By the time hundreds of students enter the cafeteria, their hands have touched countless surfaces like desks, computers and toilet seats. Those students then proceed to touch the cafeteria tables and their food, without washing their grubby hands. The utensils you picked from the bucket were touched and put back by Sniffling Sam, and the handrail you just used was used by Hand-sneezing Hank (use your elbow next time). This leads to the spread of germs and sickness. If we truly want to stop the spread of disease, students must begin taking handwashing seriously, and the school must install convenient hand sanitizer dispensers.

The halls of the high school are packed like sweaty sardines with juniors complaining about APUSH homework and the unmistakable odor of SWS (Students Without a Shower). Hundreds interact in classes, sharing air, surfaces and gum. According to the Cleveland Clinic, germs that cause illnesses such as the flu, colds, and stomach bugs can survive on surfaces for hours and even days. So when Sneezing Susan blesses the class calculator with her germs in B-block, your hand becomes contaminated with germs when you use it in C-block. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, people who eat with contaminated hands can directly ingest bacteria and other viruses; this is why washing hands before lunch is so important. Now you won’t have to miss that history test you didn’t study for because of a sick day (even though you wanted to).

Despite the incredible benefits of handwashing, after talking to many students, I have learned that it is often ignored. Many students claim they don’t have enough time to wash their hands due to short lunches and passing periods. They also underestimate the dirtiness of their hands, which leads to preventable illnesses, falling behind and missing Advisory. Encouraging handwashing can kill 90% of germs: “I got 99 problems, but a germ ain’t one” -(Jay Z).

The school can also promote student health by installing hand sanitizer dispensers. There are some dispensers in the school near the cafeteria, but adding more, especially near classrooms and bathrooms, could greatly improve student health. These dispensers would ensure that Coughing Colin can conveniently kill germs on his hands before spreading them to others.

In conclusion, promoting hand washing and the use of hand sanitizer will lead to healthier students, higher grades and higher attendance. Imagine walking into the cafeteria knowing that Sniffling Sam actually washed his hands when you go to grab those utensils. You’ll get sick less, ensuring that you can maintain that stellar A-block attendance and never miss another assembly again.