Studying at a coffee shop

During exam season, instead of going to the library or studying at home, many students choose to study and work in groups at cafes and bubble tea shops. Students are quite satisfied with this learning environment because it provides comfort and inspires creativity.

A group of early childhood education students from Dong Nai University study together at a cafe on Nguyen Ai Quoc Street, Tan Phong Ward, Bien Hoa City. Photo: H. Yen

Depending on their "budget," the frequency with which students study at cafes varies. Typically, exam season is when they spend more money on this "study space."

Change your learning environment.

In recent days, Nguyen Le Khanh, a 12th-grade student at Ngo Quyen High School (Bien Hoa City), has been focusing intensely on her exam preparation. Le Khanh is studying for both the second round of the National University of Ho Chi Minh City's aptitude test and the high school graduation exam. Therefore, she spends almost every day indoors studying, rarely going out. This has made her feel confined and stressed.

Some cafes also have private rooms equipped with screens and projectors to cater to customers' study and group work needs. Customers usually have to pay an additional fee or room rental fee to work in these private spaces.

To relieve stress while still studying for exams, Le Khanh arranged to meet her friends at a cafe near her home (Tan Phong Ward, Bien Hoa City) to study. This cafe has a spacious area with a designated space for customers to drink coffee and work or study. Customers are asked to avoid making noise and disturbing others. Therefore, even though the cafe was crowded, Khanh and her friends were still able to concentrate on their studies and group discussions.

Le Khanh shared: “After spending many days indoors, I felt stifled and wanted a change of environment to relieve stress and create motivation for studying. A cool, beautifully decorated cafe can also help me and my friends come up with new ideas and initiatives. On average, I and my group of friends go to a cafe to study once a week. This frequency suits the financial situation of students.”

To prepare for her final exam, Bui Truc Ly, a third-year early childhood education student at Dong Nai University, and her friends gathered at a coffee shop to study. Truc Ly explained: “My home is in Trang Bom district, but my friends are in Bien Hoa. Besides, there are many quiet, relaxing coffee shops here, so I made the effort to travel all the way from Trang Bom to study with them.”

According to Truc Ly, she normally studies alone at home, but when she needs to work in a group and review, a coffee shop is her number one choice because studying at home makes it easy to get distracted and resist the temptation of laziness. Furthermore, studying together allows the group to discuss the lesson, exchange ideas, and remember the material more easily.

Inspire creativity

It's not just Le Khanh or Truc Ly's group of friends; the trend of choosing cafes or bubble tea shops as study and group work spaces has become familiar to many high school and university students because of the conveniences they offer. For an average of 35-60 thousand VND, students can enjoy their favorite drinks while studying in a cool (air-conditioned) and comfortable environment, without worrying about disturbing their parents like they would when studying at a friend's house.

To cater to customers who come to study or work, cafes provide essential amenities such as: Wi-Fi, multiple power outlets for charging phones/laptops, self-service areas for drinks (water, iced tea), and security guards for parking. Many cafes also have small, private workspaces suitable for group work or workshops. The decor is also carefully considered to suit the target clientele: modern, inspiring, and a space filled with books and greenery.

Due to the nature of her work, Ms. Khuat Kieu Diem Nhi, Head of Communications at Lac Hong University, frequently works in teams with students. Coffee shops and bubble tea shops are also her preferred choice when collaborating with students on projects and events.

Ms. Diem Nhi said that the cafes and bubble tea shops where students study and work in groups all have modern and civilized spaces... Working in groups in these spaces, she feels that she is more creative and efficient. When everyone around focuses on working, studying, and discussing, it also motivates her and her fellow students to concentrate on their work and be more productive.

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Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/xa-hoi/202506/hoc-bai-o-quan-ca-phe-0ff511d/