The past two years at Hamilton West were some of the worst for fighting. Oddly enough, it was usually females who were the ones that got in trouble. It seemed like you didn’t have to worry about the male students because they didn’t usually get into fights.
The students who fight get suspended, expelled or even arrested if the fight is severe enough. Law enforcement has been taking care of those students who get into trouble by making sure they realize the seriousness of their actions.
A series of fights and disagreements earlier this year in and around the school prompted school administrators to take swift action in addressing the issue. “The safety and well-being of students are our utmost priorities,” said Brian Smith, the Hamilton West school principal. “We have already taken steps to investigate the incidents and implemented measures to prevent further disruptions.”
While the specific reasons behind the altercations remain unclear, several students have reported that tensions have been building for some time. Peer pressure, personal conflicts, and social media disputes have all been cited as potential contributions.
Local law enforcement has increased its presence around the school to ensure the safety of students and staff. The Hamilton Police Department released a statement emphasizing their commitment to maintaining a safe learning environment for all students. Parents of Hamilton High West students have expressed their concerns for open communication between the school, students, and parents. Community meetings are being organized to address concerns and seek long-term solutions.
As the school year unfolds, Hamilton High West and local authorities are making every effort to restore a sense of safety and normalcy for students and families. The school community hopes to resolve the underlying issues and maintain a peaceful and productive learning environment.
Modern education now includes more than just the 3 Rs
STEM education, inclusion, and community involvement all play a part in today’s classroom
by Yatziri Mercado-Bonilla
One of the most significant changes in the American education system has been a shift towards personalized learning. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, schools are now working to tailor their curriculum and teaching methods to the individual needs and abilities of each student. This can take many forms, from project-based learning and flipped classrooms to online education and competency-based progression. Personalized learning is designed to help students take charge of their own education, developing the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the modern world.
Another trend in the American school system is the growing focus on STEM education. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics have become increasingly important in today's fast-paced, tech-driven world, and schools are working to ensure that students have the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in these fields. This includes not only incorporating STEM subjects into the regular curriculum, but also providing students with hands-on opportunities to explore and apply these concepts, such as through coding and robotics programs.
Along with personalized learning and STEM education, there is also a growing emphasis on mental health and well-being in the American school system. Mental health has become a priority in recent years, with more and more schools implementing programs and resources to support students' emotional and psychological well-being. This includes providing counseling services, promoting mindfulness and stress-reduction techniques, and incorporating social-emotional learning into the curriculum.
Another major change in the American school system is the increasing use of technology in the classroom. From online learning platforms to educational software and apps, technology has become an indispensable tool for teachers and students alike. While technology can be a valuable resource, it is important that schools use it in a way that enhances, rather than replaces, traditional teaching methods. Many schools are now incorporating technology into their curricula in innovative ways, using it to provide students with interactive, engaging experiences that bring subjects to life.
The American education system is also becoming more inclusive, with a greater emphasis on diversity, equity, and access to opportunities for all students. This includes working to eliminate the achievement gap between students of different races, socio-economic backgrounds, and abilities, as well as providing all students with the support they need to succeed. Schools are working to create a more inclusive environment by promoting cultural competence, implementing anti-bullying policies, and providing resources and support for students with special needs.
Finally, there is a growing recognition of the importance of community involvement in the American school system. Parents, community leaders, and business owners are all playing a critical role in supporting students and helping schools provide a high-quality education. From volunteering in classrooms to donating resources and funding, communities are working together to support schools and ensure that students have access to the opportunities they need to succeed.
The American education system is evolving to better meet the needs of students in today's fast-paced and rapidly changing world. With a focus on personalized learning, STEM education, mental health and well-being, technology, inclusiveness, and community involvement, schools are working to provide students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. While there is still much work to be done, the American school system is moving in the right direction, and we can be optimistic about the future of education in this country.
From the Archives
Should you choose AP classes this year?
Students have mixed emotions about these elite classes
by Andrew Le
Thousands of students work tirelessly every year for a good score on the AP exams. They are told that a good score is paramount in securing a spot at a good university. If this is so, how exactly do these universities use them? And if these exams are so impactful, how can students properly prepare? Speaking of preparation, how do AP teachers even prepare their students for this exam? There is a lack of information in this area, and students usually have to dig to find the answers.
