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coffee shop people


thehockeykid

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I never understood how people could study in coffee shops (unless they are literally empty). I'm quite convinced that if you put up two people head to head - one studying at home or in a library versus one studying in a coffee shop and tell them to study as best they can the material - the one studying in a quiet area would invariably win.

 

Oh and obviously, the study would include two people with similar intellectual capacities lol.

 

I disagree with this statement. It depends on the home atmosphere. Currently (and while I was in UG), my home atmosphere was not conducive to studying whatsoever (loud TV, arguments, yelling, interruptions, etc), but the atmosphere at Starbucks was so much better for me (constant background noise, but not such that was gunfire from the TV, yelling, or someone yelling at me to do something or other RIGHT NOW). It also helped that the Starbucks I studied at didn't have many people in it at any given time.

 

It really depends on the atmosphere for each place (home vs. coffee shop vs. library etc) as to which works better for an individual. I guarantee if I was on my own (which I will be soon) that I would be able to study much better at home than in a coffee shop. But while I'm still living at home, home would be the worst place I could study.

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I disagree with this statement. It depends on the home atmosphere. Currently (and while I was in UG), my home atmosphere was not conducive to studying whatsoever (loud TV, arguments, yelling, interruptions, etc), but the atmosphere at Starbucks was so much better for me (constant background noise, but not such that was gunfire from the TV, yelling, or someone yelling at me to do something or other RIGHT NOW). It also helped that the Starbucks I studied at didn't have many people in it at any given time.

 

It really depends on the atmosphere for each place (home vs. coffee shop vs. library etc) as to which works better for an individual. I guarantee if I was on my own (which I will be soon) that I would be able to study much better at home than in a coffee shop. But while I'm still living at home, home would be the worst place I could study.

 

+1

 

P.S. cnb, sounds like my home when my parents come to visit. Way too distracting. And, I can not concentrate on tasks well in a library due to the silence and pressure to keep silent. My mind wanders.

 

Wow very cool that it works for you! I have to say that I've actively studied (repeated to myself) material during swim practices before... in the training parts that don't ask for much concentration of course! Now I do a mix of reading notes/slides and repeating things mentally. I find that the 2nd time I go through my notes I can start a new section and verbally/mentally/visually explain most of what I'm about to read. I don't think it would work while running, I need to visualize what I'm hearing so I'd probably run into a tree or something

;)

[/Quote]

 

I'll tell you why I think studying while jogging works for me :).

I get very, very bored of simply jogging. So weird, but my mind really needs to be active in some way. So, listening to info and trying to learn things while jogging is such a fun challenge and it keeps me running. I won't stop until I'm satisfied with what I was trying to learn.

 

For instance, I remember going for a jog and not stopping until I had completely memorized all of the amino acids (back in 3rd year - proteins class). I would listen to the audio track I dictated, stop it, and say it back mentally. And, coordinate it to my steps:

 

"A-V, L-I-P! A-V, L-I-P! Monday, Wednesday, Friday! Monday, Wednesday, Friday!"

That was what I would say to my head to remember the hydrophobic amino acids haha. A = alanine, V = valine, L = leucine, I = isoleucine, P = proline, M = methionine, W = tryptophan, and F = Phenylalanine.

 

It is just something that works for me with simple memorization. Not advocating this for someone else, but it kept me fit and made studying fun. In a dorky way :)

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It really makes sense Cerena!! I think maybe I'll actually try it!! Do you have a particular format you follow when you dictate? I've never tried before, maybe I should but I hate listening to my voice ;) It sounds exactly like what I do in swimming except I'm not listening to a tape, the tape is stuck in my head.

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I disagree with this statement. It depends on the home atmosphere. Currently (and while I was in UG), my home atmosphere was not conducive to studying whatsoever (loud TV, arguments, yelling, interruptions, etc), but the atmosphere at Starbucks was so much better for me (constant background noise, but not such that was gunfire from the TV, yelling, or someone yelling at me to do something or other RIGHT NOW). It also helped that the Starbucks I studied at didn't have many people in it at any given time.

 

It really depends on the atmosphere for each place (home vs. coffee shop vs. library etc) as to which works better for an individual. I guarantee if I was on my own (which I will be soon) that I would be able to study much better at home than in a coffee shop. But while I'm still living at home, home would be the worst place I could study.

 

Well I said a library or home lol. Essentially, I'm willing to bet that somewhere that's quiet beats a place that's full of noise such as a cafe if both students try to study as hard as they can (e.g. their lives depend on it). You can ignore distractions like the T.V. or the fridge at home, but you can't ignore two girls going on and on about how they both got laid last night at this OMGOSH AMAZING frat party lol. Obviously, if your house is as noisy as the cafe, then that's a different issue :P

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It really makes sense Cerena!! I think maybe I'll actually try it!! Do you have a particular format you follow when you dictate? I've never tried before, maybe I should but I hate listening to my voice ;) It sounds exactly like what I do in swimming except I'm not listening to a tape, the tape is stuck in my head.

 

I do this all the time right now. It works great.

 

I also scan my notes and put on my ipad to read while doing cardio as well.

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I don't like studying there, because I reek of coffee afterwards. It bothers my OCD me so much that I now try to plan Starbucks trips with my friends right after a run or something, so that I can just jump in a shower right after. :P Second Cup is a bit better that way, IMO.

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All this talk about coffee shops made me want to go into one lol.

 

Btw, Starbucks treats its employees really badly from what I read and uses disloyal concurrence methods, other than being a big corporation. So that's why I prefer to go to individual owned coffee shops, like second cup, café depot, etc.

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I couldn't handle studying in a coffee shop' date=' there are too many distractions. My favourite place to study is SITE or the Desmarais Builing at UOttawa. There is some background noise which is nice, but it is quiet enough to get work done. Plus you get nice views of the city from all of the windows. I also like the natural light during the day which is a lot nicer than the flourescent lights in most buildings and libraries.[/quote']Lies. There are no windows at UofO (you may or may not get this joke).

 

But the Desmarais building isn't a bad place to study.

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Lies. There are no windows at UofO (you may or may not get this joke).

 

But the Desmarais building isn't a bad place to study.

 

Sorry I don't get it.

 

The only thing I can think of is that all of the older buildings have study areas in the basement (Marion?), and the Library is one huge cement block with no windows... most of UCU for that matter actually...

 

The newer buildings are much more pleasant

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