By snoadmin
Let’s face it. Most students can easily get distracted. It’s not that we don’t want to study, but with the million of things life throws at us, it is sometimes hard to get work done.
This is why quiet study areas on campus help many students study for tests, get their homework done and write essays.
The only problem is that all of our schedules are different. Sometimes we have to pull all-nighters just to get caught up on work.
Yes, we know the library opens up for extended hours during finals week. That is fine and dandy, but what about midterms, essays and other big projects that are due throughout the semester?
The idea of a 24-hour study area at Cal State Long Beach has been tossed around by students for years. Students back in 2009 pushed for the library to be opened 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The trouble with this idea, however, has always been finding money to staff the library and keep the lights on for this amount of time.
This year, there has been talk of a 24-hour study area from the several Associated Students Inc. executive candidates. Some have even used the idea as a part of their platforms.
At the same time, there are also plans being discussed to renovate the Soroptimist House. The Soroptimist House was donated to CSULB in 1957, and the wear and tear it has endured over time is starting to show.
ASI President John Haberstroh said he plans on discussing the building’s condition with the University Student Union Board of Trustees. Haberstroh said the Soroptimist House could serve as a suitable location for a 24-hour study, but once again, we run into the problem of how to fund this project.
The Daily 49er editorial board agrees that the Soroptimist House needs to be refurbished. It is used by a variety of both on and off-campus organizations for different functions and events. But if funding is allocated towards fixing up the Soroptimist House, we don’t believe it is the ideal place for a 24-hour study area.
Imagine trying to cram a bunch of students into that building during midterms week. It would become crowded fast. Finding an available outlet would be a nightmare. To turn this space into an adequate 24-hour area, more wall outlets would need to be installed in the Soroptimist House, at the very least.
The best place for a 24-hour study area is in University Library. Making this happen would be costly, but perhaps a compromise of keeping two floors of the library open all day, every day could be more cost efficient.
In the end, next year’s ASI executives should lobby for a 24-hour study area, no matter who is elected. A place for 24-hour studying is something students want and something attainable if the necessary funding can be found.
