By Jessica Teich, News Correspondent
With spring break around the corner, many students are planning to catch an airplane, bus or train out of the city. But if these travelers disregard their personal health, they could find themselves catching a cold too, an assistant clinical professor in the Bouvé College of Health Sciences said.
Whether students plan to travel near or far, there are a few simple precautions and tips everyone should heed to ensure a healthy spring break, Dr. Jane McCool said.
Students should be mindful of their health even before they reach their destination, she said. Traveling en masse can be detrimental to a vacationer’s health, since many people are forced into an enclosed space.
“Inhaling re-circulated air makes you more likely to pick up a virus and come back with a cold,” McCool said.
To stay well and avoid the germs of others, McCool advised seeking a seat in a less crowded area – and keeping an eye on fellow travelers.
“Be aware of what’s happening in the environment,” she said. “If there’s someone coughing or sneezing, try to not breathe in that direction.”
Karan Parikh, a senior business major, said he is concerned about contracting food poisoning during his spring break trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
“Because it’s a spring break destination, it’s not necessarily the cleanest place,” Parikh said. “You never know what to anticipate, so it’s better to take precautions instead of eating anything and suffering the repercussions afterwards.”
To avoid stomach aches, McCool recommended that students incorporate any new foods in moderation.
“Just because it looks good and it tastes good, it may not be good for [students’] bodies,” McCool said.
She underscored the importance of staying hydrated and being mindful of good, stable nutrition practices. She also advised against excessive partying.
“If you’re staying up late at night and are not getting enough sleep, it will catch up with you and you will not feel well,” McCool said
When students are packing for their trips, McCool said they should remember to include a small first aid kit, a bottle of hand sanitizer and, above all, sunscreen.
Regardless of whether students are headed to the beach or the mountains, sun protection is “good for everyone to wear every day anyway,” McCool said.
Jack Szclar, a freshman international affairs major, said he plans to protect himself from the sun during his return home to Mexico City.
“I’ll bring sunscreen, definitely,” Szclar said. “I don’t sunbathe, but I spend a lot of time outside.”
Jovin Cronin-Wilesmith, a middler music industry major, said he isn’t worried about getting a sunburn on his impending trip to Los Angeles and Austin, Texas. He said he doesn’t plan on packing sunblock.
“I just don’t like sunscreen,” Cronin-Wilesmith said.
But McCool stressed the importance of protecting the skin against harmful UV rays, because sunburns can lead to severe damage of the skin, including skin cancer.
“Sunblock is really important,” she said. “Whether it’s skiing or sun, just being outdoors with the limited ozone protection we have now [is a threat].”
But while students should be mindful of their health while on spring break, they should also make sure they do not sacrifice fun, McCool said.
“Don’t get to the point of being fearful – just have an increased interest in personal safety,” she said. “Try to avoid the stress of travel and really enjoy being in the moment.”
