Whether you are there to study or just to focus on work so that you don’t have to do it at home, it is annoying hear sounds that are normally not that loud be just enough to break your focus. This becomes extremely apparent during finals week when everyone has tons of projects and exams they need to finish up or study for. These are the sounds we all know a little too well that are just annoying enough to make you want to leave the library
1. Not So Quiet Conversations
Whispering or talking at a volume slightly above that for an entire conversation take even the most focused person’s attention away from what they are trying to get done. A simple question and short answer is fine but if you are talking back and forth about your date last night please either stop or talk about it in a different place.
2. Constant sniffling
Everyone understands that you are sick, fighting something off, or stress is getting to you but please bring some tissues so you don’t keeping making that noise.
3. Hiccupping
I know you can’t control this one either but if you have more than a few it would be nice if you got some water.
4. Pen Clicking
The habit does not help you think. You are just giving yourself something extra to do and driving everyone else in the room crazy.
5. Unnecessary Throat Clearing
You might be sick or you might not be. Either way you are in the library and most people just clear their throats when they are about to say something. So if you do this just expect people to look at you expecting some variation of words to be spoken and when they realize it was nothing they will be even more annoyed for the distraction.
6.The Unwelcomed Background Music
You may be able to focus with music blaring in your ears but the muffled song coming from your headphone is just to make the silence disappear.
7. Foot Tapping
Your odd rhythm of tapping your foot and managing to slightly wiggle what was thought to be a sturdy table is one of the most distracting things that can happen in the library. It may help you think but it does not help anyone else around you so sitting still would be much appreciated.
8. Knuckle Cracking
After typing and or writing long lengthy paragraphs for the essay due tomorrow can make your hands cramp up. Although that may be the case, popping every joint in your hands is so loud and can make people cringe at the sound.
9. Phone Ringing
Putting your phone on silent, do not disturb, or airplane mode is not difficult. Please do so.
10. Gum Smacking
Yes, the same type of gum while you study and chewing that same type of gum while testing is supposed to help improve your memory. Although, the key words to remember is chewing, not chopping, smacking, popping, or blowing bubbles.
Odds are we have all done or do some of these annoying habits in a quiet place. Someone else doing these things while we were trying to focus has also annoyed us at one point or another. Please try to remember how awful it feels when you were on a roll and someone making noise derailed your train of thought. Maybe with awareness we can stop these noises from entering the quiet section of the library and with that we can all ace our final projects, papers, and exams.