The AP (Advanced Placement) exams are a culmination of the year in a respective AP class. These exams test the student on what they have learned throughout the entire year, granting a score of one to five. One and two are failing scores, while three to five are passing. It is said that these courses give high-school students a chance to tackle college work. Through the exams, the student can earn college credit and placement. What does this mean, exactly? College credit measures your educational requirements and progress toward your respective degree. Each college class grants three to five credits, meaning that every college credit you earn from AP classes in high-school is money you save in college. Don’t worry about a bad score on your AP exams, though! Colleges don’t often require you to send them in, and won’t be considered toward your acceptance. Does that make it worth it to you? Well, according to a survey done around Hamilton West, the average rating of happiness with AP classes is around three (from on a range of one to ten).
Say that you’re taking the AP exams. How would you prepare? The College Board says that the best way to prepare is to simply participate well in your classes. Of course, that is of little help to those who already study and pay attention in their AP classes. What do you do about things such as stress? Students know that stress can cause one to make uncharacteristic mistakes, and teachers know this too!
“You can’t just cram in study time the week before without getting some stress,” said AP Biology teacher Maryann Rizzo. “Make sure that your study experience is long, two months at the least. That’ll let you have the week before the exam to relax and revitalize yourself.”
College Board also offers a multitude of ways to practice, including practice exams and AP review videos. The internet is full of good resources, and your teachers care and are there to help as well. Unfortunately, these things don’t make exam time easy for every student.
“I just had to push through the stress until it was over,” said Hamilton West student Abigail Scudder. “These classes can be incredibly draining on your mental health.”
AP exams and student stress aside, how do teachers prepare their students in their classes? How do they ensure that their students have the best experience possible, leaving nobody out? Students are divided into four learning styles: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and reading/writing. AP teachers are tasked with finding a way to accommodate as many students as they can, and that includes every student with a different style of learning.
“Science classes have the blessing of labs, which provide an amazing resource to any kinesthetic learners,” said Rizzo. “Students also learn to work very closely together, so they also have each other as resources. There have been many times where friends of mine have explained topics to me in ways that I understood, and the teacher couldn’t.”
Science classes may have an easier time with such things, but what about math classes?
“We have physical models for kinesthetic and visual learners, lectures for auditory learners and written directions for those who like to read,” said AP statistics teacher William Szelingoski. “I also give out two to three practice exams in the last few weeks before the exam, just to give my students some extra practice right beforehand. Just make sure you get some time away from the exam though, as putting too much pressure on yourself will make you crumble when the big day comes.”
Are the efforts of the teachers enough, though? A survey was given out to students of Hamilton West, asking if they would recommend AP classes to other students. Most answered with an indecisive ‘maybe’, or a slightly better ‘probably’. Some students give a resounding no.
“AP classes were not worth it for me. The pressure was enormous, and I feel like there wasn’t enough payoff to warrant it,” said Scudder.
AP classes can be stressful, but enlightening. They can drain your mental health, but they can also provide you great opportunities. With so many ups and downs, are they even worth it? Students around the school were asked if they were usually satisfied with their AP exam scores. Many answered with a resounding ‘Strongly Disagree’, but there were a few that were rather happy with what they’ve gotten. With such polarizing data, how will you decide on what classes to take?
“You have to be passionate about what you’re learning in those classes,” said Mirna Mohammed, a senior at Hamilton West. “There were classes that I had an incredibly difficult time getting through, as I just didn’t have the drive to keep up.”
Priorities may also change for you. You may have work out of school that you need to worry about, which takes up much of the time that could be dedicated to studies. Your passions may also simply change as well.
“I went into APUSH because I thought that I really liked history, and was pretty good at it. I came out of that class questioning my decisions, and learning that I didn’t actually like it that much,” said Mohammed.
Don’t just take the students’ word for it though! ‘Research on the college benefits of AP has not only found that AP students and, particularly, successful AP students are more likely to perform well in college than their non-AP peers; it has also shown that AP students are more likely to simply enroll in a four-year college and university’ states a research report by the College Board. So in the end, it’s all up to you. Do you have any classes that you care about enough? Are you prepared for the stress that AP classes bring with them? If so, you may want to take them. As always, weigh your options carefully; your choices in high-school can greatly affect your life in college.
All Opinion columns are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Criterion, its writers or editors. Opinion columns do not reflect the opinion of the Hamilton West administration or the Hamilton Township School District. If you would like to respond to any column or story, please send your letter to the editor by emailing us at hamwestcriterion@gmail.com.
