Loud music, family members, video games, TV, computers and Facebook are just some of the distractions that students often face while trying to study or work at home. In order to avoid such distractions, many students have sought out an alternative place where they can focus and work after school.
The Potomac Library, Rockville Memorial Library and the Universities at Shady Grove library are the most common libraries many CHS students frequent after school. All three libraries have quiet study rooms, places for groups to work together and numerous reference materials.
According to Mark Santoro, a librarian at the information desk at the Potomac Library, a group of teens comes in daily to take advantage of the quiet study room and available reference books. Many teens often come in for recreational reading, and he is unsure if there is a relationship between recreational readers and students solely there for schoolwork.
“If they need a book, it’s right here, and if they need help looking for something we are here,” Santoro said. “We have the designated quiet area because they won’t get as distracted. It looks like they are coming in for quiet and Wi-Fi.”
Most students go seeking an escape from the distractions commonly found at home. Senior Tanya Bagheri regularly visits the Potomac Library and uses the quiet room, especially when she has long reading assignments.
“Pretty much the only way I can concentrate on reading textbooks for classes is if it’s in complete silence,” Bagheri said. “My house is always so loud after my parents get home from work so if I have a lot of reading to do I just head over to the library. It’s also a lot easier to do work without having Facebook or my computer or food to distract me.”
Junior Woojae Koh estimates he goes to the library with a few friends four times a week. Like Bagheri, he goes because he cannot concentrate at home.
“The library helps me focus better and get my work done more efficiently,” Koh said. “I normally can’t concentrate at home, and I use the library’s computers.”
Other students take a different approach and go to the library with a group either to work on projects or study with friends. Senior Soohwan Shin goes to the Rockville Memorial Library and the library at the Universities at Shady Grove about two or three times a week.
“I go with a group usually, but when I have a ton to do, I go by myself,” Shin said. “When we go as a group, it’s much easier and convenient to do homework. We use one of the private study rooms to talk among the group.”
Either way, if taken advantage of, the library can be a very helpful and productive place.
“It’s just a really time-efficient way to do homework,” Bagheri said. “It takes me probably about half the amount of time to get assignments done than when I do them at home because I finish everything in one sitting and without any distractions as opposed to procrastinating or finding things in my house to distract me.”
