It’s that time of year, ladies. The leaves are falling, the air is getting crisp, and knitted sweaters are back.

Yes, there’s Halloween and Pumpkin Spice, but I’m interested in highlighting one of the lesser talked-about aspects of this fall season: allergies.

I have CHRONIC allergies. Before I go to sleep at night, I have to take my Claritin, or I’ll wake up in a sneezing fit. On the nights that I forget, I wake up in a cold sweat and race to the medicine cabinet. They’re that bad.

My allergies prohibit me from completing basic tasks such as touching up my nose makeup after sneezing. Sometimes, I can’t even work in school. I think, “My allergies ate my homework” should become a valid excuse.

I am not the only one who feels this strongly. Senior Cali Gomez is an infamous victim to the effects of the fall season. You may catch her around campus with itchy eyes and a little sniffle. She says, “I die, a horrid death. I once had to email my director asking to come late to rehearsal so I could purchase allergy medicine after school. I ended up getting kicked out of a CVS for attempting to buy medicine underage.”

When asked about her seasonal allergies, Elizabeth Astorga ’25 said, “I have asthma.” I sympathize greatly, but do not understand.

At times I’m frustrated with my allergies. But then I remember all of those before me who suffered the same obstacles. George Washington. Albert Einstein. Hellen Keller. Well, none of these people have ever been proven to have had allergies. But I believe, deep down in my heart, that they recognize my pain.

Picture this: I’m driving home from a long day of school work and college applications. It’s a beautiful fall day outside so I decide to roll down my window. Suddenly, a gust of leaf-ridden air bursts throughout my Nissan Versa. I panic. I sneeze. I cannot stop. I’m on the 605, but my sneeze fit prohibits me from viewing the road. I am in grave danger.

See the type of issues autumn allergies can cause??

Annoyingly, some Royals have been blessed with kind sinuses. Isabela Gutierrez ’23 says, “Personally, I’m in perfect health year-round. I guess I’m kind of special like that.”

I hope that this article brings light to the issues we face as allergy-prone Royals. Hopefully, one day, the world becomes more accepting of this epidemic and develops a cure. Until then, I’ll continue with my nightly allergy medicine routine and try to bear it.