A student checks his Facebook in the writing center. Arc monitors say it is common for students to do so.

By Alicia Seewald (Whetstone staff writer)

Facebook claims that it “helps you connect and share with the people in your life.”

It also helps students pass the time when they are bored between classes or tired of studying in the writing center.

It is common for students to log onto Facebook when they are in the writing center.

Arc room monitors also see students logging on Facebook.

“It makes me really mad,” said Ruby Zulkowski. “I’m a monitor and that’s my job to tell them to get off, and when I do they give me an attitude. The school pays for y3 and it’s like the school is paying for them to do that.”

Besides connecting with acquaintances, friends and family, Facebook provides a number of games to pass the day. Facebook users can create their own Café World or Farmville. They can find their “lover of the day,” or send balloons or chocolate to friends.

There are also ways that students can get onto the site without being at a computer.

“I have Facebook mobile [for my cell phone],” said sophomore Deandre Little. “So, for real, I can be on that junk 24-7.”

Like other students, Stephanie Sawyer, a junior, uses Facebook to pass the time.

“I check maybe a little too much,” said Sawyer. “Usually when I get done, I’m bored. I check for notifications, people’s birthdays and usually play word scramble games.”

Often the monitors allow students to take a break from studying and use the computer for personal reasons.

“We understand that they need a break,” Zulkowski said. “But there are times we tell them to get off. We have people that bring in movies and iPods, but the majority are on Facebook.”

If students bring their own computer, a monitor can only remind them that they should be studying, Zulkowski said.

To prevent students from using the computers for personal reasons, a tutor sits in the computer room.

“We don’t stand over their shoulder,” Zulkowski said.” But especially around mid-term or finals week, we ask them to leave.”

“It’s none of their business,” Little said.” It’s just computer time being used, what they would normally do on any computer.”