Thanks for the comments despite my silence!!
AnKS - I don't know that Maddie will help Clark see Lois differently (he's already somewhat attracted to her, just not willing to put up with her attitude), but she will help him change his attitude about himself which I see as more important right now.
Michael - In this case, sadly, Lois' arguing with the girl from their class doesn't have an interesting backstory. This is just Lois being Lois. She likes to argue.
And yes, MnJ are definitely enjoying Clark's struggles with college. It's a priviledge of parenthood, right?
Amber - Yes, Lois is a fortress right now. Expect her walls to come down (or at least seem to) pretty soon. Much sooner than Clark is ready to let her see his soft-underbelly, although we'll see some of that, too.