With the Main Library open 24/7 during the exam period, you’ve got the flexibility to study at whatever time suits you best. That’s a real advantage — but it can also make it harder to know when to stop.
Exams are here, and for most people that means longer days, more notes, and trying to find a way of studying that actually works.
There’s a version of revision we all imagine — you sit down, follow your plan, stay focused, and everything just clicks.
In reality, it’s usually a bit messier than that.
Finding the right space
Where you study makes a bigger difference than you think.
Some people need complete silence. Others need a bit of background noise. Some just need a change of scene every few hours.
The Library has a bit of everything.
If you need total quiet, go for the silent areas — fewer distractions and people clearly there to focus.
If silence makes you drift off, try a more open space with a bit of background noise. It can help you stay alert.
If you’re working with others, use the group study spaces. They’re there for a reason — just be aware of your own noise levels.
And if you’ve been in the same seat for hours and everything is starting to blur together, move. A different floor or space can reset your focus quickly.
The plan vs reality
Most people start with a plan. It looks organised, realistic, and completely achievable.
Then you sit down, spend 20 minutes deciding where to start, check your phone “for a minute”, and suddenly time has gone.
That’s normal.
Long hours don’t always mean productive hours. If you’re tired or not taking anything in, pushing on usually doesn’t help.
Take breaks (proper ones)
Breaks can feel like wasted time, especially when deadlines are close.
They’re not.
Stepping away — even briefly — helps you reset and come back with more focus.
If you need a proper switch-off, try:
- CreateSpace (Ground Floor) for something hands-on
- Broughty Ferry Beach Club (Middle Floor) for a quieter break
- grabbing a drink or something to eat and stepping away from your desk
You don’t have to get it perfect
Some days will feel productive. Others won’t.
That doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong — it just means you’re human.
Trying to follow a perfect routine usually just adds pressure. It’s more useful to find what works for you and stick with that.
Final thought
There’s no perfect way to study, and no single approach that works for everyone.
Use the Library in a way that suits you, change things if something isn’t working, and don’t feel like you need to get everything right all the time.
In Part 2, we’ll look at how to manage your time during the exam period — from late-night studying to knowing when to stop and where to get help.
