A slight breeze brushes one’s skin and rustles the leaves on fresh cherry blossom trees, while a bright sun warms the pavement. Maybe the Georgian groundhog was right, and spring truly is coming early. However, the budding flowers are bringing more than pretty scenes, as the yellow dust that is pollen is plaguing allergy-ridden students. Etowah’s open campus is perfect to enjoy the warmer season, but how nice is it for students with spring allergies? 

Georgia is known for its high pollen count and long allergy seasons. The peak pollen concentration often occurs in the morning and mid-afternoon, which just happens to align with the school day. This aggravates many students’ allergies as they have to cross outside for most, if not all, of their class changes.  

“Having an open campus means being exposed to pollen, which just makes you feel uncomfortable, frustrated, and distracted. I think the school should monitor pollen levels so they can tell students and staff when they are high to avoid those stressful situations,” Jack Kennard, junior, said. 

Seasonal allergies cause uncomfortable symptoms, making it hard for those fallen victim to the pollen to focus in class. It can have a big impact on students’ learning abilities, which many fail to recognize. Allergies can leave kids feeling stuck in a fog due to stuffed sinuses or affect their sleep at night, making it challenging to focus.  

“Having seasonal allergies sucks. When you are stuck at school sick, all you can think about is going home, and you are not able to put your best effort into school, which causes so much stress,” Charlotte Holtzhower, sophomore, said. 

Luckily, there are a few steps one can take to ease the effects. Since avoiding outdoor activity is out of the question on a campus like Etowah’s, students should look into other remedies. Rinsing sinuses with saline or homemade solutions can alleviate congestion. If experiencing extreme allergies, consider talking to a healthcare professional to identify specific triggers and/or treatments. Additionally, allergy shots are becoming a more common route, involving regular injections of allergens to reduce the immune system’s reaction over time.  

“Seasonal allergies affect my ability to learn by making me super tired, so it is hard to pay attention. To help with them, my family takes allergy medicine,” Kelsey Mattson, freshman, said. 

Do not let Etowah’s open campus trigger allergies that hurt one’s academic performance, and take hold of tips and tricks to keep the discomfort at bay.