TheChrisD - Rant Central

There’s a timetable - so timetable the lab!

I’m sorry, but this crap has been happening too often recently, so I have to give out about it. In the Computing building in college, there are 4 computer labs. Students generally use the labs to hang out in between lectures and other commitments, but classes are also held on occasion. But, why is it that the class never informs the students that it’s going to be taking place?

The four general labs available are as follows:

• L101 - Decent, little-used lab with the newest computers and widescreen monitors.
• L114 - Heavily-used lab with decent computers, formerly from LG01
• LG25 + LG26 - Ground floor labs right next to each other with alright computers, but comfy swivelly seats

We used to have a fifth lab, LG01, but over the summer they turned that lab into a new set of staff offices. FTL. So, now there are four “havens” in the building we enjoy. Now, as I mentioned, the labs sometimes have classes taking place in them, and in those cases, anyone not in the class has to leave and find somewhere else to go. That’s fine with me, but the big problem I have is when the lecturer, or lab tutor doesn’t say it to anyone in the room that a class is taking place, leaving it up to the devices of the students to figure out for themselves that a class is on.

Now, consider that some people can become very engrossed and “setup” in the room. For example, their computer, plugged in and charging, with headphones, mouse, hard drives, routers, and a whole host of other essential accessories and cables. Which makes the act of noticing your surroundings very hard, especially when headphones are playing things, and the eyes are focused on the thing in front of you on the desk.

Take Tuesday for example. I had to switch lab no less than three times because of classes happening. Now this wouldn’t have been bad if it wasn’t for the fact that for only one of them did the person in charge of the class actually attempt to get people’s attention and inform them that there would be a class taking place. Which left several of us having to unplug/disconnect/other similar words in a hurry and get out since we weren’t part of the class. Fucking bullcrap.

And it wouldn’t be that bad, except for the fact that you seem to be made an example of by the students who were having a class there. While I was walking out of one such instance, I overheard a couple of them saying amongst themselves “Didn’t they know there was a class going on?” For god’s sake, no-one said anything about a class starting, thus how are people engrossed in their work supposed to know what is going on around them? Well?!?!

Recently, I’ve begun to start checking the online room timetables, almost out of paranoia. So in checking them earlier, I saw that it was probable that a postgrad class would start soon. Sure enough, in comes the tutor and informs everyone of the class. Fine, unplug computer, and had off to another lab. Go down from L114 to LG25, which is free and setup again. Everything’s fine until near 2, when the place starts filling up, quite considerably. Now, while I know that a lot of people come in after lectures, the amount was quite a bit more than usual. Checked the timetable, again nothing was down there (it said the room had been free all day since 11am). And yes, five minutes later, someone pipes up shouting “Pair up for the lab today”. WTF? A lab going on, and it’s not mentioned anywhere?!

Once again, I had to leave quickly and unexpectedly. And given that it was a first year lab, that means every single other lab was taken up. Hence why my current position is now a table upstairs in the Hub, since it’s the only free available place with a plug socket, and a wireless connection. Ugh, if you’re going to provide computers for the students to use when there isn’t a class going on, at least fucking timetable everything properly!