Students share their favorite study locations as finals week arrives

By SETH HAMMES

Tiger Media Network

It is finals week and there is plenty of stress to go around. Students are in a hurry to get their finals done in short periods of time. No one likes deadlines, especially ones that approach faster than you can say “Partridge in a Pear Tree.” Since many students are eager to get to Winter break, focus is heavy demand for finals week. With campus being so large, it begs the question, what is the best location for a Fort Hays student to study?

At Fort Hays State University, there are many students with different strategies to get the best out of their study sessions, with many looking for places that are cozy and promote productivity. A few students shared their favorite study spots to help their peers. 

The Fischli-Wills Center for Student Success is filled with potential study spots, from comfortable corners, to isolated study rooms. It is often the first place that students go to study, mainly due to its quiet environment. FHSU students Breckyn Jensen and Olivia Dix shared why the second floor is their ideal place to study.

“We like the whiteboards,” Jensen said. “We use the whiteboards a lot. We like how the rooms are closed so we can just be in a quiet area to study.” 

Dix elaborated on why she prefers Fischli-Wills to the other study areas. 

“It has been beneficial for me, just to have a quiet place to study,” Dix said. “Especially in those rooms with the extra resources because we use a lot of active recall.” 

Both Dix and Jensen shared why they think Fischli-Wills is more ideal than places such as the Memorial Union.

“We like how it’s closed off and you are more in a little group, because if you go sit down there [the Union], then it’s loud,” they said. “There’s traffic going through all the time.”

While Fischli-Wills is an ideal study spot for Jensen and Dix, for graduate student Olumide Ajulo, Cody Commons in the Memorial Union basement is also a good study spot. 

“Sometimes you just need a place where there are people, just like the library before the remodeling. There is a common place where people can go around, talk and all that, and you just need that kind of setting to read,” Ajulo said. “There are other times when you need perfect silence. This place kind of serves like a place where I’m not really doing a lot of reading, but I’m still able to skim through my book and relax.”

He described the relaxed environment and why it may be the perfect place to wind down in addition to studying. 

“Unlike going to a regular library, this is not going to be the same. People go here to relax, and practice a different kind of studying. Of course, some distractions could happen, so it’s not an ideal place to really study,” Ajulo said. “It is a place to relax, and just go through your notes. So, there may be distractions here and there, but sometimes it helps to be in a more lively environment.”

Ajulo said sometimes you need a place to just get away from being very serious and that Cody Commons is a perfect spot to sit down, and see people moving around, and get some food. 

“I think that sometimes you just have to take a break from active study to passive study. That is what really helps us,” he said. “I really would recommend this spot if you have been doing a lot of studying. Even if you still revise through work, it is still the perfect spot to relax.”

Cody Commons is a good retreat for those who find themselves overwhelmed by the stress of over-studying. With its dim lighting, subtle background noise, and overall causal vibes… It may just be the place to consider stopping by.

Not all FHSU students can gather in the Union to study, so students might consider exploring other areas on campus. The Schmidt Foundation for Art and Design is a quiet building that offers a gentle environment with good lighting for efficient focus. FHSU students Ella Stroyan and Lexe Pfannenstiel took advantage of this study area in advance of finals. 

“I have one class in here, so I kind of do stuff in here if I’m waiting for the room to be open, or if I want to take a break,” Stroyan said.

When asked what they liked about studying in the building, both Stroyan and Pfannenstiel felt strongly about the furniture. 

“It’s the chairs. Definitely the chairs,” Pfannenstiel said. “In all seriousness, we really enjoy the environment. It feels very respectful and peaceful.”

Stroyan enjoys the Art Building to study as opposed to the Union, as it is less busy, especially with the library closed for renovations. 

While the Schmidt Foundation Center of Art and Design might not have many dedicated study rooms, the lobby is “a respectful and peaceful environment” according to Stroyan and Pfannenstiel. 

While many students engage in studying alone, some students many need extra help with their studies. For those looking for that supportive environment, Rarick Hall may be the best option.

Rarick Hall has tutoring services for most general subjects.  Departments housed in the building include Advanced Education Programs, English and Modern Languages, History and Philosophy, Communication Studies, Law and Political Science, Criminal Justice, Leadership, and Sociology, Mathematics & Computer Science, and Teacher Education.

Between the writing center and mathematics tutoring services, students have a large support system at their disposal. But what about study spaces? Madeline Byerly, a student of the FHSU Honors College, had the same question before finding Rarick’s Foundry space.

Byerly is majoring in Mathematics with an emphasis in education. She said the Foundry provides a lot of opportunities to be efficient in group projects. 

“If I have a group project, I like coming down here to do that. I also really like those chairs, because you can box yourself in, and not have as many distractions,” she said. 

Comfortable furniture has become a common theme among students. One thing that Byerly has a specific opinion on is why the Foundry is one of the better places to study.

“I feel not as many people know about it. My brother, who’s a sophomore, had never heard about it until this year, when we came down here to study math,” she said. “I like that it’s smaller, and not as big. With it being in Rarick, my department is here, so if I need help, I can just run upstairs if needed.”

Byerly said that since the Foundry may be a bit more secluded than other spaces, students may be able to take advantage of that. 

“I think if people are looking for a more secluded place, they could come here,” she said. “I know I get easily distracted with other people in the room. As I said, there are not as many people down here. So, that really helps me, at least.” 

While Forsyth Libary is currently under construction as part of a renovation project, Dean of Library Services Ginger Williams said students should still utilize study spaces they can find and the resources the library provides, even through the renovation. 

“I think study spaces are really important for college students to have a place away from where they live and away from where they work, where they can focus on studying for classes,” she said. “I know from personal experience it can be really hard to get into a deep study mode, when you are distracted by all the comforts you have at home. And the same thing with work, you think about other things you ought to be doing or need to get done.”

Williams said it is important to have other third spaces to visit that are less distracting and allow students to focus on dedicated study time. Williams is also very passionate about how students can reach their academic peak. With the renovation of Forsyth, there has been a large absence of a very important study space, causing students to experiment and find their own spaces. She assures students that upon reopening, the library will be filled with a variety of study locations. 

“As beautiful as some of the other buildings are, you might be going to Fischli Wills for a student organization meeting, or the union to socialize. I think that you may get mixed messages for what each building is used for, which is not the case when you are in the library,” she said. “The second floor has always been our quiet floor, and for people that need to seek out different environments. That’s something that will help ensure that it’s quiet if need be, that you might not get if you’re with a group of friends in the Foundry. That is the nature of a space that’s not overseen by somebody the way the library is taken care of by the library faculty.”

Regardless of where students choose to study, the FHSU campus has a variety of options to fill their studying needs.

Good luck on Finals, from Tiger Media Network!