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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012
FINALS GUIDE 2012
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SOCIAL MEDIA
Plugins reduce distractions
EMILY DONOVAN
edonovan@kansan.com
In a few clicks, websites like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Reddit and StumbleUpon can open up and provide entertainment for hours on end. The Internet allows for instant communication and therefore, instant distraction, raising an important question: can students avoid wasting precious study time on social websites?
"There have always been distractions," Dr. Rasnak said. "The trick is balancing the need for stress relief, and the need for relaxation and the need to take time out and take a deep breath and laugh with the preparation that you need to do to do well on your exams and to be successful as a student."
Dr. Mary Ann Rasnak, the Director of KU's Academic Achievement and Access Center, said that social media can be used both positively and negatively. Browsing Facebook or getting notifications for messages and Tweets can suck time. She emphasizes the importance of finding a healthy balance.
For many, finding that balance is difficult. When students like Caitlin Uyenura, a sophomore from Osage City, are trying to study, social media becomes a time-wasting problem.
"it's such a big distraction," Uyenura said. "You think you'll only spend 10 minutes on it and then you end up on there for an hour."
Much of Uyenura's homework and study materials are online, which tempts her to browse Pinterest instead of studying. From spring break until the end of the spring 2012 semester, Uyenara deactivated her accounts on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram in preparation
for finals.
"I wasn't distracted, so I could study." Uyenura said. "I know that if my account was still up, it's just a habit to go over to your computer and click on Facebook. Since I didn't have an account, it forced me to just go straight to studying."
While Uyenura isn't sure if she will be able to avoid abusing social media through sheer willpower, deleting her accounts again seems drastic. Social media is a daily mode of communication in her life; her basketball camping group, for example, uses Facebook to keep in contact.
Plugins may be her solution. Students can activate plugins for Internet browsers — like StayFocused for Google Chrome and Leechblock for Firefox — to program how much time they want to spend on certain websites in a day. They can also limit browsing to certain times of the day, or block websites entirely.
Junior Collin Johnson, from Council Grove, uses a plugin to block Facebook, Twitter and websites like fmylife.com.
"If I just block the website, then I'm less tempted to have on it," Johnson said. "I can study better for longer periods of time without thinking. 'Oh, I should get on Facebook and see if I have any notifications!' or check out the latest tweets."
All major web browsers offer compatible website-blocking plugins that can be downloaded and installed for free.
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