For Productive Web Browsing, Gearfire Recommends Exam Prep for the Dorm Kids: Making Personal Space
I’ve never had trouble making friends. I love being around people, and I like to think that I’m fun and interesting enough that people like to be around me. But as my exams came rolling around, I quickly realized that I no longer want to sacrifice my grades for a social life. Don’t get me wrong- I can unequivocally say that I made the right choice in the on-campus residence I picked here I the University of Waterloo. My don is fantastic, my roommate is by best friend, and all of us on my floor regularly congregate in our hallway for cuddle-fests. But I needed boundaries. The social gluttony has gotten stale. At first, I tried just leaving my rez and going to the library. But it’s big and impersonal, and I like to get warm and cozy with a mug of hot chocolate when I study. And then I tried going to the quiet study rooms in my rez, which are excellent and work at least 80% of the time. But I don’t like having to leave my room to get work done. As social as I am, I’m very much a home body, and I like being able to work and live in the same space.So, much like the inspiration for the post-it calendar, I came up with this idea in the middle of the night after this dilemma was keeping my awake for a touch too long. Behold the Epic Do Not Disturb Sign:
It consists of 4 parts:1) A Declaration- “Stress Free Zone” sign. Beside it was a horizontal strip of paper detailing my new rule: “Everyone is heretofore forbidden from coming into my room to complain about academia related stresses.” I actually kicked people out when they come seeking me to talk about how they have 6 exams 4 essays and a dissertation of epic proportions due in the nest 48 hours. I have my own stress, as as much as I love my friends, I need a sacred space to my own, free of the nastiness of “reality”. To do so requires that I keep the energy in my room positive at all times.
3) How to Reach Me- I admire Cal Newport, and talk about him all the time. But his whole “making himself difficult to find so he can work uninterrupted” dance would never work for me. I am only a pretend hermit, and would slowly die inside if people began to feel like I’m unapproachable. So I make my phone number, my twitter and my facebook all available so friends can warn me before they come by. I also specified that I’d like to be text’d, because I can let texts build up, but ignored phone calls send me on a guilt trip. 4) The Exception to the rule- The only exception is if my door is open, which means that I’ve finished studying for the day, and am available for whatever. Except listening to academic complaints, which is a never. It says “mi casa es su casa” which is Spanish (probably) for “my home is your home”. My door was kept closed most of the time.
And then of course I let my roommate know of the importance of my Do Not Disturb hours. So, how did I manage on my exams after enforcing stronger personal boundaries? Well, I got a %79.9 average in my first term, which isn’t bad. It’s not the Dean’s List average I was aiming for, and it especially stings because I missed the mark by %0.1, but I am now going into my second term with a greater understanding of the importance of jealously guarding my personal space and keeping my mental space clutter free. My question to all of you who lived in residence: 1) Did you have this problem of too much socializing, or where you able to keep it under control? If so, how? If not, why not?
Tom said
am December 29 2009 @ 12:32 pm
Kept mine under control by going to the library 8am-6pm most days and sat in the silent areas. Earlier if I could get up - the library is 24 hours but got noisy from 3pm onwards but was dead in the early mornings. Then went home and chilled out in the evenings with several beers!
Ayomide! said
am December 31 2009 @ 11:15 pm
Internet Marketing | Net Age said
am January 1 2010 @ 6:43 am
My residence experience was that the social life swamped everything else. Partytime was anytime, so needless to say my college education never culminated in my earning a degree. Not that I’m complaining, mind you, it was huge fun!
Link Wheel said
am January 1 2010 @ 7:28 am
I think you will naturally find a balance between work and friends, and it is always important to pursue both.
free beats said
am January 1 2010 @ 9:29 am
Beer is always good!
scalp med said
am January 1 2010 @ 9:28 pm
My friends would never respect a sign on my door like that. Love your creativity though.
Ayomide! said
am January 1 2010 @ 10:24 pm
@scalp med. Oh, my friends ignored it at first. But after they kept getting ignored during my work hours, they figured it out!
used tires said
am January 2 2010 @ 2:31 am
I can relate to alot of what you are saying Ayomide which is why next year I am going to go for a single dorm room, right now I have a shared room, which at times makes it very hard to study. And you are right.. it is just not the same as studying in your own room. Thats great that you were able to dedicate yourself like that and brave enough to put up a sign!
Till then,
Jean
Money Bins said
am January 2 2010 @ 3:57 am
I cant stress how important a quality personal room is for having success as a student. Thanks for the article.
Beaches Resorts said
am January 2 2010 @ 9:33 am
Nice post! Really a very good experience about a kid life…..
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am January 2 2010 @ 10:07 am
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am January 2 2010 @ 11:58 am
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am January 3 2010 @ 6:42 am
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Ana Zoby said
am January 3 2010 @ 7:24 pm
I live in Brazil and in my residence we have to share the room with 2 other girls, wich makes 3 of us in the room. It’s not always easy to manage everyone’s schedule, but we try. Sometimes we fail. But since we study and work, we are at home almost never. But when I have to study for real I go to the library, but a library far from my course’s building so i don’t keep finding friends and losing time in conversations. Or i just go to a room in the college that just me and more 2 or 3 other students got the keys, so you never get disturbed there. ;D
PS.: sorry about the miserable english!
amazing architecture said
am January 4 2010 @ 4:53 am
I would like to have “stress-free zone”. For me such achievement is almost impossible to get. Living with a lot of alien people around I just can’t relax the way I like it.
