I am one of the many students who can't study at home as there are too many distractions in the house. So, I would always head out to study, be it alone or with a group of friends. One of my priorities when I study outside my house is that it must be quiet!!!! I can't understand how people are able to study in McDonald's/Starbucks because the environment is so noisy. It also limits the food/drinks I wanna consume. It would be damn sian if I have to eat the same food everyday. There would be a large crowd when it comes to peak hours and I will be either forced to move out OR feel guilty for hogging the seat.
Even though I love the school library for its cubicles, I cannot afford to travel down to the West just for self revision! Cost and time are the next two important factors when you maximise your studying time and minimise the travelling/meal cost.
These are the few study areas that I have been to for the past few years (and also my favourite study place!)-
1.) National Library
Oh this is the largest library that is unfamiliar to many. It is also so much more accessible with the recent opening of DTL2, so North-Easties do not need to transfer twice to get to Bugis station.
There are reading tables at almost every corner of the library for you to do your self-study. I always go to the 7th or 8th floor to do my revision if I am there. The reading table is actually a large table where students sit along all 4 sides of the table. There will be 2 plugs at both ends of the table.
*The sole purpose of the reading table is to do reading there (duh). So if you are caught taking a quick nap, the librarian will wake you up!!
*There will be bag checks before you enter the library at each floor
National Library
100 Victoria Street,
Singapore 188064
Opening hours: 10AM to 9PM
Closed on PH
2.) Woodlands Regional Library
I visited this library almost weekly nearing the date of my exams during my second year of Uni as I have a group of friends who live at the North area, and it was pretty convenient to get to Woodlands via SV161/168. There are 4 chairs for each table. However, the librarian does not allow a fifth chair to be put at the edge of the table even though there is plenty of space. I kinda like to study in this library but the food here is expensive :/
Woodlands Regional Library
900 South Woodlands Drive, #01-03
Singapore 730900
Opening hours: 10AM to 9PM
Closed on PH
3.) Bishan Public Library
I visited this library once as I was meeting friends for dinner around the area. I find that the tables here are pretty small. 4 can be seated at a table but I find it hard to lay out all all my papers when the table is fully occupied. There are not as many seats as compared to Woodlands Library. The food here is cheap though.
Bishan Public Library
5 Bishan Place #01-01,
Singapore 579841
Opening hours: 10 to 9PM
Closed on PH
4.) Serangoon Public Library
At this library, there is a room where you do quiet reading here but there are tables and chairs (those kind for tutorials in poly) for you to do your self-study. Everybody here likes to push the tables towards the wall for lesser distraction and the plugs. A pretty good study place but sometimes there are events held in the room. I'm not sure if they post notices beforehand, but I made 1 or 2 wasted trips as the room will hold events every now and then.
Serangoon Public Library
23 Serangoon Central, NEX #04-82/83
Singapore 556083
Opening hours: 11AM to 9PM
Closed on PH
5.) Sengkang Community Centre (SKCC)
Now now, this is my favourite place to study thus far. I think I have spent around 7 years studying here, ever since Secondary 4, to Poly, and then to Uni. Before the centre established the study room, I have sat at level 1 of SKCC then to level 4 benches just in front of the basketball court (the court no longer exists and has shifted to outside of SKCC), and then to the study room.
There are now 2 rooms, and I always go to the first room. The first room is like a classroom style where all chairs are facing the same direction towards the whiteboard.
The picture below is how it looks like during the 24hour study period. They provide hot drinks and snacks during this period as well. Anyway, it is a brightly lit room (unlike the pic) and a conducive environment to study in. It is very quiet, and this extent can be compared to that of a library's. Food and drinks can be consumed here so this is an bonus for me as I will usually fall asleep without coffee.
Food can be gotten from Compass Point (under renovation) and at Kopitiam Square!! The latter is really affordable if you want to study daily at SKCC. Anyway, if you want to study here, you need to come early, esp during exam periods. I usually reach at 9AM and is hardly the first one that reach.
Oh, there is a watercooler at level 1 of West Wing too.
Sengkang Community Centre
2 Sengkang Square #04-01/02
Singapore 545025
(East Wing, polyclinic side)
Opening hours: Usually 9AM- around 10 or 11PM; can be 24hours during exam periods
Closed on PH
So yep! In short, SKCC is my favourite place to study in cuz of its:
- Aircon
- Quiet ambience
- Affordable food
- Food/drinks can be consumed in the room
- Power sockets in the room
P.S. I have also been to the study room at Punggol 21 CC but I don't like the study periods (weekdays 12nn to 6PM, weekends is like after 6PM or something) as the classroom is used for normal lessons as well.
