I walked into Burger King one day to have myself a nice, unhealthy dinner. To top off the hundreds of calories I was consuming, I bought myself a medium soft drink.

I sauntered over to the fountain drink machine and put my cup under the Dr. Pepper dispenser. I pushed the cup back expecting to hit the little bar contraption that makes the drink pour into my glass. Instead, I hit the back of the machine.

I remember actually getting moderately upset that I had to use my other hand to push down a button for my icy cold beverage. It’s a sad day when someone gets upset because of a simple hand movement.

The more I think about it, the more I realize how little things are becoming more of a hassle.

Whenever I come home from class I sprawl out on the couch with my laptop. If I forget to get a drink or find a snack before lounging, I usually do not eat or drink again until late at night when I get up to go to bed. To give you an idea of just how lazy I am, I can see my kitchen from my couch.

I complain about having to walk to my car to return a video to the store a mile down the road. If I forget my cell in the other room, I usually just leave it there and don’t answer it until I feel motivated. I don’t turn on the TV unless I have a remote, and I don’t like desktop computers because I can’t lie down while surfing the Web.

All that being said, it’s not just me who’s lazy. I’ve seen my fair share of people take the bus from the Student C enter to Bowman or Satterfield halls. I’ve heard people complain about walking up stairs. I’ve noticed the decreasing number of Blockbuster stores because people like me would rather download movies or rent them online instead of driving to the store.

Some people are out there doing manual labor all day for pennies, and here I am, too lazy to walk to the kitchen.

Tim Gunn of “Project Runway” once referred to this increased laziness as “the slothification of America.” I have yet to hear anyone else describe what’s happening across the United States so eloquently.

What I don’t understand is why it’s happening. Why are we too lazy to take the stairs, walk to class or drive to the store? What has caused America to sit around instead of walk around?

Sure, I could blame a number of things. I could blame technology for making tasks that used to take hours take only minutes. I could blame TV and video games for making my couch seem so comfortable. I could even blame schools for not implementing a stricter physical education.

But when it comes down to it, we’re to blame for the Americans looking like sloths. We can’t pin our laziness on anyone but ourselves.

I say it’s time for us Americans to get off the couch and go take a walk, work-out, ride a bike, volunteer, go on a hike, clean house, do laundry, walk up stairs, cook a meal or mow the lawn.

I, for one, will work on pressing the button on a fountain drink machine without complaining.

Sarah Lelonek is a junior magazine journalism major and a columnist for the Daily Kent Stater. Contact her at [email protected].