With a box worth of tissues stuck to her dorm floor, Taylor Sizer (freshman-elementary education) knew she had a problem.

"I started getting sick on Monday when the weather changed back from cold to hot," she said. "Now I'm working on my second box of tissues."

Kathy Petroff, University Health Services (UHS) nurse manager, said it is difficult to pinpoint the cause of the recent increase in upper respiratory infections UHS has seen since classes started.

"Weather changes can cause people to get sicker easier," she said. "But we have no scientific proof that that's what happening here."

In fact, Marisa Ferger, meteorologist for Penn State's weather communications group, said that the meteorological changes have been slight, proposing that the weather-related illnesses might be merely in the minds of those looking for answers.

"I don't think we've seen anything drastic," she said. "Today there's a cold front pushing through the state. This will be the biggest change we are seeing. Whenever a frontal passage occurs, there's a change in pressure, but nothing too significant."

Changes in barometric pressure can also cause people to feel under the weather, Petroff said.

"As it changes, you can have sinus problems," she said. "People can also have allergy problems due to the pollen. You can have a reaction and get a sinus infection."

Simple disregard for weather can also be a catalyst for poor health.

"If you aren't dressed for the cold and rainy weather, your immune system doesn't work at its best and you can catch things," Petroff said.

Common for the start of classes, the increase in infections may be due to sudden encounters with large congregations of people, Petroff said.

Regardless of the cause, tissues and cold medicine have been flying off the shelves, said Vince Solomon, an employee at McLanahan's, 414 E. College Ave. "There has been a big boom in sales for our cold medicine. We have been selling a lot of tissues," he said. "My manager was telling me how much the sales of these things have gone up since last year."

Classes and dorm life may also cause arious infections. "I feel bad for the person sitting next to me in class," Sizer said. "All I do is sniffle."

Anyone experiencing symptoms is encouraged to visit UHS, Petroff said. "Most of the infections are caused by viruses that don't respond to antibiotics. So we recommend decongestants, rest and fluids," she said.