1. Sunlight is a proven mood enhancer. When you’re getting large doses of sunshine, your body creates vitamin D, which helps prevent osteoporosis, some forms of cancer, and depression, among other things. After months of winter cold and gloom, the sheer contrast of a warm, sunny day might be all that’s needed to cheer you up.

2. Fresh air helps improve focus and concentration. Campus libraries can get incredibly stuffy when the temperature soars outside, leaving you overheated and drowsy. Even if it’s a humid day outside, an occasional breeze will come along and perk you back up should you find yourself sliding into a heat induced stupor. 

3. Studying outdoors is more social. It’s way easier to get together a group of friends to head down to lower field with some books than it is to round up a library contingent. Once you get to the library, it can be difficult to study as a group, given the atmosphere.  

4. You can work on your base tan while you study. What better way to multi task than to soak up some rays while analyzing the philosophical and moral implications of the meat industry? Throw on your favourite pair of shorts, grab your flip flops, sunscreen, and sunglasses, and give a classic beach day a productive twist. 

5. It’s more interesting to people watch outside than in the library. In a library, everyone is so absorbed in their own work that they really aren’t doing anything interesting. Outside, the scenery is ever-changing, as people constantly walk past, absorbed in a myriad of interesting conversations. So when you need a break from studying you can watch people throwing around a Frisbee, or sitting down to eat. No matter what little distraction you prefer, it’s a much more dynamic environment than the library.

6. You can eat outside; you can’t eat in the library. All that studying is bound to work up an appetite, which in the library means you’re out of luck. Unless you have superior food sneaking skills, or you’re willing to take a break from studying, working outside is your best bet. You can munch on fruit or a granola bar while still working through your readings, therefore maximizing efficiency. Who doesn’t love a picnic?

7. You don’t feel as overwhelmed by your work because you keep your perspective when you study outside. It’s easier to take small breaks to keep your focus from completely giving out rather than suffering a burn out from working five straight hours in the library. There’s nothing better than taking a quick snooze in the sun! 

8. Studying outside provides you with natural light. Studies have shown that natural light is better to read by than artificial light, and results in fewer headaches. We all know that gross feeling when you’ve been staring at the same computer screen for hours, and think that you couldn’t possibly read any more. Studying outside gives you all the light you need, and keeps your attention from fizzling too quickly. 

9. You can sit or lie in more positions outside than you can in the library or at a desk (unless you’re a bed studier). All you need is a simple blanket and a tree to lean against, and you have a whole new world of possibilities. You want to lie on your stomach? No problem. Or on your back and balance your books on your knees? Go ahead. After all, creative sitting positions equal creative essay ideas. You can’t argue with that logic.

10. You don’t have to fight for space outside as much as you do in a library. There is more of the outdoors to go around than there are desks in a library. Sure, everyone else might want to study outside too, but there are plenty of great spots all around campus and downtown to set up shop. You could try Forbes field, the Redpath museum steps, or the patio space at the Second Cup on Parc, just to name a few.