Contributor S.A. commented in her 12 October article that she was unhappy with students hogging places in cafes to study. See: Students should stop studying in cafes!
I can understand her grievances. Perhaps, however, she should consider some of the difficulties that students face in seeking places to study.
S.A. comments that students have plenty of space with which students can study in, including void decks, reading corners and libraries. In truth, the void decks are often not conducive to study. Study corners and void decks typically see high human traffic, especially at peak hours or if there is a playground close by with students playing. If one lives in a busy neighbourhood, the sound of traffic may also prove to be a disturbance. Moreover, the lack of air conditioning or fans in void decks may also make studying difficult on hot days.
Even if there is adequate coolness in a study corner or a library, it is typically difficult to get places to study there. The competition for seats in such places is often difficult. Every morning during the school holidays, students throng outside libraries and enter into a mad rush to get the precious few places in the library. If one comes even half an hour late, he or she can find no vacancies available to study in. Moreover, students with late school days also find it even more disadvantageous, as by the time they finish school, they often are unable to find any available seats to study in.
While the best alternative aside from these is to study in school, this may present problems to some students as well. Firstly, some students find it inconvenient to get to school during weekends and holidays due to the distance from their homes. They may feel that it is more convinient to go to places within their near to their homes instead. Moreover, students may also find school a distracting place, as they find that they may get distracted by their friends. Finally, it may well be that some schools (based on individual policies) may be closed on Sundays and public holidays, preventing students from using it as a study venue.
It is hence often very difficult for students to find a condusive place to study. It is hence tempting for students to use cafes for this purpose. To my mind, I don't think that students should be put in a situation where they have to use restaurants and cafes to study, as not only do they take up space,but also because they have to waste money paying for the privilege of using the space for study. The extent to which students lack the space to study is to the extent that many have resorted to using the airport as a study venue even as it is not a conducive place for studying.This is neither good for the students nor the image of Singapore.
The problem here, I feel, is not one of inconsiderate students, but instead a sheer lack of study space for students to access. The way to solve this issue is for the relevant authorities to look for creative ways to open up study space for students to access easily rather than compelling them to spend money or disturb the public and cafe staff in the hopes of finding a good environment to study in.
Vox