It’s kind of hard to imagine, but the typical dorm is going to be somewhere between 150 and 200 square feet. And that’s for 2 people. Throw in some dressers, desks, 2 beds, and you can see how it gets pretty tight. For college students, their dorm room functions as their bedroom, their office, the family room, their closet, and sometimes their bathroom is attached, too.
What all this boils down to is the dorm room becoming a complete distraction. It’s very difficult for students to transition between watching TV, playing video games, and getting schoolwork done. I have worked with students that have continually told me that they are going to get work done in their dorm room. They have insisted that they can do it. They have repeatedly told me that they won’t get distracted and can be productive. Rarely do they come through.
Just like in real estate, learning is all about location, location, location. For students to be the most effective and productive workers, they need to get out of their dorm room. This sounds simple, but it isn’t that easy. Often times, this means going to the library on an 85 degree, sunny day. Other times, it means hopping on a bus and getting across campus or going for a 10 minute walk. Sometimes, it involves bundling up, packing a snack, and getting to the library in horrible, winter weather. Regardless of the conditions, or the state of mind of the student, they must get to the library. When it comes to studying and getting schoolwork done, students will be much more effective at the library. It has all the components that a student needs. It is full of other people which will lead to more productivity, it provides a study area, and it is a quiet, ideal environment with very limited distraction.
College students need to focus on getting out of their dorm room and into the library as much as possible. This will lead to more studying, learning, and ultimately, better grades.