One doesn’t need a rocket scientist, a brain surgeon, or even a chief meteorologist to determine that the weather in Columbus, Georgia, has been rather confusing. Summer turned into “almost-Fall,” and when that finally turned into actual Fall, it was followed by a rather temperate “kinda-sorta-Winter.” During the past few months, these unexpected conditions have continued, much to the confusion and distress of the student body.

   Christian Contreras-Esquen, a Biology major at CSU, says, “I’m just so tired of the weather constantly going back and forth; it’s like, just pick one.” 

“Who turned up the global warming,” says Grayson Turner, a Communications major, “I think Mother Nature listened to Katy Perry’s, ‘Hot N Cold’ too many times.” The biggest concern is that many have linked the recent rise in illness to the back-and-forth weather conditions.

   According to a study by MedicalNewsToday.com, illnesses such as the common cold/rhinoviruses and even the flu can travel much quicker in both cold and wet weather. When one becomes victim to inconsistent weather conditions, the body goes into a state of shock. The human body therefore has to readjust, to adapt to the temperature. These conditions can cause the immune system to overwork and run on empty, thus allowing sickness to enter.

   However, unwanted illness can be deterred, and even stopped. Here are some tips on how to survive the ever-changing conditions:

1. Check the weather for the next day, and plan your outfit accordingly.

• It’s safe to say that a majority of the student population has access to some form of weather prediction application or website on their smart devices. It just comes down to finding the service they trust the most, and making it a habit. As for wardrobe, it’s smarter to dress for the specific day than it is to dress for the week.

2. Eat your vitamins.

• There are many vitamins that the human body needs to help strengthen the immune system, but the main three we need for this purpose are vitamins C, B6, and E. This is not limited to solely the vitamins one would find in the pharmacy section; daily immunity vitamins can be found in the foods we eat. A study from ClevelandClinic.org says that “Eating nourishing foods rich in certain vitamins can help your immune system fight off illness.”

3. Be smart with your layers.

• A majority of the time when dressing for cold or warm weather, people often avoid dressing in too many layers for the fear of overheating or just feeling bulky. The solution is knowing which fabrics work best for certain conditions. For example, if one knows it’s going to be cold, an easy trick is to find the warmest type of fabric, like cotton or fleece, and make sure that it’s the thinnest garment of said fabric. This way, one could easily wear up to four layers comfortably, and be able to remove something easily if they become too hot inside. If the weather is warm, simply dress lightly depending how warm it is.

4. Simply be aware.

• Just because the weather can throw the unexpected “curveball”, it will not always be the case. With the worsening issue of climate change, the conditions that many are used to are neither promised nor the norm. Until the problem lessens, it is best to keep a close eye on what the weather is doing. Awareness causes a person to be proactive in protecting themselves from discomfort, or sickness. Knowing what steps to take is half the battle, but the other half is both knowing what one is up against, and putting those steps to action.