a nightmare would be a life without you

Studying a NO-NO?
Monday, May 30, 2005 1:37 PM

Just a few weeks ago, before my Social Studies Mid Years, TY, Clara and I decided to head on down to Pasir Ris library to hit the textbooks. I mean, isn't it natural to go to a quiet place like a library to revise and do some decent self study? I always thought that self study in libraries were an a-okay unless:

a) We instantly become a howling hyena pack or
b) Its the weekend

I assumed studying in a library was a NORMAL thing to do. Where else would be THAT conducive for study other than school anyway?

Sadly, the library is not the place for youths to do constructive things like study anymore. Actually not anymore, more like never ever. The librarian shoo'ed us out of the library claiming that the library had this NO STUDYING policy.

I was very upset lah! I mean, I made an effort to be a good student and study, some librarian comes up to me and implies that because I'm taking up space I should scram so that other people who WANT to read can have a seat.

But the thing is, it wasn't even considered 'peak' period because the area we were at wasn't crowded to the extent no seats were free. TY, Clara and I weren't even playing a fool and acting like three year olds and I could see some little kids just hanging out there, running around and acting like three year olds. Okay, they WERE three year olds, but I mean... Where is the justice in shoo'ing us away?

Are libraries being inflexible? I think so! I can't bring my friends over to my house to study because my parents are at work, and studying in the classroom can get very frustrating with all that ball kicking and heat going on... So where? To Starbucks? Where I have to get a $4.50 ++ coffee which is brimming with caffeine just to sit at a table? Or to a fast food outlet where they play loud music?

Gah!

What is wrong with us studying in the library? What? What? What?
If its only because we're invading on space, thats a pretty LAME excuse or reason. Isn't it better that we teenaged hormonally charged individuals hang out in 'good' areas like this doing proper stuff [study] instead of rushing off home to change before shooting baddies in an arcade or smoking at the void deck or something?

Libraries! What has happened to you?

I know some libraries turn a blind eye and the best library to study at would be Jurong Regional, but I CAN'T SPEND 45 MINUTES AND 55 CENTS EVERY DAY AFTER SCHOOL JUST SO MY FRIENDS AND I CAN SELF STUDY!

Shoo'ing the noisy hyenas out is fine. Shoo'ing noisy hyenas who are invading on library space is fine too. But shoo'ing totally quiet studious people who do not run around the library and act like three year old kids is NOT fine. What happened to flexibility. Maybe if the library got crowded and all, you could tell us to maybe give up the seats and go somewhere else... But then again, we could always sit in a corner on the floor and study... Its the atmosphere we're after anyway!

Ho hum.

I guess we teenagers have another scapegoat to blame when our parents lecture us about the fastfood outlet expenses... Blame it on the library.

Disgruntled,
carrie