The sniffles have erupted through the excess of powder. The world of green, covered in bright yellow. Cars, houses and clothes cannot escape the mighty wrath of spring. 

Pollen. The only downside to the extravagant awakening of plants. The nasty, yellow powder finds its way from every crack in the ground to every inch of an eye. 

The beautiful blossoming of spring is often destroyed by allergies. Pollen allergies are common amongst most Americans. 

Two out of every 11 Americans have seasonal allergies to pollen, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (C.D.C.).

“I tend to get bad headaches, runny noses and watery eyes,” said junior Brenna McCarty. “I suggest drinking a lot of water and taking a daily allergy pill.”

According to Brenna, her symptoms last all day whenever she comes into contact with pollen. 

Plants heavily pollinate in the spring due to the warmer temperatures. The beach weather may be nice; however, severe pollen becomes inevitable, and as a result, beach towels often become tools to cover eyes rather than their traditional use to dry off.

“I try to get away from the pollen by staying inside when it’s bad,” said senior Gabriel Homes.

Gabe, among 66 other students from Ocean Lakes High School, has an allergy or irritation to pollen. 

According to a survey utilized to develop data to identify the likelihood of pollen allergies among Ocean Lakes students, 66 out of 71 students answered “yes” to having an allergy.

The best way to deal with pollen irritation is to prevent it. One can do this by avoiding wide open, outdoor areas like the woods or areas with large amounts of grass and flowers. Closing windows helps too. 

However, if the allergy remains, try treating it medically. Nasal sprays, antihistamines and decongestants, according to the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America (A.A.F.A.), help.

“There’s easier ways to get rid of an allergy if you don’t want to spend a ton of money. I typically just use eye drops, immune boosters and do a lot of exercise,” said senior Brennan Burton.