As we get further into this semester, you may notice changes from previous years. One of the biggest changes I have noticed is the change in hang out spots on campus. Last year, it seemed that the place to be on campus between classes was at The Grille. However, this year it seems to be a ghost town, unless you are there during lunch time. So where are all the students hanging out this year? The library.
On most campuses, you would think that this was a good thing. Higher numbers of students in the library should mean more students studying and getting work done. However, lately I have avoided the library because I am noticing just the opposite.
Walking into the library, you will probably see every computer taken, many of them pulled up on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and any other non-educational website you can think of. You will hear people joking around, phones ringing and even music from people’s headphones around their neck. I wouldn’t even think about trying to study in there with all of this, but with free printing on campus, I stay to stand and wait for one of the few people printing to get up so I can grab a computer before anyone else.
I am not sure why this has begun or how to stop it. Although I am thankful for the new computers I wish the school could find a place to put the old ones, even as a non-printing resource for those people that are not trying to do school work. When I started school here, I was made to believe that the library was a quiet place to study and that the computers were to be used only for school. I hope that we can get back to a time where the library is quiet and I can walk in and print off a homework assignment without waiting for someone to update their status. Until then, I’ll keep studying in The Grille.