Final exams next week, but can't study at home. What do I do? I'm sick of this.

[StudentDentistsRock]

Hello fellow pre-dents,

I am sorry if this is the wrong thread to post in, but all semester, I have been having troubles focusing with my studies due to loud noise and excessive family commotion. I finally snapped for the first time, left the house, and took my books to my university and slept in my car after pulling an all nighter at my library. Here is my story:

I live with 4 brothers (3 older, 1 younger) and my two parents. My house is pretty small, so the only place to study in is in my dining room just a few feet away from my living room next to the tv and next to the kitchen. There are always people eating on the table like maniacs (one person gets up, another sits down), they watch tv loudly, they talk, yell at each other, argue, my mom clanks the dishes beside me while washing them. What sucks is that they spend most of their time in the living room nearby me and they ignore me completely. If I ask them to put down the volume, they yell, if I ask them to tone it down, they yell. If I tell them I have finals I need to study for, they ignore me. I share a room with my younger brother, and the room barely fits our beds so I don't have any place for a desk in there. As much as I bring up the issue to my parents, they just ignore me and yell at me. I'm the younger one and have no say in anything.

I don't have money to dorm at school, and I can't crash everyday at my buddy's house. I just don't know what to do. What I hate the most is how much I am ignored in the house. I don't see how watching tv or talking on the phone is more important than allowing me to study. For god's sake, if a parent is talking on the phone, all i do is ask them to move upstairs and they refuse. I just don't know what to do anymore. I'm sick of my family, despise them for what they do (I know, who hates their family is what you might say but they drive me nuts and nobody cares...).

I have a 4.0gpa possibility if I ace all of my finals, and I intend on it. I just don't know what to do. Anyone have any advice? I honestly don't know what to do anymore.

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[Incis0r]

I feel for you. Brown-bag your lunch and dinner, and only visit home to sleep. Spend the rest of your day at the library/working out/on campus/doing whatever it is you do. Store your books in your car.

It's not worth raising your blood pressure and becoming frustrated over this.

 

[jmcunnin]

As the previous poster suggested, utilize the library as much as possible. Also I don't know what your budget is, but if it's mostly the noise bothering you at home..maybe consider some good noise cancelling headphones. I'm considering purchasing some as well.

 

[okiedokeartichoke]

Agree with the above recommendations. Prepare meals, snacks, and water beforehand like the night before and bring them with you to eat when you're hungry. If you can't sneakily graze inside the library while you study, eat inside a student cafe nearby. Store the heavier school items like textbooks in the trunk of your car. If your schedule allows, stay on campus at the library all day and utilize all its resources. Save all the academic stuff at school, and once you get home from a hard day's work, just relax. You won't become stressed anymore with family interruptions, and in turn, your family won't get annoyed by your nagging. Everyone wins!

 

[StudentDentistsRock]

Agree with the above recommendations. Prepare meals, snacks, and water beforehand like the night before and bring them with you to eat when you're hungry. If you can't sneakily graze inside the library while you study, eat inside a student cafe nearby. Store the heavier school items like textbooks in the trunk of your car. If your schedule allows, stay on campus at the library all day and utilize all its resources. Save all the academic stuff at school, and once you get home from a hard day's work, just relax. You won't become stressed anymore with family interruptions, and in turn, your family won't get annoyed by your nagging. Everyone wins!

Seems like the only plausible solution. Will definitely give it a shot. Thank you both!

 

[CareerNumTwo]

I second (and third and fourth!!!) the noise canceling headphones. I spent waaaaaay more time on Amazon reading reviews to find the right ones but, eventually (and reluctantly) purchased a pair of Bose noise cancelers.

These ones: Amazon product ASIN B00M1NEUKK
YES, spending $299 on a pair of headphones was PAINFUL. However, it's the best $299 I've every spent in support of my academic pursuits. Seriously. I have a four year old and two unforgiving dogs who, I would argue, are nearly as loud as a family of six combined! I put these baby's on and BOOM! I'm somewhere else. They don't kill ALL noise, but at least 90% disappears easily. And if you play music while the noise canceling function is on (I don't since even music distracts me), you'd get closer to 99.9%.

Ok, that's enough free advertising of an overpriced pair of headphones for one night. Back to studying. 🙂

 

[StudentDentistsRock]

I second (and third and fourth!!!) the noise canceling headphones. I spent waaaaaay more time on Amazon reading reviews to find the right ones but, eventually (and reluctantly) purchased a pair of Bose noise cancelers.

