Okay, fall is upon us and with fall comes burgundy matte lipsticks, UGG-weather, cheesy Halloween movies, and pumpkin-spiced everything. But as we welcome the return of our old, cozy friend, we must be aware of the uninvited guest that accompanies it: flu season. Catching the flu can really kill your autumn vibes so here are three steps any germ-aware person can follow to dodge it this year.
1. WASH YOUR HANDS.
I am not your mother; I won’t chastise you for “trying to protect the good bacteria” or whatever the latest excuse people have for not washing their hands is. If you want to limit your sudsing-up to only when people are watching, by all means, do that. But you should know that handwashing is your first defense against illness. And it only takes 30 seconds. Washing your hands after using the bathroom, when returning home from outside, and before eating are small steps you can take to prevent getting sick. And FYI, the CDC’s website is a great resource and can further elaborate on the importance of handwashing here.
2. Be Wary of Classrooms.
Other than the public restrooms, classrooms might be one of the grossest places on campus that we all are forced to visit. Think about everything that happens on those writing surfaces: people are eating, sleeping, coughing, and sneezing on them one by one, class after class, all day every day. And most people don’t even think about all the germs that pile up. To avoid any harmful germs in the classroom, use a pocket-sized hand sanitizer after getting to your seat, especially if you intend to enjoy a mid-class snack. You can even go the extra mile and carry little sanitary wipes to clean the surface of your desk. You might feel silly and your classmates might stare at you, but that one step can keep you from catching a lot of nasty things.
3. Do Not Eat or Drink After Your Friends.
I know. It’s harmless, right? Wrong. This common activity can expose you to whatever your dear friend has before they even know they have it. And this goes beyond colds and flus, other things can be transferred that way if you catch my drift. That’s all I will say. I’m not telling you to stop, just be careful. (but you really should stop)
Remember, these steps are just suggestions. At the end of the day, you could do all of these things right and still get sick; or, you could do none of these things and be fine. Just be sure to stay safe and enjoy the sweater weather while you can!