I was surprised to find out a mural our floor painted back in 1984-1985 was still on the kitchenette walls after so many years. My roommate and I decided on a whim to go the BC-ISU Basketball game Tuesday, after we both had the day off.

I live in Omaha, he in Clear Lake.

After meeting in the MWL Commons, we decided to go to the fifth floor and take a look around.

Our room, 5241, was right outside the kitchenette, and right next to the resident assistant, John, who came up to us and asked if we were from the Register.

We explained to him that back in 1984, my freshman roommate and another friend drew this mural based off an assignment he had for graphic design.

We had liked the design so much that we also turned it into our floor shirts for that year.

Over the years things on the mural were changed. We never had “tool” written on the girl’s forehead. We didn’t have “roofies” back in 1984; we had to rely on our own bad lines to pick up women (oh the good old days), not a date rape drug.

This wasn’t about men owning women, it wasn’t about sex and date rape and tools, it was just about the good times, about silliness, and about a bunch of hormonally challenged guys, on one dorm floor, coming together to do something that brightened up a rather dismal kitchenette.

That’s all.

This mural is part of the past, a past I wish we could all go back to. College was a fun time, and time to do stuff that you just can’t do anywhere else.

Enjoy the times you have now, and don’t worry about a little mural.

It has been around Iowa State a lot longer than the eight girls who are complaining about it have been, and should be around long after they leave Iowa State.

Joseph J. DiBlasi

Iowa State University Class of 1987

Schaeffer House Vice President 1985

RCA Social Chair 1986