Keeping Things in Focus

By Melissa Mendoza, Staff Reporter 

Electronics, lack of sleep and even their own peers keep students distracted during class and afterschool when it comes to studying or doing homework.

Senior Maxwell McWhirst said he finds himself distracted in class by his classmates and by his own computer at home. 

“I get distracted when unmotivated people talk all through class, and even my computer at home distracts me from what I need to be doing,” said McWhirst.

Most students cannot pay attention when the people around them talk out loud in class, and McWhirst said that even though he has no control over what his peers say and do in class, he said he can keep himself on task with prescription medication.

 “I have ADHD, so when I take my medicine, it motivates me to work,” said McWhirst.

Like many high school students across the country, senior Luke Shaver, on the other hand, said he cannot stay focused in class due to a lack of sleep. Shaver said even though he’s tired after school, he doesn’t rest.

“My Xbox keeps me distracted the rest of the time, even though I should sleep,” said Shaver.

McWhirt is not the only student bothered by classmates.  Senior Malcom Clayton said lack of sleep and noisy classmates make concentrating hard.

“Many people talking all at once makes me not focus, especially when I’m already tired,” said Clayton. 

Clayton said at home he is held back from studying and doing his homework by television and other electronics.

“The TV, my cell phone, Facebook and laziness keep me distracted from doing all kinds of work,” said Clayton.

Experts suggest several ways to keep focused, including moving yourself away from distractions, getting more sleep, leaving electronics at home, or turning them off completely.

Clayton agreed that being able to stay on task and complete his work would be easier if he got rid of a lot of those distractions.

“I can turn off my phone for a few hours, or during class ask to sit in the hallway to help me focus,” Clayton said.