A case of the "-itis"

Living with three teenage boys has been one of the best experiences I have ever had. I left Iowa City last spring where I had lived in a dorm, sorority house, and an apartment with 4 other women for two years- so some adjustments were necessary when three teenage boys became my new roommates. I thought girls could put down on food- but rice cakes, turkey sandwiches and salads were nothing compared to the frozen pizzas, microwavable bacon and Cheetos that n ow fill my pantry. Guys might be a bit messier with their Gatorade bottles, video games and hats consuming our common room- but trust me- it sure beats make-up, bobby pins and locks of hair all over the bathroom! Living with the boys has also taken me back to the uncomfortable place of puberty, braces, puppy love and raging hormones. My eldest cousin, Michael has a severe case of senior-itis and honestly I feel for him.

It is easy to forget what it is like to be 17 again. Thinking that you know it all, that you have life figured out, that you are responsible, and that you don't need any help from your parents, because then again what the hell do they know?! Even though most of us look back at high school in rosy-retrospection- I admit- halfway through my senior year I couldn't wait to get the hell out of Verona and start the rest of my life. I had a bad case of senioritis myself not only in high school but in college as well. It got me thinking though, now that I am done with school can I still have a case of the "itis-isms" regarding my day to day life in general?

When you think of "-itis" you may think of the medical term which suggests that you may have irritation of a particular organ. "-itis: may mean a discomfort or irritability with whatever you want to put before the suffix. For seniors- the "-itis" may refer to straight boredom and exhaustion from the routine of school, the anxious feeling that occurs while going through the motions when you know that the end is so close. For me, my "-itis" creeps up on me with life in general. Perhaps it is a certain relationship, a job, a schedule or the simple routine of life. Sometimes I get the itch of irritability, I lose all serenity and angst for a little chaos in my life.

Unfortunately, I don't have a time period on the rest of my life. I don't see an end in site. I don't have four years to deal with my addiction until I reach the phantom finish line. I don't get to endure Stargardt's for a while, conquer it and be done. I get myself in trouble if I think about life as a long blank sea with no end. Some days I have to break my life down not only day by day, but hour by hour. My restlessness is an ugly enemy.