Business is Good...

Everyday around 11:00 a.m., our reference room begins to fill to overflowing. Students circle about looking for an empty computer like hawks in a parking lot. Being of a curious nature, I just took a (very) informal survey to see what everyone is working on...

About 30 students were observably engaged in school work, using Word, PowerPoint, Blackboard, etc. and about 3 groups were obviously collaborating on a project.
About 12 students were in their email which for all I know could have involved school work.
Only 2 students were in facebook.
Only 4 students were in a library database.
3-4 students were shopping.
1 female student was looking at images of shirtless male athletes. hmmm...

Obviously, this is unscientific because I was getting a little stank eye for peering over people's shoulders and making marks on a notecard and I didn't linger around too long. Several tables are filled with groups of students working on laptops. Some students are actually reading from books but they are hiding their shame away from the main crowds around the computer terminals and sitting off to the sides of the room, alone. Only one group of students is obviously socializing (laughing a little too loudly, etc.) I'm going to practice my stank eye on them now....

(Example of stank eye in image from a dog lover's personal blog...)