With Thanksgiving break behind us and no more tryptophan-induced, 18-hour naps to recharge our weary scholastic batteries, we have to face the facts: Finals are here to stay until we’re home free on December 18. This inevitably means a lot of late nights, caffeine headaches and grade-changing exams. It also means cozying up in a special study spot to crank out all the reading we really should have done in the first place.
For me, strangely enough, the study spot of choice is McDonald’s. When I was a first year, before I knew where the libraries were, I spent a lot of time there for multiple reasons: a) I love chicken nuggets, b) it reminds me of home, and c) it’s nice to get off-Grounds every once and a while. Yeah, I know this is weird, but alternating my studying between my dorm, Runk and McDonald’s shook things up a little bit and made reviewing 300 Art History images far less dismal — this could also be because nuggets made everything better.
Turns out I was onto something. Contrary to the common belief that keeping your study space consistent is the most effective way to retain information, studies from as early as 1978 demonstrate that reviewing the same material in multiple spaces results in better retention and memorization. Your mind associates different concepts with different settings, so the smell of coffee in Alderman Cafe might help you remember dates and concepts that the weird tippy chair in your dorm room does not.
So here’s my advice: Use finals week as a time to explore new study spaces around Grounds. If you haven’t found the libraries yet, do so immediately. Admittedly, Clemons is a personal favorite since it offers space for both raucous group conversation and silent, independent study. It also has fish tanks, media viewing rooms, an extensive DVD collection and a cheerful and attractive desk staff — come say hi from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Sundays!
If you already have a favorite library, branch out. The University does have thirteen options, you know. Investigate the charming hobbit hole that is the Music Library in Old Cabell Hall; bask in the 180 degrees of natural light and proximity to Old Dorms in Gilmer’s Bio/Psych Library; grab a black bean and feta quesadilla at the Fine Arts Cafe on Rugby and enjoy it at the library right next door; or hope that some of the med students’ diligent work ethic rubs off on you at the Health Sciences Library on JPA.
Want to get off-Grounds? Exam week, with its absence of classes, meetings and most extra-curricular commitments, provides the perfect opportunity to explore Charlottesville and find a coffee shop that gets your neurons firing — while making you feel European and oh-so-enlightened at the very same time. We all know that McDonald’s is my venue of choice, but check out spaces like Panera and Hotcakes in Barracks that provide caffeine and free Wi-fi… ingredients crucial to effective studying. You can get there easily by hopping on the Northline bus route.
If Barracks isn’t your scene, head the opposite direction down West Main Street and try Sweethaus, a charming bakery within walking distance of Grounds that offers plenty of comfy couches, cupcakes and coffee, making studying almost enjoyable. Mudhouse and Java-Java coffee shops, both located on the Downtown Mall, are also warm, inviting, intellectually nurturing spaces. The trolley takes you straight there, but it’s also a low-key, cathartic, 20-minute walk.
Bottom line? Finals week doesn’t have to steal your mirth or holiday spirit. Shaking up your study space is not only good for your brain, it’s good for your soul. Take care of yourself by making a commitment to investigate a new study space on every reading day. Grab some friends, hop on a trolley and dedicate three solid hours to assiduous exam cramming at a new coffee shop, then sweat out the stress on the Main Street Arena ice skating rink. Find a new favorite room in Alderman. Try a cup of Para Coffee. Burrow down deep in Clark stacks. Investigate the computer labs in Newcomb Hall. Or come join me at McDonald’s; depending on my mood, I may just share my nuggets.
Sarah Steely is a Fourth-Year Trustee.
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