Student hygiene key to illness

House Editorial

You may have noticed the attendance tapering off in your classes this time of year, and chances are good that it has more to do with the sniffles filling those awkward silences in your conversations than the weather.

This time of year, everyone is either getting sick, getting better or trying to avoid being coughed on. No matter what you do, sometimes you’re going to get sick, but JMU students could do more to help prevent coming down with what’s going around.

No one expects winter gear to include surgical masks and gloves, but dressing for the weather is an absolute necessity. Think about that credit card commercial where the man puts all his clothes on instead of packing them to go on a business trip. Emulate him — or at least put on a hat when going out.

Another thing to remember if you’re of age and heading out is that alcohol does not keep you warm, however warm it may make you feel. It actually aids in decreasing core body temperature, which could lead to illness or even hypothermia.

When you put on that extra layer, it’s a good idea to make sure it’s clean. Everyone knows that some clothes can be worn more than once, but doing laundry every so often can keep the hoodie your classmate sneezed on from becoming a biohazard. While washing your clothes, you might want to consider throwing your sheets in, too, for reasons that don’t need to be explained.

This brings us, in a way that also doesn’t need to be explained, to the concept of sharing. This is very simple — your kindergarten teacher was tragically wrong. Cups, silverware, excessive romantic moments and the like all should be shared with caution. You don’t know when the last time anyone had a shower, let alone a checkup.

On the other hand, you should be able to remember the last time you had a shower, because it should have been sometime within the last 24 hours. And please, wash your hands, brush your teeth, take out the trash, clean your room and call your mother.

Seriously, though, clean your room and anywhere else that looks suspect — it’ll make life a lot healthier, as tedious as it may be.

One last thing — if you feel sick, don’t try and be a hero. Go to the Health Center — they do know what they’re doing and it’s better to be safe than sorry.