With finals coming in four weeks, students are beginning to increase their study time.
But for students who reside in college dormitories, the unique atmosphere of residential life can make getting work done harder.
Loud partying, distracting noises and conflicts between roommates can often make dorm rooms the last choice for students to hit the books.
Presidential City resident and junior Andrea Patterson said that studying could be difficult because of a conflict of interest between roommates.
“While one roommate may have a mid-term the next day, the other roommates may have nothing but time on her hands, and he or she might want to blast the stereo, invite over some of his or her friends, and party all night long,” she said.
Loud music and loud residents are common in the dorms, and students say that both are major distractions from getting work done.
Although socializing is a big component of campus life, students say it can interfere with academics.
Those who lose focus due to excessive noise and partying go to places that emphasize quiet and concentration, like the library or study lounges.
“Studying in the dorms is difficult mainly due to roommate schedule conflict, and I strongly recommend going to the library or using the various study lounges around campus,” said Patterson.
“I really don’t study in the dorms because I have three roommates who are always there, and they are never quiet,” said Sophomore Tatiana Edwards, who also lives in Presidential City.
“I usually come to campus and go to the library to study.”
Thin walls that do little to block out noise can also make studying difficult, said 1940 resident Whitnee Williams, a junior.
“It is difficult because the walls are not sound proof, and you can hear everything that goes on outside your door,” said Williams.
Commuting senior Dan Tractenberg agrees with Williams and said that he stayed in the dorms his freshman year and it was “awful” due to the excessive noise and the presence of “immature people.”
“I’d much rather study at the library rather than the dorm,” said Tractenberg.
Not all students who live in the dormitories have complaints about the atmosphere.
Sophomore Bryce Remsburg, who lives in 1940, said the dorm was a rather pleasant and satisfying environment to study in, and that he would rather study there than in the library.
“It is convenient, it is a familiar environment and you can study at any hour,” said Remsburg.
“If you do have a problem with your roommate, you could use the study lounges inside the dorm.”
Jonathan Vann can be reached at jvann@temple.edu.
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