As the spread of illnesses becomes more prevalent in high schools, good hygiene habits must be emphasized to protect students’ health and well-being.
As students begin joining extracurriculars such as sports, the importance of hygiene is at its peak.
“Wrestling is different because there is a lot of contact with others, you have to prioritize your hygiene so you don’t get a bunch of infections, so it’s a big part of our sport,” sophomore Daniel Balan explained.
Being clean is not only important to sweaty athletes but to average students as well.
“The first thing I do is brush my teeth, and then I use two face washes and a moisturizer. Then I put lotion on and put on my makeup and use three perfumes. I also wash my hands before and after my make-up,” sophomore Elisa Clark exclaimed.
Despite acknowledging that hygiene is important for our everyday lives, many students tend to disregard this fact.
More than half of students agree that the majority of their classmates do not have good hygiene. “Sometimes I would have to sit next to people who look like they haven’t showered in a long time,” sophomore Alexa Montelongo said.
Some students may argue that one’s hygiene depends on genetics. Even so, other students believe that hygiene is something that can be fixed with basic solutions such as washing hands, brushing teeth, or changing into clean clothes. However, some students are “heavy on the deodorant” and think it will automatically replace the bad odor.
“Like many things, hygiene is preventable. There are many ways you can try to get good hygiene, like showering and keeping your body clean,” sophomore Yifan Wu explained.
Because many students need help to be educated or informed on hygiene and cleanliness, teachers agree that hygiene should be taught in school.
“We train adolescents on the field but we do our best to remind them to look fresh and presentable outside,” Tennis Coach Rush explained.
As new diseases start to bloom around KATYisd, schools must implement the importance of practicing good hygiene to protect all students and staff.
So, let’s not be dirty. Wash your hands often. Take a bath. Brush your teeth, deodorize, and be happy.