An empty head

Laurens van den Ende (22)

Fourth-year commercial economics student
Study spot: Sajoer Juice Bar & Café, Botersloot 46
Duration of study session: two to three hours
What it costs: usually 6 to 7 Euros

‘It’s not necessarily easier for me to study away from home, but I like the sense of variety. By switching study locations from time to time, I am able to clear my head, which feels nice.’

‘Sajoer is a nice place, and great for studying. Whenever I go there, there are always other people hard at work too, which helps me concentrate. Sajoer has Wi-Fi, plenty of outlets, and great juices and bowls.’

‘During blocks, I study there once every two weeks or so, but during exam periods, it goes up to about twice a week.’

As it turns out, the love between Laurens and Sajoer is mutual; he now has a part-time job working at the slow juice bar.

Scoring coffee and credits at the same time

Laura Bunschoten (21)

Second-year German teaching student
Study spot: Coffeecompany, Eendrachtsplein 2
Duration of study session: three to five hours
What it costs: around 7 Euros on average

‘I made all of my best summaries here. I’m not able to do that very well in my room. Even back when I still lived with my parents, I had a hard time focusing while studying. My parents did have a spare room that just had a desk and nothing else to distract me, so that helped. Here in Rotterdam, I go and study away from home.’

‘I live right at the centre of town, so there are tons of great cafes with Wi-Fi and plenty of outlets around here. Coffeecompany is my favourite. The atmosphere is quiet and relaxed, and getting a single coffee and then staying for a long time isn’t frowned upon, so I spend around three to five hours there each weekend. When I feel like a break, I walk to the supermarket or to Velvet to see if any new records have come in.’

‘I don’t go to coffee shops on every study day, because I can’t afford that. But I earn back the 7 Euros on average that these visits cost me in the shape of credits!’

After four hours, I’m depleted

Arjan Klaassen (22)

Second-year nursing student
Study spot: Douwe Egberts Café, Stationsplein 25
Duration of study session: four hours
What it costs: 1 cup of coffee

‘An outlet and free Wi-Fi, that’s all I need. I have those at home, of course, but I find it harder to concentrate and stay motivated at home. When I study elsewhere, I am able to really go at it for four hours straight. After four hours, I am depleted. The presence of others helps motivate me to get in the flow of studying.’

‘Coffee shops are great, but I also like the library and the Erasmus University’s Polak Building. The only disadvantage is that you have to show up early to make sure you get a seat. And there’s no free Wi-Fi at the Polak Building for Rotterdam UAS students like me. Instead, I create a hotspot using my own mobile network.’

‘Back when I was a senior secondary vocational student, I didn’t do stuff like this. My work then consisted mainly of typing up reports, which I did at home, sitting on my bed. But that no longer works now that I have to absorb a lot of knowledge, so I tend to work elsewhere during my exam periods nowadays.’

Recharging with lentil soup

Pommeline van Vliet (27)

Fourth-year lifestyle student
Study spot: Bazar, Witte de Withstraat 16
Duration of study session: three hours
What it costs: around 10 Euros on average; soup costs 5.75 Euros

Pommeline lives in Scheveningen with her boyfriend. Together, they run a surfing school, so Pommeline’s daily salt-water therapy is only a stone’s throw away. However, she studies in Rotterdam. ‘Sometimes, it’s nice to break up a long day of school and get a bite to eat while still being able to do schoolwork. I think Bazar is great for that. I go there because of the nice atmosphere and the delicious food. I’ve done a lot of travelling, like trekking to Mauritania in a campervan with my mother. Bazar reminds me of my travels, what with its oriental décor and food.’

Bazar is not your average study spot with outlets at every table, but Pommeline does not need it to be. ‘My laptop has a good battery, so it can go a good three hours without needing to be plugged in. In the meantime, I get to recharge with a bowl of lentil soup; I tend to study better on a full stomach.’

Text: Esmé van der Molen
Photography: Anne Hospers