Opinion
Students need to learn basic life skills - why not teach them here?
by Alexia Gomez
Kids should know basic life skills for when they eventually become adults. They should know how to cook, clean, care for children (or at least other people), finance, etc. There are several important life skills that kids should know, but don’t always get an opportunity to learn or experience. Some kids don’t have parents around to teach them, some can’t afford classes, some don’t have time. It’s not fair that they have to learn these crucial skills much later in life when they could’ve learned early on safely under a watchful eye. People who don’t understand how a washing machine works could ruin their clothes, they could easily start a fire, or get food poisoning if they don’t cook something properly. They could also produce highly toxic fumes from mixing household cleaning chemicals or even die from the chemicals' unpleasant side effects. Kids should be educated on these topics so they can be properly prepared for adulthood and the eventuality of living without people who provide for them. I propose we bring back home economic classes for students who were unable to learn these skills earlier in life.
Life skills are important and with the removal of these classes from schools, I feel as though kids now know less about these skills needed for adulthood. I believe we should offer classes after school with certified volunteers who can properly teach children life skills. The classes would be around an hour to two hours so as to not hold the children too long and give them time to get home and work on homework. These home economic classes would be more like a club, with a school teacher obviously present. Research will have to be done to find proper volunteers who have extensive knowledge of certain skills. Scheduling the classes to go on during reasonable hours and days will also have to be done along with finding proper rooms to hold these classes. Hopefully, arrangements can also be made for the transportation of kids who may not have any other way to get home (they have to walk home, parents are unable to pick them up, they take the bus).
We would definitely have to get this approved by the school board. We would need to reach out to teachers who have experience with these kinds of courses to help consult as to what we would need in terms of curriculum and supplies. We would also need to go through the plan more thoroughly with our security officers to see if there would be any security issues. It’d be a shame if a potential security risk arose after everything was all said and done and it needed to be shut down. It would be best to bump out any risks and budget issues, in the beginning, to set this all up. I believe it would be wise to look at how other non-profit programs like this may operate so we can get an idea of any steps and precautions needed.
If the board approves this activity to be hosted at our school, it would be beneficial to have experienced people teaching the classes. We’d have to find volunteers through social media, websites, and word of mouth, most likely. We’d be better off finding retired people with a specific set of skills who would be willing to come in. Parents would definitely be uncomfortable with leaving their kids in a room with a stranger, so a series of extensive background checks would have to be done. It would also be wise to assist the volunteers in creating a presentable lesson plan for any potential students looking to learn something needed for everyday use.
Home economics usually consists of learning to cook, finance (taxes), and caring for children. These won’t be your typical home ec. classes, especially considering they won’t be taught by your everyday teachers. We should run at least three classes per session, and have the classes run at least two to three days a week.
I’d like to split the big three topics into these separate classes. For example, a class on childcare would also include topics on child development, nutrition, first aid, and benefits/community programs. A cooking class would not just include the basics of making home-cooked meals, but also how to properly use/clean kitchen utensils, health benefits/drawbacks of different diets, and kitchen safety. While we do have courses at West that teach you how to do budgeting and taxes, they’re not really centered on the daily basics of managing your time and money. A finance class in this program would also teach budgeting along with where to find coupons, how to manage your credit cards, how to make appointments, and how to find good deals/sales. These courses should run for at least one and a half hours minimum, and 2 hours maximum (similar in length of a block period). These lessons would be structured to allow volunteer teachers time to not only teach but also allow students time to ask questions.
Transportation would be a big issue within this project. Some students are within walking distance of the school; others may need to take a bus home. Depending on when the classes may take place as well as the time of year, it could be getting dark out. A bus may want to be considered to help transport students home after the class is over. When joining a club, most of the teachers in charge of said club would ask you to write down your name, as a way of saying that you’ve joined and are a part of the club. This program would function similarly to a club in that we’d send out a form asking interested students to write down their names and addresses to create a multitude of bus stops (drop-off points) around the areas the majority of students live in.
Teens are not at all prepared to live on their own or manage their life themselves, mostly relying on their parents well into their adult years. They are growing and maturing, and naturally want to become more independent. But some teens are unable to independently do things themselves due to never being taught how. These courses could be incredibly beneficial not to just current high schoolers, but future students who are reaching that point in life where they’ll be becoming adults to know how to properly live on their own when the time comes.
