Happy Thursday, Wildcats! As finals week approaches, the Curious Cat team wanted to know students’ study habits. We asked students, “Do you prefer studying in silence or while listening to music?”

“Music”
Ryenn Engles ’25

“Music”
Sarah Weaver ’24

“Music”
Anne Conlan ’24

Rebecca Amrick is a first-year graduate student in the English Department and a Graduate Assistant at Falvey Library.

Jadyn Piotrowski ’26 VSB is a Communication & Marketing Student Assistant at Falvey Library.

By Anna Jankowski

Photo of Belle Air Terrace in 1990s

Recent photo of Belle Air Terrace

Midterms week is almost over, you can make it to Spring Break! For today’s TBT, check out this photo of the Belle Air Terrace in Connelly Center from the 1990s from Falvey’s digital collection. Can you spot some of the differences from the way Belle Air is set up today? 

For the final push of midterms studying you can find perfect study spots all over campus, including any floor of Falvey and in the Old Falvey Reading Room. As soon as you’re done, you can fully enjoy break and hopefully some warmer weather!

Anna Jankowski ’23 CLAS is a Junior Communication Major from just outside Baltimore who ​​works as a Communication & Marketing Assistant in Falvey.

By Ethan Shea

It might seem like the semester just began, but believe it or not, in just a couple weeks it will be time for midterm exams. Luckily, that also means Fall Break will be at our doorstep in no time.

I hope everyone’s had the chance to get into the rhythm of their new daily routines. If so, we can all take advantage of this relatively calm time of the semester and prepare for the trials to come. One habit that’s crucial to surviving midterms is a productive study routine. At least for me, when it comes to lining up my idiosyncratic study tendencies neatly in a row, I’m always left with questions and concerns.

In general, I can never decide how I want to study. Where should I be studying? Should I be listening to music? What time is best to study?

For this week’s “Cat in the Stax” I decided to answer these questions once and for all. I hope you’re able to use the answers I found to improve your academic experience here at Villanova. Enjoy!

Does listening to music help or hurt study sessions?

A study carried out by the University of Wollongong in Australia concluded that the answer to this question depends on the music you’re listening to. Because music tends to reduce stress, students will be more likely to buckle down and focus with greater intensity when aurally occupied. This revelation disproved the complex theory that classical music stimulates specific parts of the human brain that make studying more efficient. Contrarily, just about any instrumental music can help you study if it improves your mood. Songs with lyrics tend to make reading comprehension a bit more difficult, so if possible, stay away from vocal performances.

Where is the best place to study?

At the risk of sounding a bit biased, I’ll posit that all the best places to study are located right here in Falvey Library, but I’m not just saying that because this is a Falvey blog. In fact, I’ve got science to back me up. The ability to retain information and concentration levels are increased when studying in new locations. Being in the same place over and over again does not stimulate the brain to the greatest possible extent in the same way that focusing on one subject for too long can lead to burnout. Studying in an area with very few distractions and relative quietude is also important to learning efficiently. Stimulation overload prevents you from focusing intently on anything because your focus spreads too thin.

Thankfully, Falvey Library has plenty of quiet spaces, such as Third and Fourth Floor Stacks in addition to the Reading Room. There are also many different places to study in Falvey, so you can try a new one everyday without rendering your mind weary!

When is the best time to study?

Odd as it may seem, research has shown that studying when you’re tired is actually helpful. For example, if you study right before bed, your brain will essentially be reviewing the material in your sleep, causing the information to soak in a bit deeper. On the other hand, studying after a workout session has its benefits as well. Because of the increased flow of oxygen and blood that exercise causes, our brains get neurological boosts immediately after exercise. With that being said, feel free to take a jog over to Falvey Memorial Library when it’s time to hit the books!

Ethan Shea is a first-year English Graduate Student at Villanova University and Graduate Assistant at Falvey Memorial Library.

As we officially head into March and the temperature starts to pick up (at least a couple degrees!), it seems as though our coursework does as well. For this week’s TBT we travel to the 1960s and the Falvey Hall Reading Room. Falvey still offers great study spaces 60 years later, so make sure to come in and find the perfect spot to get your work done. 

This photograph comes from the University Archives and can be found in Villanova’s digital collection.

Jenna Newman is a graduate assistant in Falvey Memorial Library and a graduate student in the Communication Department.

