With our laptops and books sprawled all over the table, we’re sure each and every one of us have either witnessed or have ourselves studied at a food joint before. Be it MacDonald’s or Starbucks, there’s just something about an open area with food readily available that is conducive for students to study for their exams or finish their revision.
Recently, a debate was sparked on Twitter when user Cik Anas posted a picture of a man holding a cardboard in front of McDonalds that read “McDonalds is a place to eat, not to study”.
I saw this pic , i ade story sikit, that time i dgn my friend ke mcd sec26.. tgh que nk order nmpk la ade 1family ni ber5 ade ank kecik 4-7 tahun 2 org & another 1 umur 12 tahun cmtu Chinese* pic.twitter.com/OnANpM0vUr
— Cik Anas (@anas_cik) January 28, 2020
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He then proceeds to tell a story of his encounter with a group of students who were studying at McDonalds, who had apparently hushed little kids who were being noisy. The kids were then scolded by their parents, but another customer intervened and told off the group of students for being disrespectful to the Chinese family and for demanding people to quiet down, so they could study at a clearly noisy food joint.
The picture along with the story gained a lot of attention on the platform as people started sharing their two cents about the issue.
Curious question. Macam mana orang boleh study dan buat kerja sejolah tempat yg bising macam kat macdonald.?
— ANikAnekdot (@ANikAnekdot) January 28, 2020
Orang yang study kat kedai makan ni selalunya pointer atas pagar, budak dekan study kat bilik je.
— adam (@AdamSkyreivan) January 28, 2020
Since when Mcd becomes a place to study and do homework.. Not people from my generation. And I don't get the allure of studying while inhaling the greasy odor of food from the kitchen
— KALAI VANI MANIAM (@VANIMANIAM) January 29, 2020
Fun Fact. They're not studying. Just just want to show that they're studying.
— فاريز ديلتا (@farizdelta) January 28, 2020
Apparently, many people feel the same and was glad somebody finally brought up the matter for discussion.
A user shared a cartoon piece by cartoonist @zyraroxx illustrating how customers feel when the spaces in restaurants or food joints meant for them to enjoy their food are occupied by a group of students.
However, as some argued, it is not entirely wrong for students to use the space to study. It is after all, a public space. What is wrong is their sense of entitlement in claiming the space as their own when clearly food joints are meant for the enjoyment of paying customers to enjoy their meals.
Study McD is fine but 1. Don’t expect people to be quiet for you 2. Buy a full meal, preferably everyone in the group, not just one person while everyone else just brings their own water. That’s rude.
— Shahir A. Razak (@Shahir_A_Razak) January 29, 2020
For one user, students can continue studying at McDonald by following a few simple tips. Some of which includes choosing group projects instead of doing revision, as they require less focus, and finding the right time, preferably around 2AM to 5AM, when there are less customers and its more ideal for students to focus on their studying.
TIPS STUDY DI MCDONALD @McDMalaysia
— SYAHID (@syahidxx) January 29, 2020
P/S : MEMANG MCD BUKAN UNTUK STUDY. TAPI KITA BOLEH PILIH WAKTU KITA NAK GUNA RUANG TU UNTUK STUDY PADA WAKTU YANG SESUAI. PUKUL 8PM ORANG TENGAH NAK DINNER, TU YANG KAU NAK STUDY. NYAK CANTIK MUKA KAU. pic.twitter.com/smGBv1dn1p
The picture posted by Cik Anas was taken from the Instagram of Tengku Ahmad Shafiq, who is also a part of a group called Bebudak Kadbod. The group highlights many underlying issues that we might have secretly feel strongly about.
What do you think of this issue? Should students be allowed to study at food joints?
By: Siti Farhana Sheikh Yahya