Opinion
The Palestinian Genocide
by Joshua Martinez
On October 7th, 2023, the Israeli-Palestinian war, one of the longest standing conflicts in history, went public. In this struggle, Israel has felt in the past that the land that they shared with Palestine belonged to them, due to their religious beliefs, and has been trying to take it since time immemorial. More recently however, Israel has found a new excuse - Hamas, a group that launched an attack that killed 1,400 Israelis and took around 240 hostage. Israel’s response? An ongoing complete bombardment and razing of Palestine, killing tens of thousands of innocent men, women, and children in the crossfire. This was not an accident.
Palestine is being threatened with total annihilation. Earlier in this war, Hamas offered to give every hostage back in exchange for Israel releasing all Palestinian prisoners. In November, Hamas released roughly 100 hostages in exchange for a four-day cease fire.
According to Vice News, the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) has been posting videos on X (formerly Twitter) mocking dead Palestinians, one such example being a soldier writing a math equation on a half bombed blackboard, then asking an empty classroom if they had an answer. Others are dressing up on TikTok, painting blood on their faces and posing dead for their video.
More recently, South Africa called Israel out on their actions, filing genocide allegations with the International Court of Justice. According to politico.eu, Israel’s foreign ministry responded by accusing the South African government of acting as the “legal arm” of Hamas, which raises the question - are their supposed target’s goals even real at this point? If the name can be thrown at a place across the world, when months earlier a hospital in Palestine was surrounded by tanks and bombed because of the suspicion that Hamas was hiding under it, who’s to say it isn’t made up in the first place?
Back on the topic of South Africa, they took Israel to the ICJ (International Court of Justice) over their genocidal acts against Palestine fairly recently. Israel denied this claim, instead saying it stemmed from “self defense”, and that the bombings and murder of innocent civilians was “necessary” to find Hamas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed this war could not be stopped until Israel achieved “complete victory.” He has displayed a map of “The New Middle East” that eliminates Palestine.
Israel has broken 45 United Nations resolutions since 2013. According to both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, one recent infraction was the use of white phosphorus, an illegal substance with severe effects on human tissue. To put it into perspective, Iraq broke two UN resolutions and was gutted, bombed, and destroyed.
Despite all of this, there are things you can do to help! You can donate money to buy SIM cards to allow Palestinians to stay connected to the world and show the realities of what’s happening on the ground. You can donate to nonprofit organizations like Hakini, which works to provide psychological first aid for the people of Gaza, and the Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA), who is also distributing food parcels throughout Palestine. There are also ways to show support without the cost of any money, such as boycotting companies who support Israel, like McDonalds and Pizza Hut, which have promised IDF forces free food despite their actions. The average person can make a difference on a large scale if we all band together to help. Please, if you have the means, support Palestine and their people’s right to survive.
Opinion
All Wednesdays should be half days
by Joseph Radoslovich
Hamilton West students have been advocating for Wednesdays to be a half day for mental wellness. Kids have a lot of stress with part time jobs, after school activities, and college/ career prep. With a Wednesday being a half day, it cuts up the week into two halves and it would take a lot of stress off of the students. They would take the time when they are not in school to wind down and basically do nothing. Studies show when students are less stressed, their test scores are exponentially better in the classroom. Giving the students that one half day in the middle of the week could help everyone.
Teachers could also benefit from the half day because they could catch up on grading because everyone knows they are swamped with students’ work. They could also spend more time with their kids and loved ones. Teachers often stay late in the classroom to grade, to coach, and to participate in afterschool activities. It would be great to just be home and spend time with their loved ones.
If there was ever a question about which end of the day on Wednesday it should be placed on, it should definitely be in the morning. It would be beneficial if everyone could catch up on their sleep, because a sleep deprived student or teacher often underperforms and nobody could benefit from that. The school day would still end at 2:30, which is still relatively early compared to the regular nine-to-five job. If students and teachers come to school at 11a.m., everyone would benefit from this switch.
Mental health is very important to a human being, and can do wrong for somebody if they don’t have good mental health. A Wednesday is something the kids and teachers can look forward to. They would also come back refreshed after their half-day break.
Rep. Andy Kim visits West’s GALRE class
by Henry Fanders
On Jan. 11, Mr. Iorio’s GALRE (Government and Law Related Experiences) classes gathered in the auditorium to have a Q&A with U.S. Representative Andy Kim. Kim, current democratic congressman and a candidate for Senate, took time out of his busy schedule to talk with the students about what the future holds for Hamilton’s community. Since his election in 2018, Kim has had his eyes set on changing the broken healthcare system. He made great strides in this field by capping the out-of-pocket price of insulin in N.J. to $35 per month. He co-wrote and was a leader for a bill that established a $2,000 per year cap on prescription medications for seniors on Medicare.
