So I figured out why they call it “Dead Week.” I’m dead.

I still am, however, a little foggy on the actual meaning of Dead Week. What’s its purpose? I must say, before coming to college, I had some pretty messed-up ideas about the whole thing.

When I first heard there was such a week, I was not quite the scholar I am now. My brother explained it as a week in which nothing goes on.

So I took that to mean classes were not in session; silly me. And I thought that was a pretty good idea. I was liking Dead Week.

But then, along the way, somebody clued me in. Actually I — the amateur gumshoe — did a little investigative reporting. As a result, I’m now realizing other students are in the same boat as I am. And let me tell you, it appears to be one crowded boat.

The only thing people agreed on was the obvious: unfortunately, class is in session. After that, definitions differed, once again leaving me clueless.

Some students thought class is in session, but no other student organizations hold meetings. Some thought class is in session, but no new material is presented; it’s a time to review the semester.

On the opposite end, a few radicals complained of how professors used Dead Week to catch up on all the material they didn’t have enough time to cover during the semester.

One guy just looked at me and said “Class? What class?”

Through my own experiences in the first part of this infamous week, I have unwillingly proved the above theories wrong. No student organization meetings?

How about the student newspaper? The Daily definitely falls under this category, and I think I can safely say they meet.

No new material is presented? At least in my classes, only one word can answer that, and we’re not aloud to print it.

It would seem, then, that the third theory holds a little more water. Like I said, I’ve noticed the amount of notes, papers, tests, etc. have picked up this week.

Strange though it may seem, after checking out my course syllabuses, I discovered that some professors have planned from the beginning to have notes, tests and papers this week.

So a definition of Dead Week remains aloof. Why is there a need to set this week apart from others? From all I’ve heard, it’s just another week.

But therein lies the answer. To the average person, Dead Week does appear to be a normal week in the semester with only a name setting it apart. But to the students of Iowa State — well, at least to me, it’s a lot more than that.

To me, Dead Week is an enigma — a mystery wrapped in a riddle. By all means, it should be this huge, stressful week where some students are picking up a book or seeing the inside of Parks Library for the first time.

It should be the only time in your life where you actually get a full seven days to see your life pass before your eyes. And when they ask you what you want on your tombstone, pizza is not the subject.

All these things should be expected of the week before finals, but I’m realizing it is not like that.

True, the library is fuller, more studying occurs and the stress is mounting like Santa to his sleigh. But looking through this massive fog of pressure, there is much more to this special week.

Some students sleep a little later. Even though the head might not hit the pillow until four in the morning, sleeping past noon is still quite an accomplishment.

Some students watch a few more movies. You’d never guess how much stress can be relieved by watching an old episode of the “X-Files” or “Blazing Saddles.”

And some students find the joy of a midnight smoke with a few buddies.

But what makes Dead Week unique is how it brings the students of ISU together. No other time in the semester do fraternity brothers experience the same difficulties at the same time.

No other time in the semester are the people in rooms on a dorm floor so courteous to one another.

No other time in the semester are roommates as willing to help each other study because they know the favor will be returned.

Students can sympathize with other students because we’re all going through the same thing.

And it’s this cooperative spirit that sets Dead Week apart and makes it so special.

Good luck everybody!

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Jackson Lashier is a freshman in journalism and mass communication from Marshalltown.