In a classroom full of students, 19-year-old business administration major Charline Mason opens her laptop and types in a popular web address.
Tuning out the voice of her biology professor, she awaits the arrival of something she's been anticipating for the last 20 minutes.
Suddenly, a frown falls upon her face as she sees the three most dreaded words in web history.
No new messages.
Mason isn't the only one facing this dilemma, with the growing popularity of social networking sites, Cosumnes River College students are finding it harder to concentrate in class.
There are over 100 million user accounts on MySpace, 83 percent of which belong to college students, according to the Web site.
"I find myself getting distracted during class and I usually just take out my laptop and check my MySpace," Mason said. "I'm always wondering if anyone has left me a comment or sent me a message. I need to check it constantly."
Students say most professors aren't aware of the Web site students visit during their class.
"I sit in the back of my classroom and I always see people on MySpace or Facebook," said 24-year-old nursing major Sreytevy Chuong. "It's actually really distracting."
MySpace, the most popular social networking site, allows users to choose and display their top eight friends, send messages and comments and even join groups created by people with similar interests.
"MySpace is the ultimate Saturday night date," Mason said. "It's even better during class."
Similar to MySpace, Facebook directs itself toward an older crowd: college students.
When it was founded in 2004, Facebook only allowed college students to register for the site, but recently opened up to the public with college, work and regional networks.
"Facebook is better than MySpace, it actually has more things to do," said 18-year-old psychology major Patrick Monroe. "But it's also a lot more addicting."
Students said they are having a difficult time concentrating on their schoolwork because they are more interested in what the social networking sites have to offer.
"I tell myself I won't go online until my homework is finished, but it's just impossible," said 20-year-old television broadcasting major William Fullmer. "I use MySpace when I'm at school, at home, at work, everywhere. It's just so addicting."
Some students said they are even finding themselves failing classes due to their addiction to these Web sites.
"I had to drop two of my classes just last week because I realized I just don't have time to do the work because I'd rather be on MySpace," said Chuong. "Some people might say that it's stupid and ridiculous, but it's just how it is. These sites are addicting."
Having to drop classes past the half-way point of the semester hasn't stopped Chuong from spending her time on MySpace.
"In the classes that I didn't drop, I still go on MySpace, it's just an addicting habit," Chuong said. "If the professors don't allow us to have laptops in class, I just leave to 'use the restroom' during class."
Students said they are finding themselves spending up to 12 hours a day on the popular Web sites.
A recovering MySpace addict, Leil Armor created a Web site to help users overcome their addiction to the networking sites.
"I started this site because I attended the University of Colorado and completely flunked out one semester after I got involved with MySpace," Armor said. "It's a real addiction, just like drugs and alcohol."
Armor uses her personal story as a warning sign to users, specifically students who become addicted to MySpace and Facebook.
"I don't want people to end up where I did," Armor said. "I gave up my future because of a Web site, now there's a sad story."
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