_Rachel Schnelle is freshman journalism major at MU. She is an opinion columnist who writes about student life for The Maneater._
From the eight different libraries, to the coffee shops downtown, to the MU Student Center and Memorial Union, MU students are fortunate to have a variety of places to study on campus.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my first year of college it’s that everyone studies and learns a different way. For some, it’s memorization and repetitiveness. For others, it’s group studying and flash cards. I’ve also learned that everyone works in different environments. Some like studying in busy coffee shops, while others like quiet study room on the second floor of Ellis library.
Personally, I prefer writing in busy coffee shops, but I like doing other homework in quiet areas. If there is any noise around me when I’m doing homework I cannot focus. I’ve also found that if I study with someone in a quiet place I feel less lonely and therefore work more.
With the recent, bitterly cold weather I haven’t wanted to get out of bed — much less leave my residence hall. The inability to go my favorite study places has caused a dent in my productivity. I’ve had to make do with the resources that I have at my residence hall.
Like every other dorm, my dorm has study lounges on every floor. These lounges are great for writing, meeting and talking with people. However, sometimes it can become hard to focus on your homework when people are talking loudly in the common area.
This is why renting study rooms are important for students’ success. These rooms come with a lock and key, which allows a wall of protection and privacy. They also have white boards that are useful for group study projects.
Study rooms are also not limited to just the residential halls and are accessible through reservations in Ellis Library and the Student Center.
Compared to other dorms, my dorm is located in one of the more distant spots on campus. Sometimes Ellis Library and Memorial Union can seem like quite the hike. At times, it was nice to rent a study room in the comfort of my own dorm.
While study rooms are great, sometimes it can be difficult to be productive when you’re with other people in the room.
In a way, study rooms are like the hidden gem of MU’s campus. They’re something that has always been there but are often forgotten.
Whenever students have the chance, they should rent a study room.
