It’s the first year of college, but it’s also a time for re-occurring viruses and illnesses. With students from different places and backgrounds, encountering different sicknesses is expected.

Alice Zarda, Manhattan freshman, said she couldn’t believe that she took a meningitis shot to prepare for college.

“It freaks me out that we have to get a shot to live in the dorm,” Zarda said.

But this is one precaution students should take to prepare themselves for school.

Patricia Denning, physician and chief of medical staff at the Watkins Memorial Health Center, gave recommendations on how to prepare and avoid viruses and disease for the school year.

Denning said the best way for students to prepare for school is to get an update on their health status.

“Students should make sure their updated with all medications and shots before school,” Denning said.

She said she also recommended students visit their regular physician.

Fall

The start of the school year always opens with various outdoor activities to welcome both new and returning students.

Denning said the fall was the peak season for outside-related illnesses such as allergies, asthma, poison ivy and sport injuries.

She said for students who didn’t ordinarily live Kansas, allergies could be a problem. She said students should be aware of symptoms and should try to remain indoors if they noticed them.

Poison ivy is at its peak during the start of the semester.

“Students should recognize what it looks like and should avoid getting in contact,” Denning said. “If leaves are three, leave it be.”

She said long sleeve pants and long sleeve shirts are good for areas where poison ivy would be located.

Winter

The chill of winter brings in various colds and viruses. The most common during this season is the influenza and stomach virus.

Denning said the best way students could avoid viruses was making sure they washed their hands after coughing or sneezing and before eating. She said students should also avoid eating and drinking after friends.

Jennifer Jensen, Goodland senior, said she avoided illnesses by staying away from heavy traffic areas.

“Any place where it’s populated, you should be concerned about viral things,” Jensen said.

Jensen said she also regularly washed her hands and used hand sanitizer to minimize her exposure to germs.

Denning said getting a flu shots was another way to assure a virus-free school year.

The flu vaccination clinics, which will be set up in various locations around campus, will open from late October to early November. The clinics are also available in early January when students return from the holidays.

Denning said it would be convenient and cheaper for students than people not attending the University. Flu shots were $15 last year.

Spring

This is the time of the year when students spend more time outside, socializing and enjoying the nice weather. It’s also the time for high hormones.

Denning said Watkins see more cases during spring of students coming in for sexually transmitted infection, or STIs, and pregnancy.

One way to avoid unplanned pregnancies and STIs is to get checked regularly.

Denning said that the health center had a gynecology department for women and the Wellness Center offered counseling for all students on how to be sexually safe. She said staff at the health center first tried to encourage abstinence, but different departments were available for students for guidance on safe sexual methods.

Summer

It’s the end of spring semester and summer break is just around the corner. Along with long vacations and traveling, students should be aware of the different viruses that accommodate it.

Denning said the warmer weather took a lot of students traveling abroad for the summer.

During May, Denning said the center saw several students for travel abroad vaccinations. She said this way, students were given a clean bill of health before traveling around the country.

Clinics and counseling are also offered throughout the school year for students traveling abroad.

— — Edited by Sachiko Miyakawa