I’m not going to pretend that studying outdoors is anyway near as fun as sunbathing or having a barbeque. However, this post will provide you with the inspiration you need to leave the restraints of your desk and successfully master the art of outdoor studying, ensuring that as the temperatures soar you manage to keep your cool…By Francesca Green.
*Disclaimer: I take no responsibility for terrible summer weather
1. Watch out for sudden gusts of wind.
Keep everything together and securely weighted down to avoid doing some strange dance of the papers in public.
2. Screen.
The sun is going to wreak havoc with your laptop screen, making it impossible for you to see due to the glare. Your best bet may be to find some partial shade, or you could carefully construct a laptop hood.
3. Know your laptop.
Fully charged laptops and a long-life battery are a must for surviving outdoor study. You should also work around the lack of wifi by planning to do all of your online work indoors and then take to the outdoors to work offline.
4. When and where?
Consider when neighbouring children are off school as there will be lots of excited screaming and shouting which may distract you. Also, weekend studying will be laced with the smell of barbeques and lucky people having fun…
5. Seating.
Take a rug. You will be glad to sit on it, rather than directly on to the grass with the goose poo and creepy crawlies.
6. Wear protection.
Red lobster is not an attractive look, and screams ‘tragic pale English folk.’ Also, if it’s sunny, wear sunglasses to minimise squinting.
7. Water.
It is important to keep hydrated. Avoid lots of unnecessary trips back and forth to your fridge/tap for drinks as this will waste study time.
TIP: freeze a large bottle of water the night before, that way it will melt slowly and keep your drink colder for longer.
8. Layers.
It might be scorching hot when you first set up your outdoor study camp, but the weather can soon change and you will be glad of that jumper when the sun goes behind a cloud.
9. Sweet smells.
Perfume and strong moisturisers seem to attract wasps. The same goes for drinking sweet and sugary beverages- it is best to stick to water.
10. Breaks
Take regular study breaks. Ice-cream is good for this! Have a bit of spare change ready for when you hear the tune of the ice-cream van approaching from the distance.
Image: Wicker Picnic Basket Grass 6-1-09 1/Steven Depolo/CC BY 2.0
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