Photo courtesy of senior Ahmee Smith

  At San Luis Obispo High School, students can often be seen carrying water bottles around or keeping them nearby in class. Even though they have water nearby, do students actually drink and stay hydrated?

  While the school does supply water from drinking fountains, most students don’t use them. The water fountains often are seen as unsanitary and there are complaints about the taste of the water.

  “School water kind of tastes like hose water. Also, the water fountains here are mega nasty,” said senior Kel Uhler. “The water fountain over here [the math building] is even crammed with nerds candy.”

  Because of this, many students bring their own water bottles to school. Teachers allow students to drink during class at any time. It’s a useful way that students have been able to increase their hydration while avoiding the school water.

  “I would say I probably will drink water at least three or four different times per class,” said senior Evan Sosa-Hammond.

  Even so, some factors at school have prevented students from drinking as much water as they would like to. Some students report that in stressful classes, they are often too busy to remember to drink water. Mask requirements have also made students feel exposed when drinking water in class.

  Though many students are bringing their own water for personal preference and health, some had to bring water after school came back to in-person classes.

  “I only started bringing it because it was mandated by the school that we needed to bring them for sports. Then it just became a habit and I kept drinking” said Sosa-Hammond.

  Staying hydrated is an important part of staying healthy. Since school takes up so much of the day, it’s necessary to regularly drink water, whether that be from your own water bottle or from the school drinking fountains.