I don’t know about you all, but I am running out of steam. My feet are dragging when I putter into class, my eyelids are drooping at even the mention of a video presentation in class, and my tolerance for everything is far beyond short.

Fortunately, I know that I am not alone, and I know that the second week of March is just around the corner. Yup, just two more lovely weeks until herds of fifteen of us all get together to go to the same places the other herds are going to, “get away from it all.” Ah, the wonder of logic. It should do us all some good, regardless. But what can we do to make the ensuing period fly?

It is never the big things that make life tedious and stressful. Repaying student loans, acquiring health insurance, the GRE, finding a job, finding a mate — all these things can be procrastinated, and rightfully so, they’re a pain in the patooty. It is the small things, little annoyances, the numerous pet peeves of university life that inevitably drives the college mind over the edge.

It is one thing to notice these things, but I have gone out of my way and compiled a list of these pet peeves. I think I may well have stumbled upon a new neurotic tendency, what do you think?

One of the most annoying things that occurs in this little pocket of the world called Iowa State is the “Perfume/Cologne Pack.” This is a phenomenon that generally occurs on Friday and Saturday nights on Welch avenue. Flocks of women and men, drenched in their favorite fragrances, struttin’ their stuff, Lookin’ for Luv. However, if people can smell you and your friends coming half a block away, there is an error in your perfume applying technique. Perfume and cologne are for personal scent enhancement, for intimate moments; they should not be used for territorial pissings.

It is difficult to say how or why this next phenomenon occurs, but it drives me nuts. Why, when pedestrians are attempting to cross Lincoln Way, do cars speed up just to watch them scramble for the median? Is this some sort of power trip? Driver, you are not going to pull the hit and run thing, and we all know it, so why not let pedestrians strut their thing in peace?

Equally as annoying are slow pedestrians walking across when there’s an onslaught of traffic. Guess what, kiddos, this ain’t Frogger.

For those students in the world graced with the presence of roommates, there are several instances, I know, when a bazooka might come in handy. When removing a CD from its player, put it in its own case—not in the toaster, on the floor, out on the porch, in your room or in a plastic bag. CDs come with cases for a reason.

Another roommate problem: dishes. This is a simple problem to solve. Instead of waiting two or three weeks for the “Dish Fairie” to come along, sprinkling the magic dust of cleanliness upon your mountain of dishes, wash every dish you dirty. I know, I know — it’s so hard!!!

As for class time, there are a few things all of us can avoid doing to make the tedious task of going there a little more enjoyable.

Do not kick other people’s chairs. Do not eat very crunchy things in a very quiet room. Do not ask questions the instructor already answered. When walking to class, if someone is behind you, hold the door for them. It’s polite. Do not snore if you must sleep. These things seem like common sense, but sometimes you’d be surprised what people forget.

There are, of course, pet peeves that need no explanation. I will go beyond that and say that, in fact, they defy explanation. Here are a few of them: Student Health, 8 a.m. classes, that funky snow zambonie that rolls around campus and Surge. What can be said? These things are beyond explanation.

So these are just some of the small things that pile up and make life drag. I’m sure there are more. Maybe if we all thought a little before we acted, things would be a lot simpler for all of us. But even if we don’t change our behavior, we only have two weeks until there are no rules. Hallelujah.

This is Bliss, and remember, I’m not that hard to find.

Bliss Newton is a junior in English literature and women’s studies from Ames.