Indiana State University - Sycamore Yearbook (Terre Haute, IN)

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Who copes with homework and It is one in the afternoon, and do you know where your children ore? If they are typical college students, their eyes ore probobly glued to the television set, watching their favorite soap operas. ' Swallowing goldfish ond twirling hulo hoops hove given way to 0 new phenomena known as soap opera oddiction, the ultimate plug-in drug. Every weekday afternoon students sworm around any available television set to view the latest exploits of their favorite soop chorocters. Photo by Jo Ruvos Soap Operas 28 soaps? As doys stretched into weeks of viewing time, soop junkies clomor around the television sets to get their daily fixes. Lunch room discussions often become sordid os iiDid you hear that Donno is pregnant with Chuck's boby ofter their one night stand, but she has not told her husband Polmer about it yet? echoes throughout the room. One not weIl-briefed on iiAll My Children might tend to ovoid these people and their promiscuous friends. Although soop viewing has its more comicol aspects, some students take their viewing seriously enough to octuoily schedule their classes oround y their favorite shows so that they do not miss 0 single episode. Others often try to solve coiculus problems while intently tuned into what Luke is telling Louro on iiGenerol Hospitoi . Listening to the radio, watching soap operas and sru- i dying is quite a load, but when one has them all to do, one does them. Moving in closer on the soaps is how not to miss any action. Photo by Jo Ruvos

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Janie Vieck, Gamma Phi Bera, Jeanine Kimmerle, AOPi, and Paula Earlywine, Alpha Xi Delta, were named 05 Outstanding Sorority Women. Below: Beth McKee, Terre Houre junior, accepts her award from Brent Walters. 'V Greek Honors 27

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Photo by lei! Reeves Photo by Jeff Reeves For some, this habit began at on early age. 'I remember watching them when I was really IittIe folding clothes with my mom. I was probably four or five, said Nancy Gilbert, FIoro sophomore. For others, the addiction was passed down through other family members. I'Ihe reason I storted watching soap operas was because I had older sisters thot watched them, and I continued watching them Up un- til the time I come to college, soid JoIe Payton, Pekin sophomore. For whatever reason the habit developed, soap opera addiction has moved out of the realm of bored housewives and become 0 populor pastime omong students, even moles. Some men are emborrossed to od- mit that they suffer from this molody, but the attitudes ore changing. Some discomfort orises, soid Nichoios Posonos, Marion freshmon, Hbecouse they really wont to keep their Imocho' imoge. It's stereotyped that only women wotch soops. I'I think soap operos ore for everyone. Everyone can enjoy them. They're greot, Posonos added. Many students find soap operas help relieve the stress and onxiety of tests and studying. By escaping into the imaginary and tragic lives of the characters on the screen, they con ovoid thinking about their own prob- lems, for o few short hours each afternoon. Other students watch the soaps 05 0 simple remedy for boredom. HI watched them during the summer because I bobysot and there wasn't anything else to do, Poyton soid. Whether 0 student watches the soaps every day or only during voca- tions to escape from tension or boredom, this addiction is relatively harmless. At least parents now know where and when the best time is to telephone their children.- A typical scene or college, pizza and juicy gossip ar- ticles about soap stars. Scott Slkes is enamored by his show. When the show becomes boring, the paper goes up until the action is turned on. Photo by Jeff Reeves Soap Operas 29