Biology 100 has made me laugh, cry, and on numerous occasions, vomit. I’m not sure if it’s the dissection of cow eyeballs or the words “cellular respiration” that have, for the past two and a half terms, filled me with such extreme emotion. Biology 100 isn’t for the lily-livered. Just this past week, I woke up in the middle of the night, itching myself from head to foot like a gorilla. No, I wasn’t consuming illegal kitchen-cabinet methamphetamine. According to Dr. Johnson, my faithful Bio 100 teacher, I was sleeping in my own mass collection of dead microorganisms, dust mites, and bacteria. Now, you may be reading this and making a mental note that Lucy Bidwell doesn’t shower. But in actuality, we are all sleeping under blankets and mattresses compiled of dead microorganisms, dust mites, and bacteria. Every ten years, the average mattress doubles in weight. The additional pounds are due to sloughed-off skin chewed by dust mites. Just imagine the types of microorganisms living on your pillow. The sick thing is that most of us don’t even realize it. PA is the first time most students live independently. Yet, the school doesn’t offer any type of information or advise regarding dorm room hygiene except the OPP room checkups. Most of us don’t even know how to do our laundry yet, let alone be aware of standard dorm room hygiene. The school should offer some tips or information on how to keep your dorm-room hygienic. This would be beneficial both to student’s health and their quality of sleep at night.
