Oftentimes, when students get sick, they find themselves in a position where they feel as if school comes before their health. Whether it be a sore throat or a stuffy nose, students decide to tough it out to avoid missing valuable information and assignments. They feel as if missing even one day will put them behind, so as long as they can function well enough to get from class to class, they come to school. However, this doesn’t help as much as they think. 

The key to recovery is rest, and coming to school prevents students from obtaining it, which leads them to be sick for a few days, the illness lingers for a couple of weeks. This not only makes it difficult for students to focus in class but also makes them spread germs to their peers. Once more people get sick, they are put in the same situation; they refuse to miss school and continue to infect those around them. 

Many teachers also stress the importance of keeping up with the work while students are out sick, so even if they choose to stay home, it doesn’t really feel like a proper break. After all, what is the point of missing school when you have to do the work anyway? What students need to understand is that their health is more important than a few lectures, and it’s not as difficult to catch up as they think. As long as they email their teachers or text friends in the same class, they can easily access the notes and materials from the classes they missed. After one or two days of sleeping and occasionally doing homework, they will regain their strength and come to the realization that staying home was worth it. 

It’s always better to stay home for a couple of days to prevent an illness from becoming worse than to stay home for a week after the sickness has already become a lot more serious. The road to recovery relies on good rest and relaxation, so if you feel sick, don’t feel pressured to come to school for a few classes. Your health is always a priority, more so than school, so don’t be afraid to give yourself the time off you deserve.