diff --git a/metropolis/pkg/event/etcd/etcd_test.go b/metropolis/pkg/event/etcd/etcd_test.go
index c6d50b1..bd96363 100644
--- a/metropolis/pkg/event/etcd/etcd_test.go
+++ b/metropolis/pkg/event/etcd/etcd_test.go
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
 // it starts the watcher. This is used to test potential race conditions
 // present between these two steps.
 func setRaceWg[T any](w event.Watcher[T]) *sync.WaitGroup {
-	wg := sync.WaitGroup{}
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
 	w.(*watcher[T]).testRaceWG = &wg
 	return &wg
 }
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@
 // thie WG after an etcd watch channel is created. This is used in tests to
 // ensure that the watcher is fully created before it is tested.
 func setSetupWg[T any](w event.Watcher[T]) *sync.WaitGroup {
-	wg := sync.WaitGroup{}
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
 	w.(*watcher[T]).testSetupWG = &wg
 	return &wg
 }
diff --git a/metropolis/pkg/event/memory/example_test.go b/metropolis/pkg/event/memory/example_test.go
index 583650c..1ae12c6 100644
--- a/metropolis/pkg/event/memory/example_test.go
+++ b/metropolis/pkg/event/memory/example_test.go
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@
 	defer ctxC()
 
 	// Create a fake NetworkService.
-	ns := NetworkService{}
+	var ns NetworkService
 
 	// Run an /etc/hosts updater. It will watch for updates from the NetworkService
 	// about the current IP address of the node.
diff --git a/metropolis/pkg/event/memory/memory_test.go b/metropolis/pkg/event/memory/memory_test.go
index 80ac575..eec0a37 100644
--- a/metropolis/pkg/event/memory/memory_test.go
+++ b/metropolis/pkg/event/memory/memory_test.go
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@
 		Sync: true,
 	}
 	values := make(chan int, 100)
-	wg := sync.WaitGroup{}
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
 	wg.Add(1)
 	go func() {
 		ctx := context.Background()