By Kylie Burness

As Finals Week approaches, students are hitting the books and avoiding all distractions, except for maybe one: Facebook.

The GPAs of Facebook users were found to be, on average, less than non-users in a recent study conducted by Aryn Karpinski, a doctoral student in education at Ohio State University, and Adam Duberstein, an academic adviser at Ohio Dominican University.

The study surveyed 219 students at Ohio State University, including 102 undergraduate students and 117 graduate students. Of the participants, 148 said they had a Facebook account.The research results found the Facebook users’ GPAs ranged from 3.0 to 3.5, while non-users’ were 3.5 to 4.0. Users studied one to five hours a week, while non-users studied 11 to 15 hours per week.

According to a news release, Karpinski said the research does not necessarily mean Facebook affects faltering grades, but there is some kind of connection.  Karpinski also said if Facebook was not a factor, some students would find ways to avoid studying anyway.

Brandon Long, a UK exercise science sophomore, said he always brings his laptop wherever he is studying.

“I use it to listen to music and check my e-mail but once I’m on the Internet, it’s tempting to get onto Facebook to see what other people are doing,” Long said.

Laptop banning has become more of a trend in large classrooms on UK’s campus.

“In my biology class, my professor only allows laptops in the front of the classroom because of the distractions like Facebook,” Beth Herbert, a journalism freshman, said.

Bob Sandmeyer, a UK philosophy professor who teaches three large lectures, allows students to use laptops in his class. However, Sandmeyer said students accessing Facebook or other social networks could eventually become a serious issue in large classrooms.

“It’s the reason why students are distracted from the train of thought in class,” Sandmeyer said.

Any technology has the potential to affect students’ studies, said Randolph Hollingsworth, assistant provost of the Integrated Academic Services at UK.

For some, Facebook can be a positive communication tool, Hollingsworth said.

“Educators are deciding how we can use Facebook as a positive thing,” Hollingsworth said.

UK is coming out with its own social network similar to Facebook, NetworkBlue. NetworkBlue will allow incoming freshmen to form connections in a safe and private way before entering in the fall.

“It’s a matter of us at the university to make students feel comfortable, how can they find their way?” Hollingsworth said. “Facebook or any social network can be another tool.”

Jenna McGarr, a merchandising, apparel and textiles sophomore, admits Facebook can cause a distraction during Finals Week but has found a unique way to overcome it.

“I get my friends to change my password the weekend before finals,” McGarr said. “That way I know there will be no temptations and I can be free of my Facebook habit.”