Anyone who’s had a study hall knows that the rules are a bit ridiculous. When I was a freshman we had the study halls in detention rooms and we weren’t allowed to talk, just listen to our iPods and go on the not-so great netbooks. Now, I’ve graduated on to bigger and better things: the auditorium. A place where studying is pretty much impossible; from the bad lighting to the the complete lack of desks to the constant buzzing noise. The only equation that get’s solved in the auditorium is that study hall = bogus. (What do you think? Don’t forget to comment.)
Well, sometimes the auditorium; other times we get kicked out and all 200 something people in 5th period study hall are forced into the Oakton Lobby. There isn’t enough seating for everybody, but we aren’t allowed to sit on the stairs because it’s a fire hazard. Of course, it’s probably a fire hazard for that enormous amount of people to be in the lobby, but that isn’t a huge concern for the administration apparently. The whole thing is a bit ridiculous. I usually manage to reason with a security guard and sit with my friends on only one half of the stairs; so when the school burns down everybody can still rush out.
Except for the people who don’t actually show up for study hall. The people who have realized that the whole swipe system is basically pointless. The school tries to scare you (if you don’t swipe in you will receive a detention). Lies. I have spent many a study hall wandering the halls, pass-less and not swiped in, but here’s the thing: nobody cares. Maybe it’s because the school year is almost over, or maybe it’s because everyone knows that we get about as much work done in study hall as we do when we’re on Facebook; but either way wandering the halls during study hall is a totally viable option. On the flip side of that, if one is to do the honorable thing and swipe in at study hall before asking to go to the locker that isn’t allowed.
Then there’s the matter of eating. It doesn’t matter when or where one has study hall; the auditorium seventh period, the Oakton Lobby fourth period, the cafeteria second period— there is no eating allowed. Not even if that person has no lunch period and no other time to eat, all you get is a: You should have thought of that before you picked your schedule. This mentality forces most people to resort to sneaky measures. I watch as my friend looks around surreptitiously before stuffing a few animal crackers into her mouth. It’s both hilarious and completely absurd. It’s not like she’s breaking the law, but she’s scared to get a detention (although Rozy Kanjee tells me that detention is no big deal) that she won’t eat her lunch. Sure enough, as soon as she breaks out her sandwich, even the covering of the table isn’t enough to ward off the security guards. It’s like they have a super detector for food.
Meanwhile going on at the table closest to us is a game of cards that’s getting pretty intense. The pot is in the middle, and for a school game it’s getting pretty high; around twenty bucks is out. As the security guard reprimands my friend I stare at the game. Although I don’t care if they play cards, it is illegal to gamble on school property, right? It seems that the guards either don’t know about this law or don’t care.
I don’t care either, but if we aren’t going to care about actual law breaking do we have to worry about crumbs falling in the cafeteria? I think not.
So what should the school do to make study hall better? The first thing that needs to change is the location of study hall. We can’t all fit into the Oakton Lobby and the auditorium is a horrible place to study anyways. Once we get a place with deccent lighting and desks maybe some actual studying will get done. Or maybe not, but at least we would be happier. Then if someone could change the rules to something more consistent and then inform the security of what the rules are, then that would be cool too. From there we can add more things to study halls, I don’t care if it’s beanbag chairs or massage tables, practically anything will make it better.
Do you agree or disagree? Do you actually study in Study Hall? What do you think the school could improve about study halls?
Donovan Davis • Apr 28, 2019 at 2:03 PM
No offense, but from Isabella’s description of where her study hall was, it just sounds to me like she had a crappy school. I always use my study halls effectively, and setting never really matters. Whether it’s on my chrome books, talking with teachers, or spending it in the art room like jaslup1. Bottom line, if you’re not using your study hall right, it’s your fault.
Lauren • Feb 27, 2019 at 9:30 PM
I think my study halls are very effective. We are in a quiet classroom and I get a lot of work done.
Kevin • Apr 20, 2011 at 6:44 PM
Sometimes when I’m bored during study hall I just leave and take a few laps around the school. Usually security doesn’t bother me. When they do, I just keep walking at a lazy pace and tell them that I have study hall and ergo I am heading to some study hall. On a good day, I could get more than 3 laps in. It is an ultimately enriching and meditative experience and I recomend that every student does this.
Vishal • Apr 21, 2011 at 10:39 PM
I saw you doing this one day while i was following you to try and learn to be like you, and it was admittedly exhilarating. However, I disagree with you in that if everyone tried doing this, they would ruin it for us.
David • Apr 23, 2011 at 12:52 PM
It is an exhilarating thing to do. I wish we can do it more often, especially since the weather is getting much better.
jaslup1 • Apr 20, 2011 at 12:47 PM
I just spend my study hall in the art room. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a designated study hall room since November of last year.
Kaine Osburn • Apr 20, 2011 at 10:12 AM
I agree with Isabelle that having study hall in the auditorium is a problem. During certain periods – usually 2, 5, or 8 – study hall enrollment is so high (because these are typically off-lab periods) that there simply are not enough classrooms in which to hold study halls (and science labs cannot be used). The study hall enrollment during these periods sometimes approaches 400 students, so we do have to look to spaces like the auditorium.
However, Isabelle’s contention that the halls are teeming with roaming students who should be in study hall is simply inaccurate. While some students might attempt this and succeed, on the whole, such is not the case. Additionally, it should be made clear that Isabelle’s choice to stay in the auditorium is her own. She can go to the IRC to work, if that is appropriate, or she can get tutoring in a subject in the Lit Center. So reasonable options do exist.
As for the card playing – study hall teachers are instructed that card playing and gambling (of course) are prohibited in study hall. We will reinforce this matter with teachers immediately.
Finally, I am eager to have more spaces available for study hall. Next year, we will have a newly constructed South Lobby that will seat more than 100 students, and that will become a new study hall area. Also, we are exploring the use of the Commons for study hall, but that would not alleviate the problem during lunch periods.
Thanks to Isabelle for sharing her feelings about her experience in study hall.
Isabelle Davis • Apr 22, 2011 at 1:53 PM
Mr. Osburn,
While not everybody travels through the halls every day, I assure you that most students have or will at some point in their high school career. Refer to Kevin’s comment above.
As for reasonable options, going to the IRC every day is not always one. Mostly because they have a designated number of seats (which is lowered even further when classes spend time in there). Therefore, the IRC fills up very quickly during the busier study halls. If I don’t get there long before the second bell rings, there isn’t enough room for me, or many of my fellow students. Also, the LIT center hardly has enough room or tutors for all of the student overflow to go there. So this always brings (at least most people) back to the auditorium or Oakton Lobby.
If you’re talking to the security about the card playing, will you also be talking to them about eating? I can understand the reasons behind not letting students eat in the auditorium (it’s big and it doesn’t get cleaned often), but the second period cafeteria study hall students can’t eat, and that just doesn’t make any sense to me.
Where is the South Lobby going? Also, if we can afford to construct a new lobby for study halls, why are we cutting productive electives and teachers?