Even if Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog who foretells whether winter will be long or short, saw his shadow and called for more weeks of winter chill, so what? Our students don’t need Will D. Cat to let them know that after “snow” in the Villanova dictionary comes “study.”

So, as soon as they were done making igloos, skiing, rolling down the campus hills, and flinging snowballs across the green, these smarty cats went right back to the books.

Thanksgiving may be a little more stressful this year given that finals are upon us, but like I’ve said before, balance is important, especially during finals season. Today, I want to break down a couple of different ways to structure your to-do lists and study times. Everyone studies differently, and it’s important to find the way that works best for you. This list is definitely not all-encompassing, but if you’re looking for a new study plan, this might be a good place to start looking for inspiration.

Keep your to-do list to no more than 10 things. Or five things, or three things, or whatever works best for you. When I have a list of everything that I need to accomplish and it’s over 10 items, I find myself getting overwhelmed. That’s why I keep a list of the 10 most important things that need to be done and that’s my to-do list that I tackle for the day. I have a master list of to-dos somewhere separate and then when I do my prep-work for the day, I pull that out to pick out the top 10. 

Put self-care items on your to-do list. Every day I add items like free-reading for 30 minutes, workout, and do my daily devotion to my to-do list. That helps me make self-care a priority and forces me to take a break from homework each day, while still feeling like I’m accomplishing something by crossing an item off of my to-do list. That being said, make sure everything on your to-do list isn’t self-care related because unfortunately your assignments and exams won’t complete themselves. Find the right balance for you. 

Prioritize your top three to-do items. At the top of your to-do list write down three nonnegotiables: three things that absolutely need to get done before you go to sleep at the end of the day. This helps prioritize what is the most important and helps you not procrastinate by doing other tasks, but not the paper that’s due at 11:59 p.m. When at the end of the day you’ve crossed off those three things, you know you’ve accomplished a lot and made good progress to your overall goals. 

Grow a tree to stay focused. If you haven’t heard of the app Flora before, it may be something worth checking out. Flora is a study app where you grow trees and other plants if you stay focused for a certain amount of time. If you stay focused for a certain amount of hours, or want to pay for an in-app purchase, a real tree will be planted because of your study time. If you pick up your phone and exit the app during your study time, the tree will die. This app only really works if the thought of killing even a hypothetical tree makes you upset, but I have found it to be helpful. You can also set up group focus times with your friends through the app.

Change up the scenery. I know changing the scenery can be hard when everyone is pretty much just stuck inside their houses all day everyday. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get creative and find different places to get work. Sort out your tasks based on things that you need to do sitting at your desk versus things that can be done curled up on the couch. Then, when you feel yourself starting to become unproductive, change scenery and try working someplace else. Sitting in a different place or having more natural light might be all you need to be productive.

Rotate tasks you’re working on. As much as I wish I had the focus to sit down and study for five hours for one exam, that’s just not the case. When my brain is scattered and cannot focus on one task for very long, I set a 20-minute timer and then just rotate down my to-do list. If I haven’t finished my top three to-dos for the day yet, I’ll rotate between the three of those things for 20 minutes each until I get one done. Usually, I’ll throw in five-minute breaks either between 20-minute sessions or when I finish a task as an added bonus. It helps me make progress on lots of my to-dos and cuts down the time I’ll need to spend on them when I go to finish them up later. 

Most importantly, listen to yourself and do what works best for you in the moment. I’ve used all of these different study tactics and organization methods depending on the semester, month, week or even hour! Just because something doesn’t work for you at one time, doesn’t mean it’s something that will never work. Be patient with yourself and find a routine that helps you crush your study goals!

Jenna Newman is a graduate assistant in Falvey Memorial Library and a graduate student in the Communication Department. Current mood: Checking writing this post off my to-do list.

With Reading Day right around the corner and classes coming to a close, let’s throw it back to the 1991 Belle Air and Falvey during finals. Author of this article and alumna, Rachel White, writes about how around finals time the library is filled with “thousands of last minute crammers and a number of truly studious people.” Maybe you recognize yourself in one of these two groups. And although in an ideal world the library is the perfect quiet place to study, between the thousands of books and hundreds of people around you, it can be fairly easy to get distracted. 

Falvey offers a productive space to study if you’re in the right mindset. Which is unfortunately the case for studying pretty much anywhere. If you want more study or presentation tips, check out some of my recent ‘Cat in the Stax! 

