Sunday through Thursday, MSMS students are required to work in an academic setting from 7-9 p.m. unless their privilege plan says otherwise, and while opinions differ, these mandatory study hours taken seriously can be very beneficial.
During study hours, tutorials are held in Hooper by teachers required to be there at least one night a week, along with senior peer tutors for certain subjects. In the dorms, students must be silent to not disturb their peers. While some see these hours as restrictive, the goal is to ensure every student has consistent time to study without distractions.
A recent survey by The Vision collected 49 responses from students regarding study hours. Of those surveyed, 78% said study hours are important, 16% said they were not and 6% were neutral, suggesting most understand the value of having a set study period, even if it’s not always enjoyable.
Still, not everyone agrees on how necessary study hours are. Junior Kerrington Land said students should be able to implement their own study hours.
“I think [study hours are] really silly and people should [only be required to do them] if they’re not meeting the expectations of their courses,” Land said. “If you’re coming to a school where you know the coursework is going to be rigorous, you should be able to set time aside for yourself to do your work.”
When it comes to study hours, not all students are as productive as others. In the same survey, 35% of students said they use the time effectively, 12% said they did not and 53% said their productivity varied. Clearly, more consistent productivity is something to be desired from the student body.
Junior Irene Doyle said she perceives study hours as a useful reminder to stay on top of things.
“When I have mandatory study hours, it makes me stop and think, ‘Do I have things I need to do?’ and then I’m more likely to remember things I might have forgotten about,” Doyle said.
Personally, there are some days when it’s simply harder to focus and get work done. Study hours are a good reinforcement for those times. With all the freedom that comes with living away from home, it can be easy to get distracted by friends, activities or just the independence of campus life. For many, study hours offer a reset — a chance to slow down, catch up and stay consistent even when motivation dips.
There may be 20 people in Conference Room B in the library not getting anything done, while others are working hard in their dorms. Ultimately, students should decide for themselves if they are going to utilize study hours.
