Everyone has a different way to “get in the groove” when it comes to studying and doing homework. For me, it really depends on what kind of work I’m doing. If I’m writing an 8 page paper, then I need to be in a quiet, public place where I can do research and restructure my thoughts without distraction. Oh, and I’ll need a continuous stream of large volumes of coffee. This type of work would generally call for Leavey Library, the 24/7 study place that happens to be next to the 24/7 Starbucks 😉
This is not, in general, the study environment I prefer –– which is great, because most of my engineering assignments allow me to work in a more collaborative space. SAL 101 is the main study area for Computer Science and Electrical Engineering students and where I do my engineering homework and studying. The main benefits of this space are the whiteboards, community, and TA’s. A lot of my homework problems require a couple of pages to complete, and this is after I have worked out the solution and how I want to present it. Using the whiteboards is a great way to work through the initial kinks in the problem without feeling like I’m wasting my notepad, and in general, writing on whiteboards/chalkboards just feels pro 😛
Also, since SAL is a hub for the CS and EE community, it is cool have a place to go where I can be sure I will bump into friends working on similar projects. The TA’s are a part of this community as well. Since this area is where many students are working on their projects already, many TA’s host their office hours in this space. The combination of these elements give SAL a constant buzz that is perfect for me when I’m trying to crunch through tough problems.
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