By Lori Bredemeyer, Student Reporter

There’s a new epidemic in town.

Its symptoms usually hit once a day but sometimes more often on the weekends. There’s no pill, shot or vaccine for it, and it can affect you and all of your friends. It has even afflicted other towns across the country.

The epidemic is called Trading Spaces.

This plague originated on The Learning Channel (TLC) and has just begun its third season. The show follows two sets of neighbors as they trade houses for two days and with the help of a designer, a carpenter and $1,000, redesign one room for each other.

I have been sucked into this frenzy. The show comes on every day from 3-4 p.m. and I try to plan my activities around that hour. I also watch the new episodes on Saturdays and tape them for my roommate who has to work.

Sometimes on special weekends, such as Labor Day weekend, the show presents a Trading Spaces Marathon and during those two or three days, I’m a lump on my couch glued to the TV taking in show after show.

I even went to the extent of naming my two fish Genevieve and Paige after my two favorite people on the show.

My question is: Is this epidemic healthy? Is it good to schedule classes and work so you have time to watch the show everyday for an hour? Is it ok to be so addicted you can’t wait to see what Frank puts a border around next or if Laurie is going to take down another ceiling fan? Is it smart to put off homework just to watch a TV show?

My answer: yes, it is perfectly ok! It’s a wholesome show; there’s no violence or foul language, and any age can watch. Trading Spaces relieves stress because you’re always laughing at the jokes the crew members play on one another. And since TLC is one of the only good stations on the ACU network, it’s easy to watch all the time.

You can also catch shows about babies, dating, weddings and makeovers…but that’s another story. So for all the girls out there (and the guys who won’t admit it) who are addicted to Trading Spaces, keep watching. And if you’ve never seen the show, I’m terribly sorry-you’re missing out. In fact, isn’t it almost 3 o’clock?