Although studying in the library looks a little different 29 years later, there are individual study seats in the Dugan Polk Family Reading room and on all floors of Old Falvey. Come in with a focused mind-set and you can still find a productive place to study at Falvey.

Jenna Newman is a graduate assistant in Falvey Memorial Library and a graduate student in the Communication Department. Current mood: In the mind-set for a nap.

The thought of starting a new semester without the option to camp out at your favorite coffee shop can be daunting (it is for me!), but here are four ways to make any space feel like perfect study space.

Tip #1: Set the mood with good music. I have a wide variety of music I listen to when I study depending on my mood – anything from The Little Women movie soundtrack to some throwback Fall Out Boy. But laid back folk music is what really gives me those small business, coffee shop vibes. Some go-to artists are Lord Huron and Mumford and Sons, but sometimes I need to listen to more obscure artists to ensure I’m studying and not just singing along. Accidentally writing your favorite lyrics into a research paper is not the move. If you’re looking for a good playlist you can check out my Coffee Shop Spotify playlist here.

Tip #2: Bring your coffee or drink of choice with you wherever you go. Make it at home in a travel mug or pick something up on campus before you settle in for the day. Refills can sometimes be tricky, but if you’re studying at Falvey, just swing by Holy Grounds. 

Tip #3 Sit at the right angle. So this one may seem a little odd, but trust me on this. Sometimes I work better when I can see other people around me also working. If I think they’re being productive then that’s more motivation for me to be productive as well. On the other hand, other times, I get completely distracted by everything and facing a wall or away from people is the only thing that will actually keep me focused. Don’t be afraid to change it up mid study-session – do what works best for you!

Tip #4 Scope out your spot ahead of time and have some back-ups. It can be hard to find a spot that fits all of your study needs, but with a little research ahead of time you can know exactly where to go. I also always recommend having a back-up spot, especially during busier points in the semester when everyone’s trying to get out of their dorm to study. Here’s a list of some places open for studying in Falvey that have the potential to be your new favorite spot:

• Speakers’ Corner (1st Floor)
• Old Falvey Classrooms
• The Reading Room
• Viewing Room 3 (Ground Floor)

The best part is that all of these Falvey locations are just a short walk away from Holy Grounds, so your coffee fix is just around the corner.

Do you have any COVID-friendly study spots we missed? Let us know in the comments!

Jenna Newman is a graduate assistant in Falvey Memorial Library and a graduate student in the Communication Department. Current mood: Craving a hazelnut, oat milk latte from Holy Grounds.

Studies have shown that “sound masking,” or introducing white noise, into completely silent library spaces can help students study or read with less distractions.

Students who need to talk quietly can do so without feeling self-conscious. Nose-in-the-book readers won’t hear every pencil drop either. It’s a win-win, especially with final exams looming.

To help our students, Falvey Memorial Library has introduced white noise machines in the Dugan Polk Reading Room on a trial basis, and the staff welcome your feedback.

So, let us know…to quote Depeche Mode, do you “Enjoy the Silence?”

Comment at the bottom of this post, chat us up on social (Twitter and Instagram), or leave a note in the comment box!

Shawn Proctor is Communication and Marketing Manager at Falvey Memorial Library.

I’m Daniella Snyder, a second-year graduate student at Villanova University, and your ‘Cat in Falvey Library’s Stacks. I’ll be posting about academics– from research to study habits and everything in between– and how the Falvey Library can play a large role in your success here on campus!

Hey, Wildcats!

I constantly hear from students that it’s hard to find a study spot in the library, especially during stressful times like midterms and finals. So I sent one of our undergraduate student workers, Liam Brassington ’23 VSB, on a mission to find some lesser-known study spots all around Falvey. Use this list as your guide for the final few weeks of the semester!

Falvey Basement:

All of these spots are down by the Idea Lab. It’s a pretty quiet hallway with little foot traffic, and the perfect set up for long-term studying.

Falvey West Stacks:

I know the Falvey West Stacks can be a little scary sometimes, but if you want the most isolated and quiet spot in Falvey, this spot is for you.

Old Falvey Basement:

Look at all of these! comfy! seats!

Main Floor:

Whenever there isn’t a class in the Griffin Room, it’s open for studying. Use it!

3rd Floor, Old Falvey:

The third floor of Old Falvey houses the the Graduate Student Lounge, but there are a ton of additional quiet study spots in the hallway.

Daniella Snyder, Graduate Assistant in the Communication and Marketing Department, loves to study in Holy Grounds.