Noise Levels In Charleston Southern University Students

A major campus issue that Charleston Southern University residents are dealing with is the levels of noise in the residence halls. This distraction affects students during their studies, sleep and quiet time. Charleston Southern residents were asked in a survey pertaining to the noise levels in the dorms unanimously answered that when studying, the noise levels are distracting. When the students were asked on a scale from one to ten, (one being that noise does not affect resident’s dorm life and ten being that the noise level is out of control), about how affective the noise levels are in the dorms while studying, sleeping, and quiet time; all of the resident’s answers ranged from seven to ten. A female resident was asked her comments on the noise in the dorms she stated, “The noise is very disrespectful, too loud anytime, day or night.” Another resident was asked the same survey question and replied, “The noise level is way too loud makes it impossible to focus on studies, we are mature adults, it is ridiculous that my hall mates cannot respect the rest of us on the hall.” When surveying male students that reside in the quads a student stated, “The noise levels in the quads are not as severe as the levels in the actual dorm building because they are set up where noise can travel farther due to the large amount of space in
the middle, which is where the yard is located.” This being said, it is harder for the males of Charleston Southern to have issues on noise levels, when their housing arrangements are set up as open as they are.
Another problem with these noise levels, are disrespectful people. There is a rule in the residence halls, stating that “quiet hours” are to start and be effective as of midnight every night. However, many people think that this
rule does not pertain to them. Several nights around 12:30 or 1 in the morning, ladies will come in from outside, and head to their room. But as they are walking through the halls they talk loudly and disruptive. The hallways width and ceiling height are very wide or high, so the noise is contained where it is able to spread all the way down the hall. At this time people are trying to either study late at night, or go to sleep. Many people have started to follow this rule, yet there is not one that pertains to the day time. During the day people do not consider the fact that some individuals like to nap, or try to do their studies during the day as well. Several people play their music loudly in their room, which can travel to at least across the hall, or a couple rooms down. Also residents have friends in other rooms, and they like to go over and hang out in one of their rooms. However when a group of people are together, hanging out, they tend to get loud, which also distracts and disrupts people down the hall.
In order to solve this conflict of obnoxious noise in the dorms I believe Charleston Southern Residential Staff could have soundproof fabric or soundproof padding inserted along the walls in the hallways. These soundproof solutions that can be used in the halls will absorb the sound when noise levels in the halls tend to rise, instead of disturbing other students studying and resting in their rooms. Another solution that I believe would be very affective would be to strictly enforce the rule of “quiet hours”. Quiet hours start at midnight and go until seven that morning. This rule has been mentioned to students but has not been enforced as it should be. I trust that by enforcing this rule and making the noisy students pay the consequences would rapidly change the sound in the halls. I think that it is outrageous that these adults cannot be respectful of their neighbors and people on their hall and that we have to take these precautions in order to reduce the noise being made by these disrespectful residents. I do agree that in the quads the noise control isn’t as disturbing to the male residents due to the large yard in the center of the quads. By taking these initiatives to strictly enforce the resident rules and by adding soundproof padding in the hallways of the dorms it will decrease the disturbing sounds that are affecting the residents study and resting time. In the Charleston Southern residence halls, a major campus issue is the noise levels in the residence halls. These noise levels distract students as they try to study, sleep, or have quiet times. Certain precautions must be taken in order to have this problem resolved. By taking these precautions and putting these suggestions into action I trust that the problem of noise control in the dorms will be solved thoroughly. These solutions are inexpensive and will only cause Charleston Southern to put forth initiative and become considerate of the residents and their studies.