These ones: Amazon product ASIN B00M1NEUKK
YES, spending $299 on a pair of headphones was PAINFUL. However, it's the best $299 I've every spent in support of my academic pursuits. Seriously. I have a four year old and two unforgiving dogs who, I would argue, are nearly as loud as a family of six combined! I put these baby's on and BOOM! I'm somewhere else. They don't kill ALL noise, but at least 90% disappears easily. And if you play music while the noise canceling function is on (I don't since even music distracts me), you'd get closer to 99.9%.

Ok, that's enough free advertising of an overpriced pair of headphones for one night. Back to studying. 🙂

I don't play music (I also find it as a distraction). This idea also seems fantastic though! I would love to try it, but $299 seems really outrageous for a pair of headphones. I do have a few bux to spare, but I was planning on using them for next semester books. No way in hell will my parents spend 299 on a pair of headphones. Can you provide e with a link to the ones you bought please?

 

[super frank]

Listen to white noise. It works wonders.

 

[fogorvostan]

I'm at work so most of the internet is blocked, but I had some god awful roommates back in undergrad and invested in ear plugs. I remember googling something along the lines of "industrial strength ear plugs" and bought some. They were relatively cheap for a pack and worked really well. I just had to get used to having them in my ears.

Otherwise, study at school or anywhere with WiFi. I spend soooo many evenings at Panera because it was always relatively quiet there.

 

[CareerNumTwo]

I don't play music (I also find it as a distraction). This idea also seems fantastic though! I would love to try it, but $299 seems really outrageous for a pair of headphones. I do have a few bux to spare, but I was planning on using them for next semester books. No way in hell will my parents spend 299 on a pair of headphones. Can you provide e with a link to the ones you bought please?

Hmm... when I look at my original post the link was there but it isn't in your post when you quoted me. Not sure what gives.. Just google "Bose QuiteComfort 25 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones." They're my godsend. Wearing them right now as a matter of fact.

I like the ear plug idea and tried that out myself. For some reason, I can't study with things inside of my ears. I'll listen through my cheap ear buds all day long, but the second i stuff ear plugs in (even super nice ones), I can't focus...

 

[Ali786512]

Hello fellow pre-dents,

I am sorry if this is the wrong thread to post in, but all semester, I have been having troubles focusing with my studies due to loud noise and excessive family commotion. I finally snapped for the first time, left the house, and took my books to my university and slept in my car after pulling an all nighter at my library. Here is my story:

I live with 4 brothers (3 older, 1 younger) and my two parents. My house is pretty small, so the only place to study in is in my dining room just a few feet away from my living room next to the tv and next to the kitchen. There are always people eating on the table like maniacs (one person gets up, another sits down), they watch tv loudly, they talk, yell at each other, argue, my mom clanks the dishes beside me while washing them. What sucks is that they spend most of their time in the living room nearby me and they ignore me completely. If I ask them to put down the volume, they yell, if I ask them to tone it down, they yell. If I tell them I have finals I need to study for, they ignore me. I share a room with my younger brother, and the room barely fits our beds so I don't have any place for a desk in there. As much as I bring up the issue to my parents, they just ignore me and yell at me. I'm the younger one and have no say in anything.

I don't have money to dorm at school, and I can't crash everyday at my buddy's house. I just don't know what to do. What I hate the most is how much I am ignored in the house. I don't see how watching tv or talking on the phone is more important than allowing me to study. For god's sake, if a parent is talking on the phone, all i do is ask them to move upstairs and they refuse. I just don't know what to do anymore. I'm sick of my family, despise them for what they do (I know, who hates their family is what you might say but they drive me nuts and nobody cares...).

I have a 4.0gpa possibility if I ace all of my finals, and I intend on it. I just don't know what to do. Anyone have any advice? I honestly don't know what to do anymore.

I am sorry your so stressed out. I know you are considering the library and one reason why people don't love studying at the library is that they study later hours and rather be safe at home than at the library at 2 a.m. Have you tried the noise canceling headphones. They really work and I use them even when I am at the library. Hope this helps!

 

[AlbinoPolarBear]

I got the Bose headphones and it was an extremely good investment. I was using them for my flights cuz of the noise cancelling and when I was studying in the library. I can't study at home too due to the screaming kids and power rangers being on 24/7.

A cheap alternative are the earplugs. Get the foam ones from Walmart. They work better than the noise cancelling earphones and a lot cheaper too.