When it comes to staying focused in class, you have a lot of options. Whether that is to create better habits, or maybe even get extra sleep. There is one way to stay focused during class that many have taken a liking to. This way is to chew gum during class. Although some may find it beneficial to chew gum during class, how do teachers and certain students feel about it? Do they feel like it’s distracting or maybe messy?

Some might think gum doesn’t help you focus, others have different opinions. Whether that is the mint or the chewing sensation that gum offers.”The mintiness of the gum helps me focus. It makes me feel fresh. Also chewing something makes me focus more,” said freshman Leslie Delcid.

Although gum can offer a lot of different benefits, what do the teachers think about it? Have they had any recent problems with it? “I haven’t had any problems with it recently, I just don’t like to see or hear gum. Or find it under my tables,” said Ms. Miller.

Chewing gum can be beneficial most of the time, but maybe sometimes it’s best to find other ways to focus. “Maybe standing up and stretching, or drinking water could help students focus just as well as chewing gum,” added Miller

Although most people might use it to stay focused, some might use it for different reasons. “Some people just like to chew gum because it can freshen one’s breath like after lunch, or just make you feel better,” said Delcid.

Some teachers might think gum is disrespectful for some reason, but what do our teachers at Osbourn think? “I wouldn’t get that mad at it, I wouldn’t take it as a personal attack, but you know sometimes I just don’t want to hear it,” said Ms. Miller.

Gum can have a lot of other benefits too. Gum doesn’t help with concentration, but it might also help with hunger. “Sometimes, I forget to eat. So if I feel like I’m hungry, and I have gum. It makes me feel less hungry, and I feel like the mint helps me concentrate,” said sophomore Jacqueline Biddier.

What time of gum do students at Osbourn prefer? “I prefer more mint-flavored gum because it helps me focus more. I don’t really like fruit-flavored gum. If it’s fruit flavored, I’ll just throw it out,” said Biddier.

Chewing gum in class might be beneficial to some, but it can also leave a mess, or even be distracting to some. “I feel like there are not many cons when it comes to chewing gum in the classroom, but sometimes people might chew too loud, and it might distract others, or sometimes you find gum under the table, or on school floors, and it’s really nasty,” said freshman Kimberly Miranda.

Some students at Osbourn also agree, and feel that some people chew too loudly. “I feel like some people chew really obnoxiously, and loud. It just sounds really nasty sometimes, and it can be distracting if you hear it repeatedly,” said freshman Kamila Ulloa.

Gum may have some cons to it, but overall if we don’t chew loudly, or leave a mess, it can be a great way to focus and get some work done!