Getting sick is a nightmare. With many AP and other tough classes, missing a single day can set students so far behind. Making up work only adds hours of homework and more stress.

That is why students often opt out of resting for a day and instead drag themselves through class.

“I just don’t miss school. I can’t with all of my classes,” said Hannah Kirkham, 11.

With sickness having such a negative impact and the flu vaccine predicted to only be ten percent effective, your best bet is just to try and maintain your health. Here are three ways to successfully avoid an ill predicament for the rest of the year.

Wash your hands
Honestly, how often do you wash your hands before eating during class or before lunch? How often do you touch something at school that probably hundreds of other students have also touched? Computers, desks, and chairs are just a few examples of hot spots.

Unless you go to the bathroom right before, most kids skip on washing or sanitizing their hands in these types of situations. While you could get away with it in warmer weather, you are more susceptible to the plethora of germs in fall and winter.

What if you do not have time to go to the bathroom and wash your hands? Most teachers have hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes in their classroom. You can easily keep your hands germ-free or wipe down your desk before class starts.

Drinking more fluids
With the amount of water fountains around at SHS, there is no reason for you to be dehydrated. Just sipping on some water throughout the day can help flush out toxins from your body. Drinking tea with lemon and honey also helps to soothe your throat if you do happen to catch a cold.

According to Murray Grossan, a specialist in Los Angeles, “Lemon thins mucus, and honey is antibacterial.”

Sleep
Especially with exam season coming up, students are not putting sleep as a priority. However, this is seriously detrimental to your health.

“Research shows that our bodies need seven to eight hours of sleep in order to stimulate an immune response from our ‘natural killer cells,’ which attack viruses. Sleep is my most reliable defense against infection,” according to David Katz, founding director of Yale University Prevention Research Center.

In order to prevent and fight sickness, students must consider getting more sleep at this time of year.