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Today was the first day I spent more than a couple of hours studying for my exam coming up in just over five weeks. I had been wanting to go to the library with my roommate for a week now – he is studying for an important medical exam and has been at the library all day every day for the past weeks. Today I finally went. Originally we had agreed on meeting there at 9am. (Meet there because he rides his bike there while I prefer to have ten more minutes of quiet and rest on the bus.) After a night of little sleep (hello, my middle name is insomniac), I ended up sleeping until 10am. Otherwise I would not have been able to function at all (getting up at 10am gave me 6 hours of sleep).
By the time I got to the library it was almost noon, and I ended up having to sit somewhere else than my roommate (on a different floor) so while we had planned to go to the library together, we didn’t actually see each other, except when I got there. The library is the economics and social sciences library of our university so not really our library (me being a humanities major, him being in medical school) but my roommate always goes there because he likes it, and I have to agree. I really enjoyed it. The building only just re-opened last summer (before it was converted into a faculty building, it was a hospital that is now located elsewhere in a newer building). Meaning old building but everything inside is new, clean, well-lit, beautiful. Much better than the central library (humanities) or the sciences library (one of those ugly 1960s concrete blocks).
And, as some of you may remember, I did actually major in economics my first year of university (I later switched to Spanish). So it was kind of neat to see what building I would be in now (the old economics building was horrid, really really awful – from the inside), had I stuck with that major (but for all other reasons, thank God I didn’t).
Now, seven years later, I am almost done with my degree, and I think I will be making studying at that library a habit. It’s pretty close to my house (10 minutes by bus or bike), and I really enjoyed studying there today. I am usually not the type of person to study at the library, because I hate lugging around notes and books, but I have realized that home does simply not make for a productive environment for me. There is my laptop, the TV, my bed (and you know I love naps!), the fridge, and between all those things, I never actually get much done. I get distracted too easily.
Today, at the library, I felt productive. Listening to the music on my iPhone quietly and working away, I was surrounded by other students being productive, which made for such a great atmosphere to be focusing on my work. I like the library, the cafeteria (which allows for quick breaks to eat & drink something, and to unwind), and I just felt so good about what I achieved there today. It was probably the most productive I have been since I finished my thesis in early January. I got so much done. And not only that, I enjoyed it, too. That is a really encouraging feeling, because I know those five weeks will be over sooner than I think. And seeing how much I achieved today makes me positive that I can handle it, that I will be well-prepared by the time April 10th rolls around. I think I need that feeling to keep me going in the next four months.
I’m glad you had such a productive day! Although next time it’s 6:30 pm over here I will be logging on and telling you to get to bed lol :)
.-= Emily Jane’s last blog post: Protected: My Real Self Portrait =-.
Haha, thanks! I went to bed after we got off gchat, and I was not able to sleep for another two hours! By the time I finally slept, it was 3:30, I’m guessing, and I had originally planned to get up at 7:30. I did, but only to tell my roommate that I need to get a little more sleep and would join him at the library later.
In the end, I think, that was the best decision. Had I gotten up, I would have probably been drained after a couple of hours of studying. This way, I got 6 hours of sleep and was at the library for 7 hours (minus a few breaks to eat and to print a few articles).
Ah yes, I know what those kind of days feel like. They can really motivate you to keep going, so keep up the good work!!
Thanks. I went to the library to study yesterday & today as well. I got so much done. I am so happy about that.
Great you had such a productive day. I don’t go to library to study very often, because it’s always very loud there. Seems like the Business Administration students at my university are really chatty ;-)
Have a great weekend…
.-= Deia’s last blog post: Country Portrait: South Africa =-.
Yeah, I never was the kind of person to go to the library to study because of the extra effort it takes to get there. But thankfully that particular library really is so quiet (I feel guilty every time I move papers around or cough). But unfortunately not every library is.
I always studied in the library back in Germany. It was a great atmosphere. I was able to concentrate but if I wanted to relax, I just went outside talked to friends, went to the bakery and got some snack food. Great times! I am glad you had such a productive day with lots of studying!
.-= Stefanie’s last blog post: Longing for spring. =-.
Yeah, I agree. I never used it much but then I haven’t had exams to study for in ages as the Hauptstudium in my majors is largely research paper based. (And I really did not want to take all the books and my laptop to the library whenever I had papers to write.) This is the first time I really have to study in a long time. And the library works surprisingly well for me. The only thing is, because I don’t study social sciences or economics (any more) I hardly know anyone who does, and have yet to run into a familiar face there (except for my roommate). So I don’t really have anyone to chat with in study breaks (my roommate has his exams next week so he will not be coming along anymore after that).
I love the library at the LMU across from Atzinger…. it is all windows on 2 sides and is 5 floors of books and nooks and wonderfulness. I would totally go back there just to hang out or read if I had some sort of student ID to get in.
.-= texpat’s last blog post: not breaking……. =-.
I have never been to any of the university libraries in Munich (that’s something I totally missed out on by moving away) but you need a student ID to get in? Here you don’t, not for any of the university libraries (just to borrow books).
You sound so motivated, keep it up girl! Actually you just reminded me about how much I loved studying at the library especially here in Gothenburg and that I actually really miss it. Her’s to productivity!
.-= antje’s last blog post: Protected: EXCITING TIMES =-.
Thanks. I am not sure if I will miss the studying, haha. It is pretty exhausting (and gosh, my neck, back, and hand aches after just three days!). It’s funny, because I never was (or had to be) one of those students who had to study a lot, I feel kind of fake when I sit there with all the other students who have (presumably) always been studying this much. While I only just started. Even though I am not taking any classes anymore, I haven’t felt this … student-y in a long time.
I love productive days!! Aren’t they the best!?
I absolutely loathe the library especially studying there. It’s too quiet for me that it’s actually distracting. I do better when I listen to music and am in a familiar place. :) I’m glad I’m done with school anyways!
.-= steph anne’s last blog post: I’m A Hot Mess, But Loaded with Energy! =-.
Really? I usually listen to music on my iPhone (at a low volume, otherwise it’s distracting) but I also like the quiet.
Sometimes I think that being surrounded by all those people creates a lovely and incredible vibe that is just conducive to learning.. I’m also a sucker for libraries. I like to think osmosis works there. xo
Thanks for your comment, Andrea. I absolutely agree. It reminds me of orchestra camp in high school, where we would practice 6 hours a day (for a concert a week or two later). It created this really intense atmosphere which feels a lot like the atmosphere at the library. A little magic.
I love being able to get into that groove where you have a physical place you can go to just turn that hard working, fast moving part of your brain on. It’s just such a relief to know that you can get it all done, isn’t it? Congratulations on being able to see the light at the end of the tunnel!
Thanks for your comment, Kyla. It definitely is. Before I started studying a lot, I felt so overwhelmed by it all. Now I am pretty positive I can manage it and do well, too.
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