The beginning of this school year, like many before, has not kept with a stable pattern of weather.

Students at NDA have experienced hot, humid and muggy weather one week when the next we were scrambling to incorporate our fleeces into our daily uniform. This uncommon weather pattern has students questioning what they should prepare for the next day.

You can blame the school’s location on this irregular weather. Lake Michigan brings strong winds that carry powerful storms across the eastern side of Wisconsin.

But you can prepare for weather like this all year long. Fall has started, which means sweater weather. Whether the forecast is going to call for a warmer or cool day, always keep a Notre Dame fleece ready in your locker. Some rooms are cooler than others, regardless of the weather outside.

Besides the fleece jacket, Notre Dame’s policy allows you to wear white long-sleeved t-shirts underneath your polo, a long-sleeved polo and the solid navy blue sweaters you can put over your polo. These items are effective in keeping students warm in the cooler days.

Layering is also very effective in keeping warm and it also allows you to add or take away a layer if it gets cooler or warmer. This is also applicable to athletes who practice indoors or outdoors.

Cooler weather can also bring the common cold. There are germs and bacteria around us all day that our immune system can usually fight off, but cold conditions make us more vulnerable and prone to catching a virus rather than fighting it off. One of the coldest times during the day is walking into school, so make sure you have a jacket or warm sweater for those chilly mornings!

Even with precautions taken, you come in contact with many other students during the day directly and indirectly, so make sure you are washing your hands with warm water and soap and using hand sanitizer after you sneeze or after blowing your nose.

The best way to stop your own germs from spreading is to cough and sneeze into your elbow or tissue, and to avoid touching your face with your hands unless you plan on washing them immediately.

Consuming food that contains vitamin C will also help your immune system keep you healthy.

Tissues are available in each room for students, but I’d have to say they are not the softest, so I recommend bring soft tissue packets from home. You can also bring those pocket-sized hand sanitizers from Bath & Body Works that are readily available and smell great.

Later in the season, the air will also become dry, causing chapped lips and hands. Remember to stock up on Chapstick and keep some in your backpack along with a small bottle of lotion.

It does not stop there, though. Make sure you are following these tips to help out your fellow Tritons by spreading the word, but not the germs.