Swimsuits. Sand volleyball. Unusually warm weather. Summer time? Not quite, but it may seem that way looking around Ohio University's campus these last few weeks of school.
I just want to be outside in the nice weather
said Blair Barclay, a senior sports industry major. Barclay said his grades are usually lower every year around this time.
Although many students said the warm weather is a distraction, grades at Ohio University increase during Spring Quarter.
According to Ohio University's Institutional Research Center, last year's student cumulative student grades increased as the quarters progressed. The cumulative student g.p.a. for Fall Quarter was 2.972 and 2.996 for Winter Quarter. Spring Quarter 2003 averaged a g.p.a. of 3.020.
Freshman business marketing major Alex D'amico said, You just get that feeling that you are ready to go home.
Many students said that factors such as the nice weather, feeling burnt out and there being more parties distract them from their work.
But not all students necessarily give in.
I want to be outside but I try the best I can to concentrate said Tom Valente, a freshman sports industry major. Valente's grades have increased this quarter and he said it is because of an improved work ethic over last quarter.
[The weather] just doesn't influence me
but I could see where it would be difficult to focus
senior political science major Mark Ondrejech said. People don't want to be cooped up inside.
Some students have anticipated the distractions of Spring Quarter and arranged their schedules accordingly.
My grades have gone up
said freshman diabetics and nutrition major Amanda Abel, but that is because I planned and took easy courses. Abel said she set out knowing that Spring Quarter would be rough.
History professor Marvin Fletcher said that he can sympathize with students, but spring has not affected his classes to a great extent.
I think all of us start to run out of gas toward the eighth week of the quarter
Fletcher said, but added that he does not see any real change in attendance or in grades.
Professor of geography James Dyer said the grades students are receiving in his classes remain the same, but he is experiencing exam fallout --students not coming to class the day after a test is given. He said it happens all quarters, but during Spring Quarter everything is heightened.
Dyer said that in one of his classes this week, about 39 percent of his students showed up.
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