The Best Places to Study in Huddersfield

Hi everyone, it’s Rachel!

Now I know what you’re thinking… you’ve read the title and the word ‘study’ has immediately made you run the other way, but bear with me this blog is going to include some information that you might find useful and interesting!

For anyone who has just completed exams this year you know that studying is H A R D and it can be really difficult to get into that revision-groove, but I would just like to share my experiences and what ways work for me and hopefully they could inspire you.

For anyone struggling to concentrate I would definitely suggest finding a quiet space, I know you’ve probably heard that a thousand times but the closer you can get to re-creating the exam hall, the better, as memory recall is greater in environments of a similar context - so turn off that music I know you have playing when you revise because you won’t be allowed to do that in the exam! I’ve heard listening to music is good for some people, but this doesn’t tend to work for me, however I can’t revise in complete silence. So if you do want to have a little background noise then I suggest keeping the music to a minimum.

Another good way of trying to maintain your concentration is to study with a friend as you’ll be able to bounce off each other’s opinions and ideas. This is where going into University becomes particularly handy as there are so many places where you can revise. Firstly, as seen in the picture below, these green spaces on campus are a good place to sit. I tend to sit here when I just want to roll things off the tongue, just to quickly test what I’ve remembered before I need to go into an exam. These spaces are really good places to grab some fresh air, take a breather, refresh all that you’ve learnt when you don’t necessarily have the time to take all your revision notes out of your bag.

Alternatively, if you’re wanting to do revision for longer periods of time then the library is a great place. It is equipped with hundreds of computers, large group rooms and spacious tables for smaller groups. I’ve found that the big tables are perfect for me as you can fit quite a few people around them whilst also having loads of room for your revision notes. I love going to the library because it really gets you into the right frame of mind as the number of distractions is limited, therefore you can try your best to concentrate – and if you’re feeling a bit peckish then grabbing a quick coffee or some snacks isn’t going to take up much time so it’s really convenient!

Most of the time however I tend to study at home as I’m lucky enough to have a pretty huge desk so I can clearly put things into piles and colour code (I promise I’m not an organisational freak… well maybe a little…). I love being able to work in my own space but with this comes the ability to really discipline yourself as distractions are high (you know what I’m talking about… you probably have Netflix on right now!), but I do do things to get the most out of my revision. For example, eating chocolate is supposed to help with the brain information retention, so in the name of revision I may as well tuck into this big bar of chocolate below because the more I eat the more my revision will stick in my brain right? I thought so!

One of the other things that works really well for me is trying to give my revision meaning, by visualising it, and the more relatable you can make your revision, the more likely you are to remember it. For example, if I’ve just been on a shopping trip then all the shops I went in/walked past could be named after each paragraph.

This year, for my Social Psychology exam I had to write an essay and to remember which paragraph came after what and what points were included within that paragraph – for this I used the method of creating a story. So here goes… for example I could have walked into the ‘Store of Introduction’ and have picked up a book on reasons why bisexual women face unique challenges… and towards the back of the shop was how bisexual women are misrepresented in the media and when I got to the check-out, next to the till was how bisexual women struggle to escape from traditional cultural and social norms… do you see where I’m going with this? I know this sounds a little complicated but if you can create a story with your revision, it is more likely to create a better flow with your revision notes instead of them being all mixed up and confused in your brain!

I also love to get some fresh air once I’ve done a fair bit of studying. Not only does this make you more productive when you return to your revision, but when I’m outside I can literally feel all the stress and tightness in my head slowly drift away, so I feel far more relaxed. Even if it’s just a short lap around the University campus or a longer walk to the shop, fresh air will give you way more energy and a sharper mind! One of my favourite spots is to just sit by the canal and take a few moments to clear my head, and this is very much helped when the canal boat is there as it gives you something to really focus on instead of revision!

I really hoped you enjoyed reading my blog and I hope some of these ways will make your studies the best they can be!