This isn’t the first time that the GALRE class has had guest speakers. Both mayoral candidates, current Hamilton mayor Jeff Martin and his opponent, Marty Flynn, visited the class.
Kim was able to give more insight about higher levels of government. For example, the process of creating bills, the challenges he has with approving new bills, and the personal challenges of being a congressman.
GALRE student Quincy Moss asked Kim, “what is your greatest accomplishment?” Kim responded by saying he was proud of his work on the climate change bill (Inflation Reduction Act) which was the largest investment in U.S. history for clean energy. He said his greatest achievement was passing the healthcare reform bill that capped the monthly cost of prescription medications for seniors to $166 per month.
Another question, this time asked by senior Geri Nicole Angeles, unveiled Kim's intense focus on healthcare. This is a good sign and helped many people feel reassured because healthcare is one of the biggest problems in the U.S. right now. Angeles asked, “what is the mark you want to leave on the political world?” Kim responded by saying “Universal Healthcare.”
Kim also was able to give some insight into the limitations he faces in government through Morgan Bressler's question, “what's one thing in Congress that you wish you could do but can’t?” Kim said he would love to work on the high cost of housing that is continuing to rise and expressed his frustration at the matter because when he worked on the war efforts they had no problem with funding. This isn’t the first time he experienced this problem as when the opioid crisis started he wanted to help stop it and get many people to help. But there just wasn’t enough funding, which was the main reason he stepped up into the role of congressman. And now is running for senator because he’s seen all of the problems we face today and how they are not being addressed. Combined with the lack of power a layperson has, Kim knew he needed that beacon of hope.
This meeting really helped the GALRE class get a better understanding of what the interworking of government is like, what abilities and limitations they have, and how Kim was able to work around them for the betterment of society.
Vending machines to remain closed during the school day
by Kamryn Mooney
So let’s cut to the chase. When going back to school for the 2023-2024 year, we all realized that the vending machines were no longer available during the day. Lots of students were mad and asked “why did they do this?” Well now I have the answers!! I interviewed our very own principal, Brian Smith, and have the answers to the questions you no longer have to ask!
The Criterion - To make it simple, why are the vending machines closed?
Smith - They are closed because too many students congregated around the machines throughout the day. They were a makeshift hangout where students would either cut or disturb classes, especially during the lunch periods.
The Criterion - Will they reopen again?
Smith - At this time, they will not reopen again. Machines are on a timer to start at 2:30 p.m. daily.
The Criterion - Are there other options for students who get hungry throughout the day with the vending machines closed?
Smith - There are vending machines in the cafeteria and I would advise students to bring their own snacks since access to food is limited to only the lunch periods.
So there you go! There’s the answers to the long asked questions about the vending machines. STUDENTS: If you get hungry throughout the day, please bring more snacks with you use the vending machines during lunch!
Hamilton West’s production of The Addams Family is coming soon. But you can’t have a musical production without the music! The orchestral section, also known as the pit, is the group of musical students that provide the singing with the instrumentals. These students may be from any grade, but all come together to work and play this spooky music. For a glimpse of some of the songs, you can listen to one of the first songs, When You’re an Addams. It’s a complex song with many dance moves and switchups, which makes it even more fun!
Click Here to Meet the Cast & Crew
Led by Mr. Wheeler, the students work hard every week to learn top-quality music for the show in March. Many schools or productions decide to just play audio clips, but West has their own students come together and work hard to play on show night. The school also invites past alumni or professionals to help out on instruments such as guitar or piano. It can be a hard process to line up the singing and dancing with the instruments, and a lot of time is spent on it, but all the students make it work.
Make sure to check out The Addams Family on March 7, 8, and 9.
An Author Amongst The School?
by Ben Schafer
Hamilton West junior Adrian Lopez recently wrote and published a book titled The Investigators of Truth. Two other West students, Angelina Goss and Isabel Den Ouden, designed the cover art for the book.
Lopez has been working on this book since before COVID, all the way back in his 7th grade year. After many years of rewrites, revision and fixing it to his liking, he has just recently finished it and published it to the world with the help of his team. His team consists of Osh, who formatted the book and made sure it was the correct size; Angelina Goss, who drew the Luke and Ben characters you see on the front cover; and Isabel den Ouden, who drew the cover itself.
