Designing an outdoor study space for college students depends on location, functionality, and purpose. While a secluded area is a typical choice, it’s not as practical for daily use. Many students can be seen sitting on concrete walls in front of their buildings between classes, laptops on their legs to dangle over the concrete. Even if their campus has scenic study spots away from the bustle, most students would reserve them for weekends or evenings. Being a successful college student requires multitasking and time management, so their spaces should empower this.
1- Pay Attention to the Location
The first idea to capitalize on these aspects would be to create small, simple spaces outdoors that are close to the classroom buildings, with larger study areas near the college eateries. These patios do not need to be in a quiet location, and campuses should have a balanced mixture of both. While there are no conclusive studies indicating student preference for studying between music and silence, there are plenty of smaller studies that suggest that many students listen to music or background sound.
Having numerous ‘green spaces’ for a multitude of different studiers is more important than all outdoor study areas being quiet. Many studies, including this one, indicate that outdoor spaces of any kind augment student attention, cognition, memory, and emotional stability. The extreme pressure of a college curriculum should be coupled with spaces meant to help their academics and their overall mental health.
2- Include Technology
Expanding on this, all of these spaces–accessible or secluded–must have Wi-Fi access and outdoor outlets or charging stations. Empowering all students, the planners and procrastinators, enables versatility for deadlines and study time. The advances of modern technology demand this functionality; larger spaces should lean toward individual outlets for each seating area, while smaller ones could incorporate the charging station. Individual outlets in larger study areas will allow individual or group sessions as necessary.
3- Choose the Right Fabric
Tables and seating are more obvious, but using weather-proof fabrics in their design increases their style, longevity, and comfort. Incorporating these fabrics into a canopy over the seating areas with some string lights ensures these study areas could be used at any time of day in most seasons and states.
4- Put in a Water Fountain
But no matter the time of day, students need fuel to study: water fountains capable of filling bottles and simple vending machines for spaces outside classroom buildings. Studies indicate that studying is often coupled with eating due to time constraints, and that is if students don’t skip their meals altogether.
5- Add Potted Plants
Adding potted plants of rosemary and peppermint along with any natural foliage, adds aromas to enhance focus and attract students. Busier areas could install tall, stylish fences with planter boxes to provide privacy and additional floral scents. If the campus included some perennial flowers and bushes to bloom throughout the seasons, these outdoor spaces could become colorful representations of biodiversity. Student clubs could even ‘adopt’ these outdoor study spaces to maintain, similar to the ‘adopt a highway’ initiative. Designing a space incorporating all of these factors allows for every ‘green space’ to amplify a student’s focus and care for their health.
