Dorm.

So last night, in the dorm, they announced that they'll be subjecting the laptops for safekeeping. I know they implemented this before, but that was when I'm still not concerned since I wasn't allowed to bring a laptop before.

I know it's selfish, but I can't help but not want to follow this policy. The Boys' Dorm had been strictly implementing this, so I think it's fair enough that we finally follow suit. However, I don't think that the actual policy is fair in itself. Especially that that policy was originally intended for Lower Years.

It's quite like the provision in the Dormitory Handbook, where everyone is expected to be studying from 20.00 to 10.00. Except that this one is worse. How come they're kind of similar, you ask? Because it's a way of controlling our study hours/time. That statement just now was so absurd, wasn't it? But somehow, I see it like that. And the thing is, you can't expect everyone to have the same study habits, and the same study hours. That's even more absurd than what I said just now.

And about that announcement about going back to the dorm at 17.00 to start on our requirements. And returning our laptop at 21.00.

Okay, first, let's say that we don't have to surrender our laptop just yet.

Pros:

YAY MORE SLEEP

YAY MORE TIME TO DO STUFF

YAY I CAN PLAY A BIT BEFORE STUDYING

YAY I CAN SPEND TIME WITH MY ROOMMATES 'CAUSE THEY'RE ALSO HERE
YAY GREY LIST, I CAN LURK ONLINE A BIT AND CHAT BECAUSE I HAVE A SOCIAL LIFE LIKE THAT

Cons:

OH NO I STILL HAVE FRIENDS DOWNSTAIRS, I DON'T GET TO SOCIALIZE

OH NO I HAVE TO HOLD IN MY HUNGER LATER BECAUSE I HAD TO EAT EARLY

OH NO I MIGHT PROCRASTINATE

But what about if we have to surrender our laptops at 21.00

Pros:

YAY I HAVE ABOUT FOUR HOURS TO WORK ON STUFF

YAY I HAVE GRAY LIST, I CAN TELL EVERYONE I NEED TO SAY BEFORE TOMORROW COMES

Cons:

OH NO PEOPLE PLEASE JUST TEXT ME IF SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT HAPPENS ONLINE TONIGHT, LIKE Y'KNOW, CLASS SUSPENSION OR SOMETHING REQUIREMENT

OH NO I MISSED CLUB MEETING BECAUSE I REALLY HAVE STUFF TO DO TONIGHT

OH NO IT'S LIKE 17.00 IS THE NEW CURFEW OF THE DORMERS

OH NO MY FRIENDS ARE STILL THERE BUT I HAVE TO LEAVE THEM BECAUSE OF SCHOOLWORK

OH NO I CANNOT PROCRASTINATE BECAUSE I ONLY HAVE FOUR HOURS

OH NO MY ROOMMATES TALK TO YA LATER I'VE GOT STUFF TO DO

But what about if we don't go to the dorm by 17.00, (let's say, by 18:30) and have to surrender our laptops by 21.00?

Pros:

YAY SOCIAL LIFE

YAY I ATE A BIT LATER SO I'M FULL FOR LONGER

YAY CLUB MEETING

YAY I WAS ABLE TO ASK FRIEND FOR HOMEWORK I DON'T UNDERSTAND

Cons:

OH NO I ONLY HAVE ROUGHLY TWO-AND-A-HALF HOURS TO DO STUFF

OH NO SO MUCH SCHOOLWORK

OH NO ONE-AND-A-HALF HOURS BEFORE GREY LIST DISAPPEARS

OH NO CANNOT PROCRASTINATE

OH NO GROUPMATES AREN'T ONLINE YET AND SITES ARE DISAPPEARING IN AN HOUR-AND-A-HALF

Of course, not all the Pros and Cons I put applies to everyone.

Just like I said earlier, it's an attempt to standardize the study habits of people. Which is sad for some unfortunate beings like I, because my brain does not fully function when it's still daytime. (And sometimes even early in the evening.) We're going to be pressured to do/access&print our electronic requirements within a span of a few hours, which might not really help in our studies at all. We're going to have a feeling of being pressured, (it will take up parts of our brain, whether we like it, or we like it very much), so our productivity is lessened because we are not giving the task our full attention. It's like cramming. Wait, IT IS cramming, in a sense. Well, more of like, not our usual definition of cramming.

It would really help the students if given they implement this policy, at least give us stable Internet. I mean, who can maximize their time online (in social networking sties and/or researching stuff) if the Internet goes off every 30 or so seconds and comes back when you have a certain number of attempts to re-connect to the network. Aside from our time is wasted, it really ticks the people off, having to disconnect and reconnect to the WiFi every few minutes. As I said earlier, our productivity is reduced because there's something else, aside from the requirements, going on inside of our minds.

And if you think about it, would they allow you to get your laptop back at around 2AM? Because, really, in the dorm, some still bring their study habits from home (sleep-work-sleep-work-sleep-work), and would the Dormitory address to that? No. Like my first point, it's like trying to get everyone to have the same study habits. And if ever they'll let us get our laptops back in the morning, we'll have to get it at what, six-something in the morning, when we are getting ready for school?


And probably the last issue I'll address before I end this pointless rant: THEY ARE NOT LIABLE FOR OUR LAPTOPS. Laptops (or gadgets, in general) are allowed in school, in the condition that the school is not liable for any losses or damage to the laptop (or gadget). Which will be kind of problematic if we're asked to surrender our laptops. First: what if someone breaks into wherever they keep the laptops? That kind of thinking might be "exag", but then you can never tell. It's like we thought nothing could get worse than... and then... PLEASE DON'T MIND THAT STATEMENT JUST NOW. Um, yeah, where were we? Oh. And what if they mishandle the laptops and cause some damage to it? OF COURSE THEY WON'T PAY US, I MEAN, THAT'S STUPID. They'll just say sorry and make you forget everything. [Or maybe that's just me who thinks that people can actually do that?]