The pulse of a college campus can be easily felt.

I just read the Facebook status updates of my friends.

I am always happy to read about someone’s good test score, new puppy or bored musings.

What I am not thrilled to discover is, apparently, the biggest common theme is… television premieres.

Everywhere I look, it’s “so-and-so can’t wait for ‘Heroes’ to start,” or “such-and-such lives for ‘the Office,’” or even worse, “what’s-her-face wants to marry Gregory House!”

Don’t get me wrong, I find television to be quality entertainment; as a million dollar industry, it has to be. 

But when did it become alright for one’s whole week to revolve around an upcoming episode?

I assert we ought to have better things to do with our time than obsess over who might die in “Lost” or get punted off “American Idol.”

These shows have seeped into every aspect of our lives, filling our moments and days with references to everything from “America’s Next Top Model” to “Grey’s Anatomy.”

I hear allusions to television shows in classes way more than I hear citations of great novels or even movies.

I’ve been noticing more discussions of television drama than real life drama, more speculation as to the motives of a character than insight into the personalities of actual acquaintances.

Does it occur to anyone that if we all of a sudden stopped having television, we’d be some of the most boring people on the planet to talk to?

Television is fun; it is like getting to live an action-packed, thrilling life full of uncommonly attractive people for an hour.

The thing is, it is only an hour.

We are responsible for making our own lives worth living for the other 23.

I don’t recommend turning our televisions off completely.

I am an admitted “House M.D.” addict, and enjoy other shows as well.

However, when I finish an episode, I actually am done with it.

I don’t spend the rest of my week pining away for the next time I will see House’s sardonic smile.

Instead of continuing to speculate about how the latest season of your favorite show will start, maybe you should hang out with a friend who has been going through a rough time, or try a new sport you’ve never tried, or just get some long-overdue homework time in.

That is what real life is about, making your own ‘premiere’ in a new ‘season’ of your college career.

The analogy is cheesy, but it works.

Once you have done this, feel free to kick back and watch that coveted first episode.

Just don’t write about how amazing it was in your status update – please.

Laura Tabor, a sophomore journalism major from Cary, is an intern lifestyles reporter.

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