By Emma Olivier
If locking yourself in your room simply doesn’t help you lock in, these are the popular places to cultivate
your academic arsenal.
The Study Centre
The Study Centre, or SS for Studiesentrum, can be found in the JC Smuts building across the bridge from the Neelsie
Student Centre’s back entrance. With mostly beige and black non-decoration, dividers on the desks and minimal distractions, this is a good spot for intense focus and getting the academic grind going. Remember, during exams it tends to fill up quickly, so go early if you plan on pulling an all-dayer.
The Library
The students of Stellenbosch University consider this to be their second home. There are few things more fulfilling than flow state in the library, where you are surrounded by shelves of knowledge and warm slience. With a carpeted floor beneath your feet and the works of academic giants by your side, a library study session is bound to be a fruitful one. As long as you remember that the library’s coziness is a double-edged sword. A nap there is tempting, and can cost you precious time, so stay armed with a water bottle, an audio-device and regular breaths of fresh air outside to fight the underground stu ness.
Fharga / Narga / Humarga
The faculty computer areas will do if you are desperate for WIFI or a screen. Keep in mind that these will not match the peace and quiet of the library or the SS, since people are constantly in and out and the rule of silence is not as strict as in other study spaces.
Jan Mouton Learning Centre
The colourful fabric draping from the ceiling to welcome you warmly at the entrance is lying; in reality, the rooms in the Jan Mouton are cold and uncomfortable, but that’s perfect for a deadline. Each chair is nap-unfriendly and in full view of everyone else. Your procrastination has nowhere to hide. If the SS is full and the library has won the nap war, the Jan Mouton is sure to keep you concentrated. The big Brutalist building outside the Neelsie Student Centre stays open until midnight, so if you have a 23:59 submission due, this no-nonsense focus factory might just be
your salvation.
These are just some places to cater to your study needs, but whether you choose to study among the books in the library or among your faculty peers at Humarga, the place is just a piece of the puzzle. If you are dedicated and know your strengths, anywhere can be a study space. So take your pick!
