Along with chilly weather, colds have blown into our school and homes. No matter how many times we wash our hands, or how much Vitamin D we ingest, it always seems that we end up with a chapped, red nose to accompany our severe sore throat and cough.

With finals coming up in just a few months, it’s essential to avoid getting sick, so you don’t fall behind. Instead of adding that extra stress onto your plate, follow these steps to help you become immune to whatever virus may come your way.

The first step you should always do is get your flu shot. No one is particularly fond of needles, but one quick pinch is better than being confined to your bed, drugged up on antibiotics and cough medicine. The most common, affordable place you can get your flu shot is Walgreens. You can make an appointment on their website or by giving them a call, but if you’re not quite ready to be that much of an adult, walk ins are welcome. I understand the struggle of being a broke high school student, so lucky for you, Walgreens accepts most insurances, making your flu shot free.

If avoiding the flu doesn’t encourage you to get a flu shot enough, you can help provide for a child in a developing country to receive a life saving vaccine. For every flu shot administered, Walgreens will donate money to the United Nations Foundation, which will help fund vaccines for children in need.

Secondly, keep your surroundings as clean as you can! This can be difficult when you’re a student at a public school, and I’m not saying you should bring a gallon of hand sanitizer and a jumbo pack of Clorox wipes everyday. This could be as simple as avoiding hugging your friend for just a few days until they’re not contagious anymore, or not letting people borrow your pencils. This last one may sound extreme, but think about the number of times you actually touch your face throughout the day; you rub your forehead when taking a hard test, you lean on your hand when your falling asleep during notes, scratching you face, etc. Now think of the number of times you wash your hands throughout the day. Maybe once or twice when you go to the bathroom or after you finish eating lunch. The number of times your face comes in contact with germs and bacteria is shocking, so simple steps like these could be essential to your health.

My last piece of advice for you is drink plenty of water. Personally, when I get sick and my throat hurts, drinking water is the last thing I want to do. Drinking water is important because your body uses a lot of water when fighting of the virus, which makes it much easier to get dehydrated. Drinking water can also loosen up the mucus in your sinuses which will help you breathe easier and lessen the chances of getting a headache.