The best part about studying outside is that you don’t need anything to do it. Just go out there and lay in the grass with your books and enjoy the sweet clean air around you. And hey, if you want to make the experience even better, bring a blanket or a beach towel to lay on or even a hammock or a folding chair.
Just remember, it’s important to leave a good amount of time so that you can really enjoy the experience. It’s no fun having to worry about getting packed up and leaving. Giving yourself time really helps you isolate your thoughts so that you can work more effectively. Studying outside also happens to be a great way to meet people! I can’t tell you how many close friends that I made during my freshman year by just going outside my dorm to study. If you’re in high school, get together some of your friends and go do your homework at a local park! Or just run out to your back porch and work out there.
It’s also important to find a place that’s close to where you live! Go out in the quad! Find a field! Does your campus not have much nature? See if you can find an especially isolated part of campus and set up a chair/hammock there!
As a mental and physical bonus, you’ll be out getting your vitamin D as well as learning at a faster rate. In a study done by the National Academy of Sciences (2009), outdoor learning was found to be significantly more time efficient compared to learning in a controlled or familiar environment. This was due to the ability of the mind to isolate noise as well as thoughts in a vast environment.
Don’t make homework the only reason to go outside either! Don’t have anything to do? Head out, find some friends, explore the area around you. I’ll bet if you look close enough, you’ll see a plant or animal you’ve never seen. Or just lay out and watch the clouds! It’s amazing what your imagination will create out of nothing.
Be sure to post pictures of your favorite outdoor study spots!
Here’s a checklist for your adventures:
- Time! (can’t have enough of it)
- A blanket/chair/hammock/towel
- Textbooks/books
- Paper and Pencil (look for local birds to sketch)
- Laptop
- Friends! Convince some people to join you outside, it makes it all the more fun
by Samarth Vasisht