Tag: focus

Student Perspectives: 5 of the best places to study in Bristol when the libraries are full

Posted on by tim.worth

Helen, the author of the blog post

In this blog post Student Advocate Helen March (History) explores study spaces in the city outside of the University.

The university libraries are a great place to study during term time, but they can get super busy. This can make it a real challenge to get your work done, especially during exam time. Here’s a few suggestions of places you can go when the libraries are full up and you’re struggling to find a place to knuckle down.  

 

1. Bristol Central Library Reading Room  

A great place to start with is the central library just off college green. Tucked out the way of the University, the library is really quiet during weekdays and has a beautiful reading room.

Sign up for a free library card and you can have access to their wifi and stay there all day. The staff are really lovely and there’s even a coffee shop on the ground floor!

This Photo by Steve Cadman is licensed under CC BY. https://flic.kr/p/5Jgo4F

2. Clifton Library  

Did you know there’s a library in Clifton Village? Neither did I until this year! Tucked between cafes and pubs, the library is small, but generally really quiet. Plus, there’s loads of pubs nearby to grab a quick pint at the end of a long study day. 

3. The Cloakroom Cafe 

This quirky cafe was once an Edwardian public loo! Located just down the hill from the university, it’s a great place to get your reading done away from the bustle of students trying to find their lectures.  Top Tip – The hot chocolate here is amazing!  

4. The Botanical Gardens 

This Photo by Nick is licensed under CC BY. https://flic.kr/p/fho2Z8 

If you live in Stoke Bishop, you might want somewhere a bit closer to you! When I lived up there, I often found it hard to find space in the Hiatt Baker study centre. Instead, why not head over to the Botanical Gardens, (Don’t worry I’m not telling you to try and work in a flower bed!).

They’ve got a lovely cafe hidden round the back of the building, where you can get your work done in a peaceful environment! 

5. The Arnolfini  

The Arnolfini is primarily an art gallery, but it’s also got a cafe which is great for studying in. Located on the docks, it’s a scenic place to watch boats go by whilst you struggle to work out that problem you just can’t get your head round. Plus, you can take a break to look round some of their amazing exhibits! 

Do you have any other suggestions for study spaces beyond the University? Let us know in the comments!

Student perspective: Even STEM students need a creative outlet

Posted on by study.skills

Photo of Gloria, the author of the post, holding paper and paintbrushesby Gloria Bosi, Bristol Futures Advocate

Hello everyone, my name is Gloria, and I am a 2nd year mechanical engineering student. After picking up painting as my lockdown hobby, I noticed a significant improvement in my ability to focus on my coursework. This inspired me to write this blog post.

As STEM students, we are often taught the most pragmatic approaches to problem-solving. The ones which, like mathematics, involve standard procedures or logical successions of operations. Hence, the greatest mistake we can make is to get stuck in a cycle of mindlessly applying physical laws or equations, without appreciating their significance or exercising our creativity in any way. This would only teach us to approach problems in a machinelike manner, and we already have computers for that. A creative mind is a flexible one, which can think for itself and overcome obstacles more effectively. For these reasons, I will try to persuade you to invest some time in an artistic outlet, if you are not doing so already. Here I summarize what, in my opinion, are the key advantages:

Painting in a sketchbook showing the rough outlines of buildings and palm tree against a sunset background

1. Improved mental well-being.
As you may already know, arts and crafts are often described as natural anti-depressants, because they cause the brain to release dopamine, the chemical of happiness. More specifically, creative activities like drawing and painting can increase levels of cortisol, which is the hormone that the body releases in response to stress. In other words, engaging in creative activities can
improve our mental well-being, making us feel more relaxed and content. This can help you let go of that stress from your most recent assignment!

2. Developing employability skills
If you are not yet convinced, making space for art can help us develop highly employable skills. For example, the process of crafting something with our own hands can improve our self-efficacy, which is our belief in our ability to succeed in a certain situation. Psychologists claim that a strong sense of self-efficacy improves our resilience and shapes the way we overcome challenges. These are crucial skills for the workplace, and to survive the pandemic.

3. Improved focus (flow)
As you probably know, our nervous system can only process a limited amount of information at a time, which is why some people find it particularly difficult to multi-task. When someone starts
creating, and focusing solely on their creation, they forget themselves and their surroundings for a while. Their attention is at full capacity, and their brain is stimulated at just the right level. This
phenomenon is known as flow. With enough practice, one can learn to use creative activities to elicit flow, and then channel it towards their other academic responsibilities. This can help you
get motivated to start the assignment that you have been procrastinating on! All it takes is a bit of time for habit formation.

We all need balance. I believe that an artistic outlet or hobby can help you find the right balance to be able to focus, feel, and perform better.

