With the onset of the flu season, you may have noticed empty seats in your classes or students with the sniffles. Before you know it, you too are relying on Dayquil to make it through your classes. The 07-08 flu season has especially affected schools, which medical professionals refer to as “breeding pools” for circulating infectious diseases.

The ladies at the attendance office are overwhelmed, having received over 700 calls in the last two weeks excusing students on account of an illness. For many students, missing so much school is extremely detrimental to their grades.

“I was out all week from the flu, and it really sucked. I also missed two tests and a lot of work in my classes,” said junior Austin Dewitt.

“My whole family has been sick; it’s amazing that I haven’t caught it. I avoid it like the plague because if I miss school I’ll fall so far behind and I can’t afford to miss wrestling

practice either,” said freshman, Joey Ramos.

Those who have tried to avoid the seasonal sickness by getting a flu shot were mostly safe from the bug, but others were disappointed.

“I got that flu bug that as going around and it didn’t last long but it was miserable and very contagious. I got my boyfriend and his mom sick, which was surprising because she got a flu shot,” said Angie Rodriguez.

This year’s flu season has many students heavily medicated and has resulted in hundreds of absences. Ironically, in the course of writing this story, I too have gotten sick. Cough drop, anyone?