# Are You A Coffee Shop Study Guru?



## Clare_Bare (Apr 6, 2015)

I read this article a while back and gave it a try recently;

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2090717-do-you-get-your-best-work-done-in-coffee-shops-heres-why/

I'm in my first year of University and i've always preferred the quiet of my study area at home.
It's where I have all my textbooks and associated topic materials which I regularly refer to.
But lately i've found my mind wandering to other distractions despite having a 'focused system' around me.

So I gave this coffee shop concept a try.
At first I felt self-concious about taking up a spot for an hour or more.
And yes I did get some 'looks' from the staff! As it happens, I ordered a chai latte and a muffin (apple & cinnamon - yum!)
The coffee shop didn't have wi-fi, but the shopping mall itself does although it is speed limited (quite slow), but wi-fi wasn't really necessary for my test-run.

It took me a while to concentrate as it really was a new experience for me - I kept looking around to check out the situational awareness thing ...
(This ENTP's Ne was on overdrive!)
Anyways once I got started on my essay, amazingly I was able to concentrate and produce some appropriate content!

Somehow the ambiant noise and activity provided a sense of ..... attachment? I don't know how to describe it, but it just seemed natural to be exposed to the external chaos happening in the vicinity?
I knew suff was going on around me, but rather than being a bother, it was more comforting than anything else!
I'm a single person and basically live alone, so perhaps having people around gave me a sense of affinity along with a feeling of inclusion?

However I was really surprised to discover that the concept of coffee shop study seemed to be effective!
I can't say I would do it regularly due to cost/time/travel reasons, but ironically if I was 'stuck' on some aspect in a topic, I may consider going to a noisy/ busy coffee shop to help me with study progression!

Go figure?


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## Miss Bingley (Jun 28, 2013)

I study best in coffee shops, too! Something about the ambient noise, and just being off campus, away from my super intense classmates. It also helps that I really like coffee, haha.


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## shameless (Apr 21, 2014)

Yes I study the patrons


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## Endologic (Feb 14, 2015)

Not gonna lie, I sort of expected the _other_ kind of coffee shops...


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## lolalalah (Aug 1, 2015)

I have never studied in a coffee shop. I only study at home, as I want to finish quick and I am afraid I wouldn't be able to focus as well anywhere else (I tend to get distracted).

I have nothing against writing a program or working/making research for a project while sipping on my tea at some (mostly) quiet teahouse, though.


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## starscream430 (Jan 14, 2014)

To be quite honest, I studied best either at home or in my dorm room. I found other people kinda distracting.


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## shazam (Oct 18, 2015)

Kind of. I do work stuff and order extra hot. Saturday is my coffee day. I mi9ht 9o later. It's a nice change of scenery.


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## angelfish (Feb 17, 2011)

I have a hard time with studying in coffee shops due to the ambient noise - when it comes down to it, I need to be alone in a room with my books - but I love them for working on projects, papers, and recently discovered that it's a great place to work on art. I'm planning on spending some time next summer working on illustration projects at our local cafe.



that article said:


> A recent study suggests that mental effort is contagious – simply being around people who are working hard is enough to make us work harder ourselves.


I've also read that getting dressed "up" (at least clean/in decent clothing) increases performance, too. I think there's a lot to "psyching yourself into it" when it comes to work performance... just like there are a lot of ambient factors you can employ to help with sleeping better, too ("sleep hygiene"). Subjectively I feel like I do a better job when I've showered, put on decent clothes, shown up on time, had a good breakfast, etc. And I like the sense of low-level interest at coffee shops... it's less boring than being alone. It's like you can pick up little tidbits of art/culture/knowledge/uniqueness all around you, whenever you look up.

That all said... the article also mentioned choosing a coffeeshop where more people are working than socializing... along that line... I think coffeeshops are awesome for work I'm engaged in and interested in... but for work that feels more like drudgery... I think the coffeeshop is such a nice/happy/cozy place... it would be hard to get myself into doing work that doesn't make me feel good.


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## smallhead (Mar 21, 2017)

I went to uni in a town with a variety of 24 hour cafe options. I won't say that it was the most productive place to get work done but it's the place I always chose to be. It helps that in my particular city about everyone at any coffee shop was doing school work. I spent a lot of money at cafes because I simply loved it. Making friends during writing breaks, getting slices of pizza for energy boosts at 3 am, the whole works. Was it responsible to have such a sideways sleep schedule, to miss class because I was up until 5 am, to drink 4 cups of coffee after sunset, to waste time and energy talking with friends? Meh.


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## dulcinea (Aug 22, 2011)

I don't study well in public places, because if I've been somewhere for a while after ordering a small thing, I start getting self conscious.


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## septic tank (Jul 21, 2013)

the_dubious_rogue said:


> I went to uni in a town with a variety of 24 hour cafe options. I won't say that it was the most productive place to get work done but it's the place I always chose to be. It helps that in my particular city about everyone at any coffee shop was doing school work. I spent a lot of money at cafes because I simply loved it. Making friends during writing breaks, getting slices of pizza for energy boosts at 3 am, the whole works. Was it responsible to have such a sideways sleep schedule, to miss class because I was up until 5 am, to drink 4 cups of coffee after sunset, to waste time and energy talking with friends? Meh.


I live in a uni town, and we have lots of different cafe options. One of them is right across from the university I go to, and it's common to see people with macbooks working on homework.

Sometimes I go there to work, but it's kind of a hassle to get there in contrast with working in my dorm room, and expensive to buy things. I don't get distracted easily though. Once I start on homework it's hard to get me to tuned back in to the world.


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## ponpiri (Apr 30, 2017)

I wasn't that keen on studying while in school. Most of the studying occurred in the library or at home or outside in one of my favorite spots; a cafe definitely wasn't a first choice as the patrons and pedestrians were distracting. Working is different, though. My bed, then a cafe were the preferred places to get work done. The smells [even though I don't drink coffee] and background noise were relaxing enough to get me in the zone.


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## 495602 (Oct 23, 2017)

Apart from the ambient noise, what I love the most about studying is how I don't have to plan breaks. It is all a big break. There are no rules about eating, drinking, smoking, talking... That way I can actually enjoy the process of studying itself. It creates a relaxed atmosphere and takes the pressure off. And it provides enough effective distraction for the brain to rest when necessary.

On the other hand, whenever I study in library silence, I end up stressing over the smallest noise during the exam, it breaks my concentration. It's simply never that silent in reality. People are talking, making noise, phones are ringing, someone is always late, s*it is happening constantly. So I just chose to simulate that ambient while studying and get used to it.


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## atamagasuita (May 15, 2016)

Sometimes. Well when I'm with a private tutor only. It's in coffee shops


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## SouDesuNyan (Sep 8, 2015)

I prefer studying at home. It doesn't make sense to carrying all my stuff, drive to a coffee shop, spend money on expensive drinks, afraid to leave my stuff when needing to use the restroom, use a laptop when I have a giant monitor at home, use congested wifi with potential security issue, etc. If I study/work at a coffee shop, what's the etiquette on how much to spend/tip per hour? What if all the tables are taken? I'd feel terrible if someone walks around looking for a table, and I've been sitting there for 2-3 hours. These are just a few problems I can think of on top of my head, but I'm sure there are more.


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## taskmaster (Nov 25, 2017)

I try so hard to be like the cool kids that study in coffee shops! But then I over do it by trying to look good... for the ladies.

No way, to many distractions!

(Probably be there again tomorrow.)


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