If you are not sure where to start, here is a list of things you can try, even just occasionally:

  • Drawing or painting – this is what I do. I used to be terrible at it, but improvement is almost unavoidable with enough practice. Check out the pictures of my paintings embedded in the post. I will let you guess which one was my first one, and which was my last.
  • Ceramics – perhaps requires a few more supplies.
  • Blackout poetry – very simple to do if you’ve got lots of old books. I highly suggest you
    google it if you are not familiar.
  • Journaling – easy to do on a regular basis.
  • Creative writing – this one is a bit more involved, and probably requires more time.
  • Knitting – you might already have the supplies in your house without even knowing.
  • Cooking and baking – this one requires talent that I do not have.
  • Gardening – ever tried growing potato sprouts?

Thank you for reading, and let us know what creative activity you will be trying in the comments!

 

Letter to my undergraduate self: Anna Wallace – ‘Making better choices got me back on track’

Posted on by study.skills

In a nod to the Big Issue’s regular feature Letter to My Younger Self, we’re asking staff to think back to their own experiences as a student and tell us what advice they would give to their undergraduate selves.

This month we’re talking to Anna Wallace, Admin Assistant in Library Services.

What and where did you study? 

English and Philosophy at Leeds University. 

Did you experience a culture shock when you started University? 

Most definitely! Although I had had a year out after my A’Levels and lived abroad in a large city, I wasn’t used to finding my feet in big social groups, and this was a real challenge for me. Having grown up in a rural town with a tight-knit group of friends, I think I put a lot of pressure on myself at the time to make instant friendships. I’ve realised since that friendship usually comes in time and often when you don’t expect it. 

What was your biggest failure and what did you learn from it? 

My second year at Uni was a juggle of socialising, working and studying, possibly in that order, which certainly reflected in some of my marks! It meant that I pulled quite a few all-nighters, missed a couple of essay deadlines and received some late submission penalties. I also didn’t feel up to speed with the reading, or completely engaged with my subjects. But on the plus side I was able to pay for my University living costs and have a few memorable nights out! 

By my third year, I realised that I couldn’t juggle everything, and if I was going to leave Uni with a reasonable degree, then I would need to prioritise my time better and focus more on my studies. In doing that, I would say that my final year was my most enjoyable, I finally engaged with my course and felt all the happier and more content for it. No essays were late, I was up to date with the reading and felt more confident to contribute in my seminars. 

What are you most proud of about your time at university? 

For me, the fact that I stuck with it, pulled my socks up in my final year and made some better choices which got me back on track is probably what I feel proudest of. 

What was the best bit of feedback you received? 

I received a good solid first for an essay on American Literature in my final year. It was an essay that I remember grappling with during the Christmas holidays, with limited resources to use (this was in the days before Google and Wiki!!). I felt very unsure about what I submitted, as I had struggled so much, so to receive positive feedback made all the effort feel worthwhile and was a confidence boost in my ability to build an argument without relying heavily on secondary texts. 

What advice would you give to your undergraduate self? 

If I were to go back and do it all again, I would manage and prioritise my time, which is no easy feat for an Arts student with just a few contact hours each week. I would complete the reading, and (perhaps most importantly) I would find a thread in my unit choices, so that I was building on knowledge each year, and choosing the units that I enjoyed, not the ones that I thought I ought to be good at. 

Student perspective: Staying focused in a new environment

Posted on by study.skills

by Iskandar Bin Suhaimi, Bristol Futures Advocate

Gone are the café mornings, Beacon afternoons and ASSL all-nighters. Staying at home is now the new norm as we work together to stop Covid-19 from spreading further. But be it your room, living room or lush frontier-style patio, it is definitely not easy to get productive in spaces you associate with rest and relaxation. Regardless, the grind must go on so here are a few tips to help you make the best of your new surroundings:

  1. Designate a specific working space

Establish a mental connection with your workplace by studying and only studying there. In time, your brain will be automatically switch to study mode whenever you sit down.

  1. Dress for work

Whether you’re going for Elle Wood’s Harvard look or your trusty sports fleece, dressing up can help you transition into your productivity mindset. Save the pyjamas for bedtime.

  1. Spring clean your room

For those who have nowhere to study except your bedroom, there can be no better time to Kondo-up your crib. Make your bed (I see you), dust that bookshelf and for Pete’s sake take your 6th grade assignment off your desktop. Reducing clutter will minimize distractions, allowing for a clear head to focus on the task at hand.

  1. Get the ambiance right

Some people prefer silence. Some people are fun and need a little ambiance music to get in the zone. RainyMood is great for rain sounds, but you’re also bound to find something you like on YouTube or Spotify.

  1. Establish a routine

An effective routine ensures you optimize your time, attend to essential tasks and get plenty of downtime as well. The keyword is balance.

Go ahead and give any of these tips a try. Comment your thoughts below and maybe share some tips of your own!