The sun was shining. The birds were singing. The flowers were blooming.
Jacob Abbott was sneezing.
Abbott, a junior from Marion studying foreign language and national trade, suffers from seasonal allergies that give him itchy eyes, a runny nose and general misery for several months each year.
He is not alone. Roughly 50 million Americans endure allergies, resulting in nearly 400 million missed or lost work days per year, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
Charles Clemens, medical chief of staff at the Student Health Center, said this time of year always brings an influx of students suffering from allergies - though some may not realize it at first.
"A lot of people don't know they have an allergy," Clemens said. "They just think they have a cold for three weeks."
Clemens said students could treat their ailments with over-the-counter medicine such as Zyrtec or Claritin. But if students continue to experience symptoms, they should visit the health center.
"We've got other, bigger, more powerful medicines," he said.
Abbott recalled the day his allergies began this year, when sunshine and warm temperatures followed the early rains of spring.
"Everyone was enjoying that day, but not me," Abbot said. "I could smell the pollen."
Clemens said doctors would determine if a student has allergies based largely on history. Symptoms that last for three or four weeks and include itchy eyes generally indicate the student might suffer from something more than a head cold, he said.
Students should receive treatment early to avoid furthering their own discomfort or developing a sinus infection, he said.
"The main thing is it just makes you miserable," Clemens said.