Ayomide! said
am January 5 2010 @ 1:12 am
@Jean- See, the thing is that I LOVE my roommate. We’re best friends, and I truly believe that I lucked out with her, and we want to live together again next year- I wouldn’t trade her for the world, and even with studying together in the room, we have very similar peak working hours and off hours, so that works just fine. The problem is all my other friends who are all night owls while I like to wake up early and be in bed early. I love them, but chatting all the time burns daylight hours for me. Did you not like your roomie?
@ Ana- First off, you English was great, so you have nothing to apologize for,
and second, I think it’s a great idea to just remove yourself from the noise and distractions completely. I want to really start doing that more often, but my ocd tends to keep me in my room, as I get scared that I’ll forget something I need and will have to trek all the way back to get it, haha! When you go to the library to study, do you work on just one subject while you’re there, or go through multiple?
Laptop Briefcases said
am January 5 2010 @ 6:52 pm
I definitely had this problem in college. When you live with a bunch of friends, it is quite tempting to spend more time drinking and partying. Studying and doing homework is just not as attractive. I even skipped some classes just to stay at home and party with them. I can’t say I actually found a way to properly deal with the distractions.
free beats said
am January 6 2010 @ 12:05 pm
always good!
free beats said
am January 6 2010 @ 12:09 pm
always good!
!!!!!
textbook rent said
am January 8 2010 @ 12:46 pm
I didn’t have as much of a problem with this in college as I didn’t live in the dorm. but I still run into this problem in my office, People just walk in and want to start talking to you.
textbook rent said
am January 8 2010 @ 12:56 pm
I didn’t have this problem in college so much as I have it in my office. I wonder how my coworkers will like my new “Stress Free Zone” Sign?
Hayley | Promotional Gifts said
am January 11 2010 @ 3:44 am
I have to be honest that I never had this experience as I never went to college, but went straight into the working world, but this something that I will be passing onto a friends child that has just gone to college this year, I am sure that it will come in very handy to him.
Kim Diamond said
am January 11 2010 @ 3:47 am
This is great information and I will be giving the tips to my kids as they start college this year, the eldest could have really benefited from these great tips. Wish she had them 2 years ago.
used tires said
am January 16 2010 @ 5:34 am
I have liked all my roommates, but its just that privacy is good you know? And plus… we never get along with sleep times etc.
Till then,
Jean
oyun oyna said
am January 19 2010 @ 6:09 am
ok honestly this is one of the best ideas ive read yet about blogging.. again im in a specific businessy niche and its not a lot of fun to read about pens and hats and golf shirts…. but… maybe i can start a series about some guy jet setting around to trade shows.. or something.. hmmm this im gonna do. thanks a ton
Bidet said
am January 21 2010 @ 11:39 pm
Its always hard to balance social life with studying for exams but when exam weeks come, you should put some time to studying, but you should also have some fun. If you study all day you will burn out and do worse than if you studied and than took breaks.
Internetten Film Indır said
am January 26 2010 @ 8:38 am
You are so right about this.
Dan Northern said
am January 27 2010 @ 10:00 pm
Some really good tips here
pen tablet said
am February 4 2010 @ 5:30 am
That is some interesting idea. Private space is always a comfort and it is always very important to have one. I would even say that some safe and quiet place when no one disturbs you is necessary for your health.
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am March 3 2010 @ 8:11 am
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library software said
am March 5 2010 @ 12:44 am
If it’s some guy on the street, stare him down, most guys won’t mess with you once you’ve seen their face and would be able to give a description of.If you’re at a club, don’t look at him and move away from him.
library software said
am March 6 2010 @ 1:57 am
It is best to set up a boarder to define your space. You can create a ‘room’ by using trellis sections in key places, like at right angles to define corners. Simply sink the trellis legs into large pots and plant flowers and vines in the pots so they grow up the trellis.
study skills said
am March 9 2010 @ 11:29 pm
My doorm would have giant study parties. Nerdy, i know, but I made really good grades that year.
library software said
am March 10 2010 @ 12:31 am
If you want independence I think you have to take it regardless of whether he’s upset about it or not. Stop speaking with him every day. Do your own thing and find yourself a few dates of your own. Like the other woman said, he’s not dependable so don’t depend on him.
library software said
am March 16 2010 @ 12:12 am
I love this post. I’m a huge believer of a lot of personal space and I’m always surprised when others don’t feel (or act) the same way. You do a great job of addressing the concept of personal space in this post.
India said
am March 16 2010 @ 6:49 am
1 viewpoints- anything- just different views of things- different perspectives of images, maybe how people view skinny people and curvy? idk
2.- boring one
3- ANYTHING- just add words to your image
4. anything again.. chinese new year, anything cultural
5. photomontages- david hockney
6.- maybe look at the body, draw the layers of the human, the skin, the skul, the brain. etc.
7. my world- collage of everything that makes up.. you!