Still in need of a study location?

The library, the kitchen table, a desk set up at home, or a teacher’s classroom are all commonly used by students when studying. But, which locations around campus are the most common to be used by students?

Because Middle College students are simultaneously taking high school and college courses, they usually find themselves studying a lot more throughout the semesters.

By studying, students highly increase their chances of finishing the course with a satisfactory grade and by doing so, they can build understanding of a subject.

“It is important to think about what you need in a space to help you focus, and what you want in a space to make it comfortable and productive,” Sheridan College wrote in an article section that talks about studying.

Likewise, it is important to figure out whether that space will have more distractions or will allow the student to reduce the amount of distractions. Lighting also plays a crucial role in enhancing one’s productivity.

A German study conducted found that “creativity was better under warm light than under colder light. Concentration was best under cold light.” There is also the factor of sound; determining whether productivity is at its highest when there is ambient noise or when it is completely silent.

The Johnson Student Center, JSC, is the most popular location on campus in which students are found studying.

Senior Darlyn Romero is a student who often finds herself studying at the JSC.

“I like studying here because I feel like it’s in a good spot on campus. It’s kind of in between MCHS and the Science Center where I have my other class. I have easy access to both,” Romero said.

The JSC is located right beside MCHS’s building and in terms of studying resources, students have access to booths, four-chaired tables, and single cushioned chairs with an armrest that can be used as a small table. This area is an ambient location as students use it to hang out during their passing periods.

“Everything is like nice and cozy. It’s a bit more busy when college is in session but usually, it’s pretty chill. Also, at the chairs there’s also outlets so you can charge your stuff,” Romero said.

While taking breaks between their studying time, students can buy snacks inside the Quick Stop within the building. With their student identification card, students can play with the pool table, the table football, the ping pong table, as well as play video games on the big screen.

The second most popular location students use to study is the Science Center building.

The Science Center building is located next to the new Health Science structure and each of its three floors provides different spots to get work done. This building can also be used for studying, but it is usually busy as it is filled with different health care courses.

“I really like [the health science building] too when it’s not busy,” Romero said.

On the first floor, students can check in with their student ID to the learning center which provides access to desktop computers, four-chaired tables, whiteboards, and tutoring, and are also able to reserve a private study room. The second and third floor also gives students access to different table setups and whiteboards.

In regards to the noise level, the sound can be ambient inside the learning center since students use it as a space for study groups, but if the preference is a much quieter area, the second and third floors can be used.

Lastly, the third location students have used as a study location is Summerfield Tea Bar.

Summerfield Tea Bar is located around 10 to 20 minutes away from Santa Ana College, depending on the type of transportation. Inside Summerfield, students have the option to study in the sitting area that is near the more ambient kitchen, but if they want a quieter environment, they have the option to go inside the other area of the location that is near the entrance.

At this location, after ordering, the wi-fi password and the bathroom code can be found at the bottom of the receipt. One thing that is crucial besides access to an internet connection while studying, is access to outlets in case the device runs out of battery. Therefore, next to each of the table setups, there are outlets. In terms of comfort, the chairs are cushioned, have armrests, and are level at a comfortable height with the table.

I have studied here and it is quite easy to remain focused since there are other people around you studying at the same time. Since the location is near other institutions, many students come in and out of the tea bar during their lunchtime. But, it never gets too loud to the point where you cannot focus.

Flora is an application that also helps reduce the temptation to use other apps while studying. Flora is available on iOS and soon to be available on Android and as a Chrome Extension. This application blocks other apps on your phone, allows you to create to-do lists, and works almost like a Pomodoro timer allowing you to determine the amount of time for focus and the chance to allow breaks in between for up to 20 minutes. The objective of this application is not only to improve the users’ productivity but it also allows users to take part in helping the environment.

Junior Janney Carlos shares a recommendation in regards to increasing one’s productivity.

“I say find your own time and own place to study and focus,” Carlos said.