His team of editors, Lori Worth, Steven Worth Jr., Gaby Lopez, Heather Horvath, and Kelly Furman, helped him make sure his grammar and story details were at the very best they could be.
Lopez and his team spent countless days working on this story over the last few years. Yes, even during the holidays. This Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Lopez and his friend Osh worked hard throughout the majority of the day, perfecting the novel’s final details. There was so much work, love, and creativity put into this book.
You can find the book on Amazon where it’s available as paperback, hardback, and digital e-book (and in the near future as an audio book).
Lopez said the book includes characters like “Luke and Ben, two detectives on the murder case of John Russo; and Sofia, the fiancée of John, who says she couldn’t recall what had transpired before her future husband was murdered.
“There were possible suspects, but the investigation led them back to the home where the murder took place. It turns out the house had some history to it. A nice quiet town, of a beautiful community, until an incident changed public perception of the home, and it was lost in history. While trying to find more pieces of the puzzle, Luke and Ben struggle to see eye to eye since Luke has six years of experience, and Ben only has six months of experience. While Luke and Ben try to crack the case, their differences aside, they figure out who killed John. It turned out to be something they didn’t believe existed until now.”
Link to purchase “Investigators Of The Truth”: https://a.co/d/gLLa64m
Flu Season: What’s the Reason?
by Joshua Martinez
As we enter wintertime, you’ll see more and more people with a sudden cough, or a sneeze, or just generally appearing that they feel under the weather. This is a common occurrence, and happens basically every year. But why? If the flu is a common disease, why is it most prevalent in the winter, rather than any other time? Why would a nonliving virus care if it’s colder than hotter, if it depends on the body temperature remaining 98.6 degrees? This has been a hanging question for a while, but there may be a real, plausible reason for all this, based on some research that’s been run.
Before we get into all of that, we first need to digest what exactly the flu is. The flu, full name influenza, is what’s called a viral respiratory infection. A virus, by definition, is a microscopic infectious agent that invades your cells, and gets you ill. The flu often gets confused with another virus (the common cold), due to similar symptoms, but it’s not the same thing.
The flu is highly contagious, with adults able to spread the disease one day before symptoms show up, and a week after the signs begin. Around 200,000 people are hospitalized with the flu in a year, and around 36,000 of these people pass. The flu is a worse version of the common cold overall, as you may know, with the illness being most serious for the elderly and young children, as well as people with compromised immune systems.
Flu season itself can begin as early as October, and is in full throttle by December, when it’s the coldest. The season hits the hardest around February, and normally ends in March or one of the spring months. Though it can occur any time of the year, it follows a pattern. But what’s the reason for that? There are many theories to explain why, such as the different lifestyles people lead in the winter, which is plausible.
People generally stay inside during the winter due to the cold air, which means less vitamin D is absorbed by the body. If you’ve ever noticed that your skin sometimes gets paler during the winter, this would also be the cause of that. The vitamin D your body absorbs during regular months helps your immune system fight off viruses, as well, by increasing production of various protection, one being cathelicidin. The purpose of cathelicidin is to kill pathogens, promote wound healing, among other things. The flu is one of these. Therefore, the combination of indoor lifestyles and shorter days in general decreases the production of protective bacteria , which leaves you vulnerable to infections, such as the flu.
Winter is also very cold and very dry. It may be old news to you, but it is another reason the flu flourishes during this season. Studies have found that the flu virus actually survives longer in places with low temperatures and very low humidity, and does poorly in the opposite weather. The flu lasts longer during the cold winter months, and thus better able to transmit through the air and to others, hence the high numbers.
Now, this begs the question; what can you do to be safe during this yearly flu spike? If you haven’t already, get your flu shots ASAP. The shots give your body a half-dead version of the virus to play target practice with, so you’ll be ready for any viruses that may come your way in the future. Stay warm when outside of the house, as well. The lower your body temperature is, the easier it will be for a virus to penetrate your immune system. Wear hats, thick coats, scarves, anything you need to protect yourself from the cold. Lastly, if you do end up getting sick, be sure to stay on top of your symptoms. Take over the counter medication if needed, and go to a doctor if it gets worse. There’s nothing wrong with getting a diagnosis!
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Editor-in-Chief: Sean Collins
Editors: Nathan Barrett, Riley Collins, Aileen Gomez, Alexia Gomez, Ava Iorio, Troy Vallery
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