Study Spots
The Hot Take On Where To Study Around Shore
L. Banks
SHORE SPANS A SIGNIFICANT CHUNK OF NORTH SYDNEY. Boasting incomparable views, Shore’s grounds are a hot piece of real estate. Subsequently, it can be overwhelming when attempting to choose a place to settle down and wrestle with some work. Thus I have summarised my top 5 greatest places to study, judged off enjoyment, effectiveness, atmosphere and aesthetics.
- The Eastern Tables
The Eastern Tables, superior to the Southern Tables, boast an impressive view of Sydney’s skyline. Although the South tables arguably have the better view, the Eastern tables are more secluded from the mayhem of younger students, and tend to be a more productive space. The tables make for a great group environment, with the normal quiet library rules, one can stop for a quick chat in between tasks. However, when sitting too close to your best mates, one risks the environment becoming destructive, as there is significant potential for procrastination. The rabbit hole of banter at the tables is what has taken away from a possible higher ranking, and is why it occupies the fifth spot on the list.
- The Walton Room
Similarly to the Eastern Tables, the Walton Room is designed for cooperation and group-style studying. Used as a classroom during school hours, the Walton Room certainly has enough room for you and your friends. Additionally, the couch next to the window is a lovely spot to sit and cooperate with your peers. However, this couch has the tendency to allow one to become too comfortable. Commonly, if one is to check their phone whilst sitting on this couch after school hours, they may accidentally spend the next hour sitting on the comfy neon cushions, playing mobile games, or browsing the boundlessness of social media. The Walton Room makes up for this danger with its large whiteboard. Allowing students to draft up any plan or notes that they please. Ultimately, the Walton has a great atmosphere when used with a small to medium group, producing efficient study sessions. Thus the Walton Room is one of the best places to study claiming the fourth spot.
- Seminar Rooms
When the due date is looming, and it’s time to knuckle down and punch out some study, the seminar rooms make for a great place to escape the noise. Mostly sound proof, when used with a very small group of 1-3 productive friends, the Seminar Rooms produce great results. These rooms boast big screens that can be used as a whiteboard, or to cast your screen onto a bigger medium. The Seminar Rooms’ hamartia comes as the number of occupants increases, or the tendency of those occupants to procrastinate increases.. Any more than 3 people and it is highly likely that there is no effective or efficient study taking place. Additionally, the Seminar Rooms are far from the library’s other facilities, meaning it can be inefficient walking back and forth when frequently printing or copying. The Seminar Rooms reach their full potential during an exam or high traffic period, when the senior study area becomes overcrowded. The one lucky soul who secures a Seminar Room during exams may experience as large as a 20-30% increase in marks when scaled against their peers. Consequently, the Seminar Rooms’ ability to clutch when cramming for exams is what gives them the edge over other study spots, granting it the third place position.
- Senior Study Area
The Senior Study Area is the most productive area in the library. The area features two main study spaces, the individual cubicles, and the stools by the windowsill. These two areas are perfect for effective study sessions, allowing students to focus in the cubicle and then come out for a short chat or an explanation from a peer, and then go back to their work. The Senior Study Area is always quiet, with the strictest volume rules available in the library. Further, by excluding the hyperactive younger students, the area becomes a haven for the Senior Students to escape distractions. The Senior Study Area is also located centrally in the library, near all of the facilities, making it a short trip to the printers, bookshelves or circulation desk. However, the Senior Study Area fails as it reaches and exceeds its capacity. During exam periods, the Senior Study Area tends to get overloaded with students all anxiously cramming for their exams. Thus, the ambient volume rises significantly from its natural level year round, becoming very distracting if one does not own some kind of noise blocking headphones or earbuds. Additionally, with the increased traffic, one becomes more likely to become distracted by a friend. As more people gather there, the more likely they will interact with you, or be your best mate (generally, studying with your best mate is a bad idea unless immune to procrastination). This harsh contrast makes the Senior Study Area a hit-or-miss, but for the most part, year-round it makes for the most effective place in the library for efficient study. Thus the Senior Study Area lands itself in the second place position.
- Robson Reading Room
The Robson Reading Room (RRR) is a significantly undervalued space for focused study. Overlooking the school grounds, and always free from crowds, the RRR has a calm and comforting atmosphere. The RRR does not experience rushes during exam periods, or rushes of any kind. Open almost any time for students to use during study/free periods, peer tutoring, or after school. There is no more comforting place on Shore’s grounds than the RRR when it is raining. The metal roof conducts a symphonious ambient backtrack for your study, similar to that of lo-fi music. I am convinced that the Robson Reading Room in the rain is the closest one can get to a heaven on earth. If visiting the RRR in bad weather, you can be sure that you will have an exceptionally efficient study session. The RRR provides a direct passage to the bathroom, a notable advantage over the library which does not boast its own bathroom for students to use. However, the RRR does not have a printer or circulation desk nearby for student use, so students must plan appropriately and make sure they bring all required materials to prevent an unnecessary trip to the library to stock up. The RRR is particularly useful when in need of a quiet space as it is perpetually calm, and has no nearby factors that increase noise. The RRR is my personal favourite study spot, and subsequently claims the number one spot.
