Spring has arrived, bringing with it beautiful green trees and blooming flowers alongside the unwelcome yellow menace of pollen.
Seasonal allergies can cause various symptoms, usually, people have one symptom that affects them the most, ranging from constant sneezing to persistent coughing. For high school students, pollen can be a major distraction. The unshakeable symptoms can take students’ attention away from their teachers and schoolwork.
Caroline Murray, sophomore, said, “As of this moment, I can’t breathe through my nose, and the sinus blockage gave me a headache right above my nose,”. Anna Bare, Freshman “I get stuffy, and my eyes itch super bad, so I get distracted.”
A junior who wanted to remain anonymous said, “It affects my throat more than my nasal cavities, so I sound like I’m dying when I speak and laugh rather than sneeze constantly. I feel that it is better because I don’t have to get up to blow my nose like everyone else around me.”
According to a poll from @lrhsnews on Instagram, out of 212 Leesville students, 51% rated their allergy symptoms a three or four on a scale of one to four.
Jake Daly, a sophomore, said, “This year feels worse. I think my allergies have gotten worse over time just because the amount of pollen seems to increase every year, but it’s been affecting my eyesight, so it’s been really distracting this year.”
The presence of pollen is hard to miss in the student parking lot, where most cars are covered in a thick yellow layer. This fine dust has been noticeable at the end of nearly every school day over the past week.
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