Observation

During my observation I visited three computer centers on campus; one was next to Foy Student Union, one was on the second floor of Parker Hall, and the other was a cafÐ"© on the bottom floor in the Library . The areas in Foy and Parker were very different from the area downstairs in the library. The lighting and seating in the Foy and Parker areas were much brighter and made it easier for students to complete work faster. In the cafÐ"© there was not much movement and out of the seven people that came into the cafÐ"© six of them stayed for the entire forty minutes that I was there. In Foy and Parker people moved in and out of the room quickly and there were hardly ever any open seats. The Foy and Parker areas are in higher traffic area and many students just stop by to check there personal e-mail or social network. The library cafÐ"© is on the bottom floor and is secluded from the rest of the library therefore not many people know that the area is there and may go there to get away from the busy areas.

Although these areas are very different, no matter which area one would chose to visit they all seem to be used for the same reasons. While I was visiting these three places I noticed that a vast majority of the occupants were all visiting either a social network or doing something for there own pleasure. Most of these occupants were visiting a website called Facebook, a social network that allows students to keep in touch with other students. Facebook is a new source of communication for young people and can be beneficial in making and keeping relationships, but can also be a huge disadvantage and distraction to students. People who are shy can use Facebook to make new friends without having to approach someone in person. This social network can also be used to keep in touch with old friends and can also make it easier to communicate with long distance friends. Even though Facebook can be good for shy people, it will also keep them from overcoming their fear of speaking in public. Facebook is also very time consuming and can keep students for doing their school work. While I was observing each computer center, I noticed that none of these people were talking to each other. Even if two people came in together talking, once they sat down at a computer neither of the two would say anything to each other. One can assume that Facebook and other social networks on the internet is taking over our way of socialization and is decreasing personal contact between humans. Although the computer centers may have been initially put where they are to let students have access to a computer for school work, they are now being used mainly for internet socialization.

Facebook can cause students to not complete work and can be huge time wasters in their everyday life. Although the cafÐ"© downstairs in the library may not encourage Facebook use, the area does make it more comfortable and easier to stay for long periods of time without being distracted. With the coffee shop and bathrooms close by, it makes the area much more comforting and easier to stay for long periods of