《英文随笔》金昔吖

4、学校会过时吗？

　　Will the College Campuses be Obsolete
　　With the development of the online study, many people worry that campus study may be out of date and be replaced by online study, because online study, which is a kind of new sprouted thing, has so many merits. As a matter of fact, it is just a kind of groundless fear, since not all new sprouted things are in the line with the trend of development of the times. Studying at the campus is indispensable. No matter how well online study grows, it can only become a supplement of college study, just as robots will not substitute for human beings.
　　First, college study can provide students with the learning atmosphere which online studying cannot achieve. When sitting in the classroom and listening to their teachers, with classmates accompanying them, undergraduates are aware that all the students are working hard, so that they need to work even harder to surpass them. If students don’t understand what they have learned and dare not to ask their teacher, which is especially common for Chinese students, they can also ask their classmates or intimate friends for help. Some people may argue that undergraduates can also make video calls to their net friends if they have some problems. But all of you must agree that no matter how well you get along with a friend, it cannot make up for a friend whom you can meet in the flesh. What’s worse, it is very hard for students studying online to pay attention to one thing for a very long time. Since things they are interested in is going on and on, it is difficult for an undergraduate to understand what s/he really wants to learn. Thus, though with a relatively limited curriculum schedule provided by universities, campus study is good for those students who really want to learn something but know little about their own interests.
　　Second, campus is not only built for study but also a fantastic place for students to enjoy life. Students can read books in the library, have colorful activities and expand interpersonal relationships as well as making lifelong friends at the campus since that students there are less contaminated by society. And they want to be each other’s friends simply because they share something in common. Besides, many universities have admirable picturesque for undergraduates to idle times or enjoy life to the full. In contrast, studying online lacks such multiple resources and are less reliable. Students may become narrow-minded if they only sit in front of their laptops to learn what they like and ignore those useful but less interesting courses. Meanwhile, it is very hard to judge a person who sits on the other side of the Internet talking to them. what’s more, as a saying goes, all work and no play make Jack a dull boy. Recreation is on a par with the study. Only when students build up their bodies well, will they have more energy to study. Obviously, the online study can’t satisfy this need except providing computer games for students which does no good to them.
　　Last but not least, many undergraduates don’t have the ability to control themselves when coming into the university. They can\'t guarantee that every time they turn on the laptop, they are going to study. Since there are many advertisements and various information online, students’ attention will be easily distracted. But when studying at the campus, they are forced to learn the ability to study independently and how to behave themselves. If not, their teachers will punish them.
　　Many people will argue that since all the students are adults now, it is their own responsibility to maintain attentive in class, if they don’t behave well when studying online, it is themselves to blame instead of the Internet. With the self-studied environment offered by the online study, they can learn how to control themselves faster. That makes sense, but just as before learning how to run, babies need to learn how to walk first, we must give undergraduates the freedom gradually for fear that they will abuse the freedom. So, it is still necessary for students to learn at campus. And college campus will not obsolete.
　　However, we must admit that, as a product of high-technology, the online study does have some advantages. For instance, it is more convenient, provides students with multifarious curriculums and opens students’ horizon. But that is not enough since it has more shortcomings than campus study.
　　In a word, online study can only be an important additional supplement for campus study instead of replacing it completely. And campus study will not and never be obsolete.