SAN JOSE, CALIF — Almost every single classroom in Silver Creek has an absence of tissues. The constant sniffling and coughing can be a real nuisance for anyone in the classroom. There being no tissues in a classroom is also bad for those who are easily affected by allergies or are sensitive to weather changes. 

Everyone has to deal with one problem, either being the one who is constantly sniffling and needing tissues, or hearing the constant distraction of sniffling, coughing and sneezing.

Tissues allow people to clear their nose and focus, this reduces the amount of noise and lets other people focus too. Students who can’t blow their nose either have to suck it up and deal with a runny nose while they’re trying to learn or have to go to the bathroom to get rid of it so they can focus on classwork.

Without tissues, sneezing can be a major annoyance because if mucus were to come out of their nose then they wouldn’t really have any options. Either wiping it on their sleeve or having to find another alternative can be really annoying. 

Sophomore Ethan Chi says, “I keep having to sneeze and there are always no tissues so I have to hold in my sneezes and it’s really annoying.” 

Most of the time tissues go by unnoticed as not everyone will have any nose problems every day, but when allergy season comes around or when it gets cold people tend to start sneezing more and their noses become runny. Tissues are needed during these times.

The absence of tissues can also cause health and safety issues because if someone’s mucus were to spread around the risk of illness spreading throughout the classroom and even outside of class is higher and no one wants to touch another person’s mucus.

Freshman Phi Nguyen said, ”Having to use things like paper towels instead of tissues makes my nose hurt and is really inconvenient unlike tissues.” 

Photo By Bao Nguyen

One of the few tissue boxes in Silver Creek.