Suffering From Back-To-School Sickness? Me too.

Makenzie Fondren

As the first few weeks of school have gone by, many students have fallen victim to what CNN refers to as the “back to school plague,” as they do every year. In fact Meg Bradshaw, a Whitney Young Senior, said that this is the “third year in a row [they’ve] been sick for the entire third week of school.” This so called plague has many ill effects, which are a mix of cold and flu symptoms, and often arises during the beginning of the school from the transition into autumn and winter.

Unfortunately, many students feel obligated to come to school even when they are sick. This not only prolongs sickness for the person in question but also gives them the chance to infect many others. That being said, this illness is often passed from student to student as they squeeze through tightly packed stairwells, share their daily doses of morning coffee, and cough into the open air during class discussions.

So to avoid waking up to a sore throat and sniffles, or simply to avoid the stress of missing school that is often worse than the sickness itself, take precaution. The following are some tips to avoid infecting yourself or others, because as Homecoming approaches, I’m certain that no one wants to spend Spirit week without a voice (especially my fellow Seniors).

  • Wash your hands. Your hands touch a lot of things throughout the day so make sure they’re clean.
  • Get some sleep. I know that all nighter might seem necessary now but you’ll thank yourself when you’re not forced to come to school feeling like death on steroids.
  • Drink water and eat healthily. I know we’re all high school students here but seriously, make sure you’re eating enough and keeping yourself hydrated. Don’t drag your immune system down  just because water’s too plain for you.
  • And for the love of god, don’t come to school if you have a contagious illness. If you absolutely have to, I feel for you, but make sure you are limiting your chances of infecting your entire first period class.