedule.<\/p>\n

This happens because your body begins to associate your place of rest with a place of productivity, according to the article<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Nonetheless, there are still a variety of study spots on campus that offer a comfy atmosphere \u2014 from the study nooks on the fifth floor of the Tampa Library to the various couches in common areas.<\/p>\n

Students should also try to take full advantage of the on-campus indoor study spots.\u00a0<\/p>\n

They are not only convenient to access but also create an effective study environment, with design choices such as large windows and comfortable seating.<\/p>\n

Related: USF Tampa Library debuts new tap ID entrance to boost security<\/a><\/p>\n

Another debate that often arises in discussions of ideal study locations is whether a consistent or alternating location is more effective.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While this aspect of the conversation is largely a matter of personal preference, there is substantial evidence supporting the benefits of alternating study locations.<\/p>\n

Choosing to study one topic in the same place is a strategy Psychology in Action<\/a> suggests to increase retention when studying for exams.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Still, this strategy won\u2019t noticeably improve students\u2019 retention of the subject unless they also take their exam in the same place where they studied, according to the article.<\/p>\n

In addition, frequently changing your study spots can help maintain alertness.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This is referred to as \u201ccontextual variation\u201d in a 2020 study from the National Library of Medicine<\/a>, which suggests that retention increases when students study the same material in different locations.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For example, if you have an extensive paper to write in just a day, moving between a variety of study spots throughout the day could help keep your brain more engaged.<\/p>\n

Regardless of where you choose to study this semester, it is important to make these deliberate adjustments to study outdoors or in a range of locations across USF\u2019s campus.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The change in location could help you have a more productive semester and might help you stop hating studying after all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Choosing the right environment to study in could be a make-or-break for your success in this upcoming semester.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":117172,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[135,137,136],"class_list":["post-117171","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tampa","tag-tampa","tag-tampa-headlines","tag-tampa-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117171","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=117171"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117171\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/117172"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=117171"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=117171"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=117171"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}