Spring Break
Relax, it's probably not swine flu
Editorial Board
Issue date: 5/1/09 Section: Ed-Op
A college campus is similar to an ecosystem. There are different strata of residential living, many different social "species" and gradual evolution. We live secluded from the rest of society to some degree, and our collegiate bubble is a place where information travels by word of mouth at the speed of light. That's why when a story permeates the news, it explodes on campus.
Warnings of swine flu have dominated Web sites and TV news programs over the past week. In our ecosystem, laptops and phones with Internet are a staple. A student may be sitting in a history lecture, but reading up on health-related news or chatting with friends about the latest headlines.
We urge our Internet-savvy and informed student body not to get swept away in swine flu fever. Blogs, Facebook, Twitter and other social mediums are abuzz with conjecture about the pandemic, but remember to consider the authority and credibility of a source before you believe just anything you read or hear. Even the mainstream media tend to instill in the public unnecessary fear as they hammer that feeling of impending doom into our heads with dramatic graphics and catchphrases.
It's important that we not get caught in mass hysteria, as overestimating the threat will only worsen the situation. Coughing and clearing your throat in a classroom are more an indication of a dry lecture than a life-threatening illness. Eating week-old pizza is a bigger threat than swine flu at Drexel.
Still, it's not every day that newscasters and high-ranking officials find it necessary to remind us to wash our hands and cover our mouths when we cough. While it seems silly, it's serious advice. Just like gossip, germs spread like wildfire in the college environment. If you have flu symptoms, you should take care of yourself and be cautious around others - not just because it could be the dreaded swine flu, but because any sickness hampers our everyday activities. It's the time of year that allergies return and seasonal colds creep in, so be aware of how your body normally reacts to the change of season and the stress of midterms. We certainly don't need to close school or quarantine anyone who sneezes - be practical rather than panicky, and we'll all be fine.
Warnings of swine flu have dominated Web sites and TV news programs over the past week. In our ecosystem, laptops and phones with Internet are a staple. A student may be sitting in a history lecture, but reading up on health-related news or chatting with friends about the latest headlines.
We urge our Internet-savvy and informed student body not to get swept away in swine flu fever. Blogs, Facebook, Twitter and other social mediums are abuzz with conjecture about the pandemic, but remember to consider the authority and credibility of a source before you believe just anything you read or hear. Even the mainstream media tend to instill in the public unnecessary fear as they hammer that feeling of impending doom into our heads with dramatic graphics and catchphrases.
It's important that we not get caught in mass hysteria, as overestimating the threat will only worsen the situation. Coughing and clearing your throat in a classroom are more an indication of a dry lecture than a life-threatening illness. Eating week-old pizza is a bigger threat than swine flu at Drexel.
Still, it's not every day that newscasters and high-ranking officials find it necessary to remind us to wash our hands and cover our mouths when we cough. While it seems silly, it's serious advice. Just like gossip, germs spread like wildfire in the college environment. If you have flu symptoms, you should take care of yourself and be cautious around others - not just because it could be the dreaded swine flu, but because any sickness hampers our everyday activities. It's the time of year that allergies return and seasonal colds creep in, so be aware of how your body normally reacts to the change of season and the stress of midterms. We certainly don't need to close school or quarantine anyone who sneezes - be practical rather than panicky, and we'll all be fine.
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