Library or Dumpster? The Disturbing Reality of Exam Period

“During exam periods, students tend to drink alcohol due to stress…” said A, a janitor at Pusan National University (PNU)’s Saebyeokbeol Library, who cleaned up dozens of soju bottles during this semester’s midterm exam period as well. During exam periods, some areas of the Saebyeokbeol Library operate 24 hours, and each time, janitor A encounters piles of unsorted garbage. Another janitor, B also complained, “During exam periods, the trash bins are not just full — they’re overflowing.”

According to Channel PNU’s coverage on May 30th, 12 buildings including Saebyeokbeol Library, the Mathematics Building, the Social Sciences Building, etc., are open 24 hours during exam periods on the Busan Campus. Students can access them for about two weeks via the university’s application (Pusan National University Smart Campus) and utilize designated classrooms. In most buildings, students are advised to follow rules such as no eating except beverages, encouragement of waste separation, prohibition of alcohol consumption, etc. But when Channel PNU observed the library during the exam period from April 14th to 26th, few people followed these rules.

In terms of trash issues, one of the worst places is the convenience store on the 1st floor and the Saebyeokbyeoldang on the 2nd floor. The library keeps Saebyeokbyeoldang open 24 hours and extends this policy to the 1st reading room and 1st laptop room during exam periods. As a result, both foot traffic and food brought in from the convenience store have increased. Even with an additional trash bin per floor during exam periods, they overflow. Janitor B stated, “We discussed adding more bins with the administration, but they declined, saying it would look unpleasant.”

The convenience store managed by the Consumer Cooperative also faces challenges. During last year’s exam periods, daily users increased by about 500 more than usual, reaching an average of  933 per day. On weekends, when the store operates unmanned, trash issues worsen. Store manager A said, “The library operates 24 hours, but without a manager, it becomes out of control after we leave. Even though we posted ‘Prohibition of Unauthorized Waste Disposal’ at the entrance and set up separate recycling bins, every time I come to work, I’m faced with garbage scattered all over the floor.”

Students have expressed discomfort and inconvenience caused by the trash. PNU Student D (Dept. of Political Science and Diplomacy, 22) noted, “Partially consumed containers are scattered around. The library feels like a trash factory these days.” International student Lu Zhenni (Dept. of Psychology, 24) commented, “I want to throw away trash, but there’s nowhere to do so.” On the anonymous online community ‘Everytime,’ students frequently discuss the trash problem during exam periods. Students expressed opinions through comments and posts such as “Please place more trash bins,” “Students should bring bags and take their garbage home,” and “Garbage should be separated.”

Janitors are overwhelmed during exam periods. Currently, 10 janitors are assigned to the library. They usually work from 7am to 4pm but voluntarily start an hour early during exams without extra pay. Janitor A explained, “To work efficiently before students arrive, we come in about an hour early voluntarily.” Janitor B said, “When I come to work, more than half of the students are already there, so I have to hurry to get to work for cleaning.” They have a heavy workload on Mondays due to the trash that has piled up over the weekend.

PNU acknowledges the issue but lacks concrete solutions. An official of the Division of General Affairs stated, “We have 181 janitors, which is considerable, and budget constraints hinders further hiring.” Regarding students’ requests for placing more bins, the official said, “While we can consider their feedback, adding bins isn’t a cure-all. The main issue is indiscriminate littering, and raising students’ awareness about proper waste segregation is crucial.”

Experts suggest applying the “Broken Windows Theory,” emphasizing the need for students to regain civic consciousness. The theory suggests that if a single broken window is abandoned, it can lead to further disorder and crime, implying that neglecting minor issues may eventually result in widespread problems. This social theory emphasizes how small problems can escalate if left unaddressed. Jung Ju-Yong (Prof. of Public Administration and Information Convergence, Korea National University of Transportation), who has researched campus waste issues, warns that “While student awareness about the severity of campus waste problems remains divided, if left unaddressed, increasingly massive amounts of garbage will be generated over time.” He pointed out, “The most important factor is students’ civic consciousness.”

To address this issue, Korea National University of Transportation left campus trash uncollected for a month. Prof. Jung explained, “We made students aware of inconvenience, then warned them and cleaned up the trash.” This approach was designed to encourage students who had experienced discomfort firsthand to realize, “Oh, this happened because of my wrongdoing.” He also emphasized the need to educate students about the importance and methods of waste separation through incentives, awareness-raising promotional materials, and campus discussions on waste awareness.” I hope schools can demonstrate to students that the trash they carelessly dispose of without guilt will eventually make daily life inconvenient,” he said.

Reporter Jeon Ha-Eun

Translated by Seo Yoo-Jung