Studies and Students

The other day, I discovered, quite accidentally, that many of my students don't know what a study is. You know, as in that room in your house where you have some nice armchairs, maybe a desk, some bookshelves. You know, that room where you can sit and read and think or talk about things. You know, right?

Well, many of my students don't. Why, you ask? The answer's simple: My students' homes don't have studies in them. What, you ask? You think I'm kidding?

No, really. There's no study. Not even a family room. Instead, we get "media rooms." Instead of a quiet room with books and a desk and a chair and some space to think and talk, we get surround sound and high-def and big-screen plasma.

Seriously, to get one of my students to understand what I meant when I said "study," I had to ask, "You have a media room, right?" She says, "Of course." And I say, "Well, take the TV out of that room, and instead, fill it with books and a desk. And then you've got a study."

Ugh.