This is an image of a floor plan for the first level of the Georgia State Recreation Center found on the school's website. I believe that these structures are suitable for leisure activity and play. However, I believe that they are too rigid and distracting for completing homework or relaxing the mind. Natural environments don't have inflexible floor plan and thus are more encouraging of creativity and movement

In "The College Amenities Arms Race" Cara Newlon suggests that some of the less prestigious schools add flashy services in order to make their campus more attractive to incoming students. I believe that, although laboratories and recreational centers may be important to a holistic school environment, too many amenities can be distracting and thus hindering of a student's educational experience. In the words of Ben Franklin "moderation in all things, including moderation."

Could libraries and other campus buildings with technological components such as computers and televisions be counteractive to the learning process? Or do the advantages of these learning tools outweigh the potential risk of distraction? Does there need to be a balance of added amenities and natural spaces for the learning experience to be complete?

Perhaps building planners could get a sense of what environments students benefit most from by studying the physical environments already created for some institutions. They could make inferences from the evidence in the buildings just like the excavators in "Parting Ways." The grassy spot near the Urban Life Center is left in exceptional condition every time I return. However there are some areas that are altered or vandalized by students. For example, there is a television in the library that no longer works because a student punched the screen. This to me is evidence of a disrespected and perhaps disliked environment.

The author of "The College Amenities Arms Race" argues that students do not need fancy "resort-like" features to perform well. In fact, these extra accommodations are most likely to cause distractions and lead to lower student retention rates. That being said, the author of "Recognizing Campus Landscapes as Learning Spaces," while recognizing that spaces outside of the rigid structure of the classroom are important to a holistic learning environment, does not impose a need for day spas and steakhouses. Simple spaces in nature such as farms and trails have exceptional mind stimulating qualities.

This author may believe that Georgia State students are at a disadvantage due the environment in which our school is placed. Being constantly surrounded by tall buildings and loud traffic can leave some feeling deprived of an "involuntary attention" environment in which to relax. There are few spots, however, that students often take advantage of. One in particular is the small patch of grass near the urban Life Building. There, students can sit on a bench swing and debrief for a bit. Although the area is small and enclosed, it is a nice place for city dwellers to get back in touch with nature.

In my experience as a student, I have found that at least 75% of the work I do for a class, whether that is assigned homework, projects, or test prep, is completed outside of the classroom setting. This means that most of the work I complete will be produced in a setting most like the natural environments described by the author. So, not only are these "involuntary attention settings" good for relaxation and information retention, they also have a heavy impact on a student's productivity and performance.

This is an overhead view of Princeton University found on the school's website homepage. The building is completely surrounded by greenery. This setting is what the author deems ideal for a conductive learning environment. There are areas fit for direct attention as well as involuntary attention.

Cara Newlon trivializes and condemns the addition of recreational amenities on college campuses in her article "The College Amenities Arms Race." She compares the steady retention rate of students at a university with minimal resources to the declining one of a school with more lavish features to show that these extra amenities actually do not contribute to the overall learning experience for the students. Newlon shows that usually "less selective" schools tend to add these features in order to support the suggestion that this trend is more of a business move than an effort to create a healthier learning environment. Throughout this article, she exposes the frivolous actions of these schools with a critical tone.

This attitude contrasts heavily with that of Kathleen School in her article "Recognizing Campus Landscapes as Learning Spaces." Kathleen does not criticize the addition of recreational amenities, rather she extols them and argues that they are necessary for a proper learning environment. Although School didn't express the need for gourmet restaurants and resort style spas (the specific features Newlon denounced), she acknowledged that students learn and retain information best when they are not constantly surrounded by stress inducing classroom settings.

Newlon, Cara. “The College Amenities Arms Race.” Forbes. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2017.

What specifically is the author referring to here? Also, is it proven that these "outside lures" actually hinder the educational process in any way?