College: Socializing With a Side of Academics? By Hannah Carrier

College is a new experience for anyone, and can affect everyone differently. However, during my Ethnographic research, I began to see a trend among college students. Distractions were a serious cause of disruption from homework and studying. If students are choosing to attend college, shouldn’t they want to take their work more serious? Why is it that they are choosing socializing over academics? * (1): 3 INs

By looking at this student’s desk, you can tell it is a female because of the hair straightener, lotions, makeup case, and more girl oriented colors. By looking at this student’s desk, you can tell it is a male because of the masculine colors, stereo system, and camouflage hat. By looking at this student’s desk, it’s slightly more difficult to tell which gender it belongs to, but you can see they enjoy reading, and keeping their work area more school oriented. Although both sets of pictures illustrate college students, they both illustrate very different students. Some students use their workspace for their personal belongings, and some use it for a more academic oriented workspace. How will their workspace affect the amount of work they will get done verses the amount of time spent socializing or relaxing? * (2): 3 INs

6:45-7:00 …Woke up and got dressed 7:00-7:30… Ate breakfast and went on face book 7:30-7:50… Got shuttle bus for lower campus 8:00-8:50…Class 8:50- 9:50…Went to KEHR Union and went on the computers 9:50-10:10… Went to class and realized it was cancelled 10:10-10:15… Went back to appt. at upper campus 10:15- 12:00… Took a nap 12:00-1:00…Talked with friends 1:00-1:45… Lunch 1:45-2:50… Hung out with friends 3:00- 4:20… Went to class 4:20-6:00 …Did class work 6:00-7:30… Dinner 7:30- 9:15…Hang out with friends and watch TV 9:15-10:15…Went to a club meeting- DASL 10:15-2:00...Hung out with friends, talk on the computer and phone 2:00… Went to bed 8:00 to 9:00 = Wake up, get ready for class 9:00 to 10:00 = Class 10:00 to 12:00 = Some homework, eat lunch 12:00 to 1:00 = Class 1:00 to 4:00 = Relaxing and homework 4:00 to 5:00 = Gym 5:00 to 6:00 = Getting for dinner (shower, change) 6:00 to 7:00 = Dinner 7:00 to 9:00 = Relaxing, homework 9:00 to10:30 = DASL meeting 10:30 to 11:00 = Relax, get ready for bed Looking at this time diary, you can see how homework seems to be easily mixed in with times also designated for relaxing and going to bed. Even though the time frames are large, do they spend the entire time studying and doing work? Looking at this time diary, you can see how little time is put into this student’s academics. The majority of their time is spent with friends, watching television, and using their computer. Wake: 7:00 am Gym: 7:30 am - 8:30 am Shower: 8:30 am Breakfast 9:00 am Class: 9:30 am - 10:45 am Lunch: 11:00 am - 11:30 am Class: 12:30 pm - 1:45 pm Class: 2:00 pm - 3:15 pm Nap: 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm Dinner: 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Homework/Studying: 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm TV: 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm Homework/Studying: 9:00 pm - 10:00 pm TV: 10:00 pm - 11:00 pm Late Night: 11:00 pm (some nights) Bed: 11:00 pm - 7:00 am Socialize: varies throughout day, 10 hours Computer/Facebook/Games: time varies, about hours a day Wake: 7:00 am Gym: 7:30 am - 8:30 am Shower: 8:30 am Breakfast 9:00 am Class: 9:30 am - 10:45 am Lunch: 11:00 am - 11:30 am Class: 12:30 pm - 1:45 pm Class: 2:00 pm - 3:15 pm Nap: 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm Dinner: 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Homework/Studying: 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm TV: 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm Homework/Studying: 9:00 pm - 10:00 pm TV: 10:00 pm - 11:00 pm Late Night: 11:00 pm (some nights) Bed: 11:00 pm - 7:00 am Socialize: varies throughout day, 10 hours Computer/Facebook/Games: time varies, about hours a day By looking at this time diary, one can determine the lack of time set aside for homework and studying by this student. Only two hours, interrupted by television shows, during the day. Does this affect their academic ability? Each student will manage their time in different ways. Will the way each student manages their time be beneficial to them? * (2): 3 INs

Do you believe you spend more time socializing than you do studying or doing work? “I socialize a lot, my mom tells me to shut up a lot. So I talk a lot. I usually try to start things (homework), but just end up giving up because I'm too distracted by everyone around me and everything that's going on.” - CA, Sophomore “I try to keep a decent balance, but I usually tend to hang out with people more. Sometimes I try to do so work and study, and then my roommate gets me all distracted by tv or talking. I will have to stay up a lot later because I just can't stay focused during the day for work, and then later on I'm so tired I can't focus. And then I don't get enough sleep and skip a class.” - Marketing Major, Senior What do you do during your free time? “Spent on the internet, socializing, or maybe sleeping.” - History Ed. Major, Senior ”If I have tests coming up I'll study if not just try to relax in some way, watch tv, games, sports.” - Chemical Engineering Major, Sophomore Do students truly use all of their designated time for studying, actually studying and doing work? Students try to maintain a schedule for work and play, and each schedule varies. * (2): 3 INs

A Word From the Author…  In My Freshman Year, Rebekah Nathan engrossed herself with a college student lifestyle.  Nathan mentions in her findings how students would often “express interest” in a movie night or other activities, but rarely follow through.  Nathan also noted that lounges were a “get away” for students to escape a horrible roommate or loud environment. I found college life at Bloomsburg University to be fairly similar to that of AnyU. Students will say they are joining a club or attending an activity, but they don’t actually go. Students were often distracted by other students. I did not, however, agree with her observation of lounges. I found the lounges in the dorms here to be the very place social gatherings began, regardless of anyone studying or doing work. Most students would give up on doing their work, and socialize instead.

Time Diaries: Students set aside time to do their classwork, but almost always attach that time to their free time. Usually their study time turns into watching tv or playing games with friends. Time Diaries: Students set aside time to do their classwork, but almost always attach that time to their free time. Usually their study time turns into watching tv or playing games with friends. The Big Picture Based on my… Interviews: Students said they try to do their work, but it’s much easier to just give up and hang out with friends and have fun. Interviews: Students said they try to do their work, but it’s much easier to just give up and hang out with friends and have fun. Pictures: Students who reserve their desk area for an organized work place tended to actually do their work. They were more dedicated to getting their work done, and it become much easier for them to do so. There were no stereos or other products to distract them. Pictures: Students who reserve their desk area for an organized work place tended to actually do their work. They were more dedicated to getting their work done, and it become much easier for them to do so. There were no stereos or other products to distract them. Conclusions: Students come to college first and foremost to learn and to become better education. Like Rebekah Nathan, I saw how easily it was for students to change their plans from one thing to the next. Even though students say they will study or say they will get their work done, many rarely do and are usually distracted by socializing. Many times I saw this could be accounted towards living in a dorm with a large number of students, being uninterested in classes, and technology. This will lead them to stay up later each night, and maybe even skip classes during the week because their sleep schedule is affected. Conclusions: Students come to college first and foremost to learn and to become better education. Like Rebekah Nathan, I saw how easily it was for students to change their plans from one thing to the next. Even though students say they will study or say they will get their work done, many rarely do and are usually distracted by socializing. Many times I saw this could be accounted towards living in a dorm with a large number of students, being uninterested in classes, and technology. This will lead them to stay up later each night, and maybe even skip classes during the week because their sleep schedule is affected. * (3): 3 INs