CooCoo Juice Indeed - avoiding swine during the university party season

There has been a lot of talk in the Canadian media lately over the new H1N1 vaccine; specifically, who should be first in line to receive it and if it is safe. For university students this debate is especially poignant. But what if the debate over getting the vaccination doesn't even end up mattering?
As rumours around campus of just who is suspected to have swine flu and who has officially been diagnosed continue to swirl and gain momentum, students have to think seriously. If they get swine flu, what will they do?
Struck with this reality the other day when I began hearing about H1N1 on campus I realized just how detrimental getting sick could be to me. Aside from the fact that I would obviously not be able to go to class and could be faced with a myriad of symptoms and complications, if I can't work, I can't support myself. If I get sick I really dont know what I will do.
While vaccination clincs are set to get underway tomorrow, Monday October 26, the vaccine still has a 2 week window where the recipiant can contract H1N1. Of course there are many who believe that much of the coverage of this flu is just overreaction and mass panic, but I am as sure.
The Canadian Health Agency's website says that the average age of those hospitalized with H1N1 is currently 18, and with friends and well wishers dropping like flies everywhere I look, I am less then willing to give into conspiracy theories right now. Not working for a week could easily cost me my apartment.
For now, with the halloween season quickly approaching, I have to suck it up and attmept to be vigilant in my pursuit of overall health. This includes the use of copious amounts of hand sanitizer, avoiding anyone who has that zombie like ill look about them and a general use of common sense.
Enter the CooCoo Juice Party. For those of you who dont know what a CooCoo juice party is, picture a giant bucket of juice provided by the host house. Now, picture that bucket of juice full of a bottle of liquor for every person that attends the party. Next, add a plastic cup, assigned to each guest, which is replenised by dunking the cup into the CooCoo Juice. CooCoo indeed.
Some of my friends have told me that I am overreacting in my fear of H1N1 but my concerns are very real. So real that I am now rethinking how I plan on celebrating halloween this year, possibly the most important holiday of the university year. For now all I can do is use my head and hope that by the time I am able to get the flu vaccine I will still be healthy and all my effort will not be for nothing.