4 Spots for Tutoring Sessions

By Kaitlin Hurtado on April 30, 2017

If you find yourself needing more learning time than what a few lectures a week can offer, you most likely are considering getting tutored as an option, or have already been receiving tutoring to help you work through the course content.

One-on-one tutoring sessions may seem a little intimidating at first, but there is always one thing that you can try to change in order to adjust the comfort level during every tutoring session: the place where the tutoring session is held.

Whether the location is on campus or off campus, try to find the best study space for you in order to maximize productivity for each tutoring session.

1) The library

When one thinks of studying in college, a picture of a tired, stressed out college student slumped over books and lecture notes in the campus library often comes to mind. Take your tutoring session to a campus library and take advantage of what your campus library has to offer.

While some floors or sections of the library are restricted to silence, find sections where noise is allowed so that your tutor can actually tutor you without getting the stink eye from another library dweller every few minutes. If the sections that do allow noise are too distracting for a tutoring session, see if there are any private study rooms available to rent out for a couple of hours during your tutoring session.

By coming to the library for a tutoring session, you will have access to all of the library’s resources, like books and computer labs, but you may have to compromise the volume level of your tutoring session. If it’s closer to midterm or finals season, campus libraries may be full of people trying to cram. Try relocating tutoring sessions to a city library for the same ambiance and resources with a greater chance of finding a study spot.

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2) Hidden nooks, both on campus and off 

If you are a wanderer, there’s a chance you have already found some hidden nooks on campus that get little foot traffic and limited noise. These hidden nooks can be on the upper levels of classroom or lecture buildings that no one cares to journey up to, or they can be little patios hidden by buildings that people do not pass often. These hidden nooks are great for tutoring sessions as you will not be facing many distractions, but you most likely won’t be finding access to electrical outlets needed for any devices used during the tutoring session.

Off campus locations also have the potential for great study spots. If you enjoy being outside and surrounded by nature, try scoping out local parks for study spots as most parks have tables that are perfect for tutoring sessions.

If you are having trouble finding some of these hidden nooks, ask around with your peers or upperclassmen — chances are they have been in the same boat as you or have already stumbled upon study spots and will be glad to pass them along.

3) Computer labs 

Not all tutoring sessions will need to involve computers, but if they do, try finding different computer labs on campus for your tutoring sessions. Depending on where the computer labs are, they may not even have a noise level restriction or will not be as strict on noise level as a library would be.

Computer labs on campus are easy to find, as they can usually be found through your student portal that has maps showing their location. To use the computers, all you need is your student ID to log on and begin your tutoring session.

4) Coffee shops 

Coffee shops both on and off campus have the potential to be great locations for tutoring sessions. If you’re not quite comfortable with a one-on-one private meeting with your tutor, a busy and public space like a coffee shop can put you at ease. Picking a coffee shop as the venue for your tutoring session also allows you instant access to as much caffeine as you need to fuel your tutoring session.

If you do not have the means to venture off campus for a tutoring session, a coffee shop on campus can work, but be aware of the noise level of campus locations. Between the sounds of milk steaming, drinks being called out, and students chatting loudly at surrounding tables, it may hard to be productive for the entire duration of your tutoring session because coffee shops on campus tend to be busy for the majority of the day.

However, if you can make it off campus, try smaller local coffee shops recommended by friends or found through Yelp. Smaller coffee shops that aren’t franchised and well-advertised like Starbucks or Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf tend to have lower noise levels and allow you to maximize the productivity of your tutoring session.

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