Got a midterm coming up? Want to get out of that awkward date? Whip out the swine flu excuse, a free pass to get out of virtually anything.
According to the Student Health Center’s H1N1 website, if “you develop fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose or other flu symptoms… you may be asked to contact or visit the Student Health Service, or self-care may be suggested.”
So why not conjure up a scratchy throat and mysterious fever to evade bothersome project deadlines? After all, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Student Health Center recommend that you stay home for at least 24 hours until the flu-induced fever passes, without the use of fever-reducing medicine. Think of all the things you could do with this free pass to H1N1 bliss.
Not only could you avoid unpleasant commitments (who likes class anyways?), but you could also catch up on important tasks, like reading the latest celebrity gossip and aimlessly browsing the web for hours instead of doing homework.
Everyone is so paranoid about the dangerous effects swine flu could have that we are not listening to common sense. Realistically, developing a small sniffle is not a warning sign for the dreaded H1N1. Still, slackers can use it to escape just about any obligation, since others are so fearful of becoming sick themselves.
Students looking to cry “swine” should at least recognize their use of a convenient situation and call upon their nursery rhyme knowledge.
Exploiting the trust of teachers, school administrators and peers could have unpleasant consequences in the future. Like the boy who cried wolf learned the hard way, honesty will better serve students in the event that they actually do become sick.
Pulling the swine card to get out of class could be helpful for a day or two to catch up on work or sleep but shouldn’t be abused.
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