Creating a Comfortable Learning Environment by Katherine

Creating a Comfortable Learning Environment by Katherine - September 2026 Scholarship Essay

The study strategy that has had the greatest impact on my academic success is creating a comfortable learning environment in which to study.

My parents are divorced, so I rotate where I stay each night. I was trying to study at my dad’s house early in my junior year of high school, but company was over and my stepsister was talking loudly on the phone and I couldn’t find a peaceful place to study. I only had two hours before a doctor’s appointment and didn’t want to waste forty minutes driving to my mom’s house and back, so I went to the public library and found a table in the back by a large window. It was the best study session I had ever experienced. I was uninterrupted, enjoying soft music on my headphones, soaking in the natural light coming in from the window, and unbothered by any typical interruptions.

The next time I needed to study, the library was closed, so I went to a local coffee shop and recreated the experience in a quiet nook. This time I added a chai tea which enhanced the ambiance in my option. After visiting a couple coffee shops in town and purchasing fancy drinks, I started to think studying is becoming an expensive habit. In that moment, I realized I don’t need to leave the house every time I have to study, I can instead create an ideal learning environment in my own home. Even if my family is making noise and moving around, I can shut my door, turn on my headphones, open the blinds, and set up my study materials in my own personal learning nook.

This study strategy has been extremely impactful because it makes jumping into studying much easier and almost routine. My grades increased once I discovered how to make studying more of a hobby than a last minute chore. From time to time, I venture out to find a new study location like a park or a new restaurant, but have found I can now study in almost any setting.