The case is going to be the same anywhere. America is infatuated! Just about some different things.

Who hasn't walked into a typical teenaged girl's bedroom and seen piles upon piles of make-up, paper, and posters. But wait! Upon examination all of the posters are of the same individual. Orlando Bloom! Or is it Brad Pitt? Viggo Mortenson maybe? Anyhow, the walls are plastered with the same face (or in some cases, faces) of the idol of the moment. In the truly extreme cases I guess a cardboard cutout might be expected.

There are many things that the American culture is passionate about. The one thing that never really changes is the tongue-lolling obsession with outter beauty, while the rest of our society moves from the latest diet to the hottest fashion accessory available to their pocketbook. Sometimes it doesn't even matter how much something costs-even if it's over your own personal spending budget. If you HAVE to have it, no amount of debt will stop you from purchasing your prize!

Food seems to be another popular infatuation. The name Rachel Ray seems to fall from the lips of many foodies and many who don't consider themselves as such; Emeril's trademark 'BAM!' has worked its way into everyday conversation; and everybody loves Iron Chef, even though most of them are re-runs. I mean, a lot of the student apartments I've been in, the one station that can usually be agreed upon is the Food Network. But then again, college students are kind of obsessed with food. The funny thing about that though is that most recently they actually CARE about the taste of the food. I've seen more caesar salad dressing than ranch and italian in the refrigerators that I've been privy to. Extra Virgin Olive Oil seems to find its way onto at least one shelf per apartment. I even know one guy from school who stocks up on grade A pesto whenever he goes home.

Garlic has even found its delicious flavor sneaking into the food for many college dates. The guys are aware, yes, of the reportedly offensive scent it gives to breath, "But," I've heard them say, "you just can't make this dish without garlic!"
I've had roommates come home from dates continuing to salivate over the food. When I ask them "Well, what did he make for dinner?" they'll rattle off a list of things, and at least one of those will have garlic as a main ingredient.

Fitness is another one. It goes along with that tongue-lolling obession I previously mentioned. I've known people who'll have an swesome dinner, get home at ten o'clock, and immediately put on workout clothes to go jogging in order to burn off all of those delicious calories that they've just consumed. Please! Enjoy the flavor of the food after the date too!

In short, infatuation reigns supreme in most areas of our life. There's no escape! I guess the proverb of "All things in moderation" applies to this as well.

Darn it.

Learn more about this author, Sarah Hatch.
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