All-nighters, cram sessions
and Friday nights at the
library aren’t what most
students envision when thinking about the good times in college. For some, these unattractive aspects of college life are a harsh reality.
For others, they are a distant,
unwanted fantasy. While studying often leads to success in the competitive and challenging academic world, a heavy workload can also eclipse social events, relationships and extracurricular activities.
“Sure, you can do anything too much,” journalism professor Mark Blaine said about excessive studying.
He said studying can become an addiction when students become obsessed with their course work. Dealing with struggling students is part of Blaine’s job as the
current professor of the School of Journalism and Communication’s
notoriously time-consuming information gathering course.
“You can devote a lot of time to something and not get a lot done, and that’s when studying as a vice can come in,” he said.
Blaine strongly advocates staying focused on finishing the assignment, even if every detail
isn’t worked out. He said many of the students he sees struggling are the perfectionists.
“You can obsess a little too much; a lot of the time you don’t have time to be a perfectionist,” he said.
“Balance is key, a couple hours a day every single day.”
Senior history major Dan Harnsberger shared similar sentiments.
“If you keep a pace, it’s not a problem,” he said, adding that he finds studying time consuming and difficult, but manageable.
In the midst of writing his thesis, Harnsberger spends at least a couple hours in the library Monday through Saturday and anywhere from three to five hours or more on Sundays. He is a 4.0 student and pursues an A grade every time.
“Shooting for a 4.0, the studying starts into overkill sooner or later,” he said.
The relentless onslaught of
papers, midterms and projects
are not to be taken lightly for
serious students. The University’s
Academic Learning Services
recommends 22 hours of studying per test over about four weeks to
receive an A grade.
Chances are the majority of
students fall well behind this
approach. While Blaine does see a small percentage of his students in overkill, he sees the majority
creating problems for themselves by leaving too much for too late,
proving that for some, studying is anything but a vice.
Still, there are students who let the future benefits of studying
propel them toward over-studying. Good study habits can lead to
better grades and perhaps greater post-college success.

David Zook is a freelance reporter for the Daily Emerald