The University enacted an energy surcharge this semester, as many of you may have discovered when your fee bills arrived. Now, if paying this means that I can have electricity and not have to work like Ben Franklin did, then I’m all for it. We pay so many fees as it is, the surcharge just sort of blended in.

But I’d like to offer a few suggestions to the University pertaining to energy conservation.

Well, actually, I’d like to offer one suggestion: fix the temperatures of buildings to a normal level.

In Ellender Residence Hall, my home for the past four years, I’ve had a constant battle with finding comfort.

Right now, it’s so cold in my room that I’m not bothering to refrigerate my bottles of water. I keep them in a closet. If I get thirsty, I just reach for a chilled bottle.

You’re probably thinking, “Hey! Moron! Change your air!”

In fact, I’m almost positive you’re thinking that, because when I told our managing editor this story, that’s almost exactly what he said.

But I can’t, because I live in Ellender.

I’ve touched on this a few semesters ago, but this topic was always just a side note in columns. I figured that if I want something changed, I’d better turn it into a whole column.

I’ll be graduating this semester, so you would think that I wouldn’t be worried. But I am. I’m afraid that future generations of students will have to be defrosted before going to class. Assuming the penguins and polar bears which will take up residence don’t eat the defrosters.

Conversely, the heat is on too powerfully in the winter.

The thermostats in Ellender are locked. If you want your air changed, you have to log in a complaint at the front desk. Then, you have to wait until the extremely busy House Mother (no complaints about her, she just has a lot on her shoulders and is, after all, human) has a free moment to take care of things on the list.

This could be anywhere from one to three days later.

As the seasons begin to change, this becomes more annoying. Anyone who has lived in south Louisiana when seasons are changing knows that this is because it can be freezing one day, and sweltering the next.

If residents could change their own room temperatures, I’m sure they would find the energy bills would be much lower.

All we ask is that we should be allowed to dress according to the weather, and not to the room temperatures. Unlock our boxes. Let us adjust our air.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to eat some of that ice cream I’ve been keeping under my bed.