Just when a student finds the drive to start that four-to-five-paragraph essay, it is all blown away with a sneeze and a cough. What is there to do when that huge project for social studies is due tomorrow and the only research one wants to do is through the WebMD site?
Unfortunately, people cannot simply plan to get sick at 5:23 p.m. on Dec. 21 or whenever time is convenient for them. The world does not work on every person’s desired schedule, but if a person does decide to be extra conscientious about staying healthy, there are certain times of the year that are best for avoiding illness.
When thinking about the worst times to get sick during the school year, the current time of year comes to mind. At the moment innocent children return to school four days after Thanksgiving, they are pounced on by two merciless beasts: homework and projects. If only there were a vaccine for procrastination, because its combination with the late-November workload is subject to lower the chances of getting more sleep and heighten the chances of weakening one’s immune system.
The winter months also hold a key getaway time for those students who need to take a sick day or two from their education. As sophomore Itxaso Ezcurra-Taiganides can confirm, the last week before winter break acts as an early Christmas miracle for those who need an extra day to regenerate. “The best time is right before Christmas break because you can miss school on the last couple days and then have no homework to do because you’ll be gone for a long time,” Ezcurra-Taiganides said.
Taking time off to connect with a break acts as a great opportunity to take a well-deserved rest after pushing through tons of paperwork and tissues. According to junior Saurya Acharya, the best time to let one’s guard down against germs is at the end of the school year and the beginning of summer break. “If I had to, I would most want to be sick at the end of the year when all my stuff for my classes is done anyway,” Acharya said.
On the other hand, the sunnier months hold one particularly dark time for those who contract an illness, and that’s the May exam period. For students like senior Ashwin Raju, who is taking four AP classes this year, falling ill is a dangerous misstep in the plan for success in adequately preparing for and completing an exam. “I would hate to have to make up all that work in addition to reviewing for all my big exams,” Raju said.
There is never a wonderful time to be stuffed with mucus or expelling whatever was in yesterday’s lunchbox. Therefore, it is always a smart idea for students to listen to their bodies and take the necessary vaccines and medicines to protect themselves year-round, but perhaps when May and November come around, they might be a little extra cautious.
