I would like to publicly say I am sorry to any fellow student who was ever enrolled in a class with me. I would also like to say I am sorry for your failed tests, the interruptions and the constant tomfoolery. My name is David Nichols and I have been a sniffler now for five years. I never really knew that my problem was out of control until Kristin Cranor's Nov. 15 Viewpoint brought attention to my addiction.

The first step to recovery is admitting the problem. I must now come clean; I cough, sniffle, sneeze and blink during every one of my classes. In fact, I have decided, after learning Cranor's insight on this issue, to completely quit all bodily functions that might hamper the learning of any of my fellow students. I cannot begin to number the amount of times this has occurred in class, and I assure you it will never happen again.

I went down to Walgreens to get some tissues but then I realized that I am in college, have little to no money, and tissues are the last thing on the long list of things that are semi-essential to my college experience. I instead spent my remaining 79 cents on a pack of cheap gum that might satisfy my need to cough or sniffle during the lecture. So I had no money and thus no way to improve the knowledge intake of my fellow Marquette student who had to suffer through an 8 a.m. class with me.

I then came to the conclusion that there are many things far worse then my biological reaction to my sickness. Seriously, the last thing I worry about, or have time to worry about in college, is the sniffling interruptions of my fellow student. I'm not sure if you realized this Ms. Cranor, but people do get sick, sniffle and then put enough effort to still go to class. As far as I'm concerned, sniffling is the least of my problems in the classroom. More common are cell phones going off, people getting up and leaving, and students conversing among themselves. All of this usually drowns out the symphony of sniffles. So next time someone sniffles, stand up, yell at them, talk loudly, tell them not to come to class, use your phone, and finally let them know they are not welcome interrupting YOUR class with their sickness.