Even though most students are just now recovering from the cold and flu viruses winter left us with, Mother Nature has dealt us another blow.

Yes, that's right. The dreadful, awful and inescapable spring fever.

It's symptoms include: oversleeping for class, skipping class, falling asleep in class and not completing assignments for class because you just had to go to that great party last night.

Spring fever seems to affect college students the worst. It develops slowly during the close of the winter months and hits you at the beginning of spring quarter.

Yet it took me weeks to determine that this was what was actually wrong with me.

I just couldn't figure out why I would go to bed early and still be sleepy the next morning or why I would find myself feeling bored to tears in an interesting class, while I stared out of the window.

It even got to the point where I would wake up for class in the mornings and think, "This is so unfair. Why should I have to go to class everyday?"

Then that sensible and often ignored voice in my head would say, "Umm, because you're in college."

But perhaps the most awful news about spring fever is that it is virtually incurable.

There is absolutely no medicine a doctor can prescribe to cure that deep, longing feeling inside that wants you to forget school and enjoy the sunshine.

Wait. Don't get discouraged just yet. There just maybe some hope left for us sick and shut-in students. I have developed a couple of home remedies that, while it won't provide permanent relief, will help you last until the summer.

The first thing you should do is keep away from party fliers. The "fever" feeds on the knowledge that there is a party going on out there and you are possibly missing it.

Soon you'll start thinking of all the fun your friends are having and all the guys you might be missing and, let's just say, another score for spring fever.

Now, the most crucial part of your recovery is, unless it is absolutely necessary, do not miss class.

If you give in and let yourself miss class just once, that feeling of utter freedom will consume you and the spring fever will quickly spread. The next thing you know, you'll have a relapse and have to go to summer school.

Remember, this is just a warning, but if you have to go to summer school after a serious case of spring fever it may ultimately end up being a fatal conclusion.

But if you follow these directions carefully, you might actually stand a chance at beating this disease and leaving school with a decent grade point average.

Besides, look on the bright side, school will be out soon and the hot sun and cool ocean waves will warm your skin and wash this thing right out of your system.

Brittany Wall is a sophomore journalism major from Jackson, Miss., and serves as a news editor for The Tech Talk. E-mail comments to bgw003@latech.edu