Student-Oriented Learning Space Not Compatible With Studying

As the first round of spring exams begin, many students have flocked to campus to find a designated study spot away from their loud roommates with untrained pets and obnoxious significant others. While there seem to be many places to choose from across the sprawling Texas A&M University campus, many of these spaces are actually terrible spots for studying.

On Northside, Zachry offers many charging stations but lacks the desk space needed for any work. “When working on differential equations, I can charge my laptop for class, but I can’t use a pencil and paper to work through my math homework,” said Tucker Rainer, an electrical engineering major. “This building may have been designed for students, but there’s no way it was designed for students who are trying to get anything done.”

Different issues exist for west campus students. For business students confined to just one building, limited food options make studying on campus a struggle. “The BLCC is a great place to study if you don’t mind the fact that you never leave one area, but how can I be expected to spend late nights on west campus if there is nowhere to eat? I am so tired of Copperhead Jack’s already!” said junior accounting major Allie Newson.

Several food options are available to students on central campus, especially in the Memorial Student Center. All areas claiming to have been designed with students in mind, however, lack seating altogether. While this area has been called the “living room of campus,” many students can be seen sitting on the floor when they can’t find a seat.

With one of the country’s largest student bodies, one might think Texas A&M’s study spaces would be more useful for actually studying. However, the lack of tables, desks and food options on the far edges of campus, lead many students to find the campus  inhospitable. As campus expands, it remains to be seen if the university campus will ever be conducive to the studying part of being a student.

 

— Hannibal Lechner