As you sit in your classroom at school all day, you realize that you have not drank anything since this morning’s early breakfast. The dry feeling in your mouth worsens and you decide not t

o interrupt your teacher to ask if you can make a quick trip to the water fountain and instead wait out the 90-minute period.

“I always carry a water bottle with me wherever I go and on average probably drink at least five bottles of water a day,” junior Gunnar Thompson said.

Not drinking enough water each day can have severe impacts on the body. Lack of fluids in your body can effect your coordination and ability to concentrate.

Freshman Kara Hoisington was at a softball tournament this past summer when her teammates did not drink enough water to combat the 100-degree heat. “Most of [my team] had to get out of the game because we were feeling dizzy and so sick,” Hoisington said.

It is recommended that the average person drinks at least 8 cups of water every day, however it is also said that drinking water whenever your body is telling you that it is thirsty should suffice.

Athletes should drink water before, during and after every practice and game and be aware that they need even more than the recommended amount of water.

At football practice senior Wally Geiger can practice for more than 3 hours at a time, but always makes sure to drink two or three bottles of water before going to bed so that he can replace the lost water.

“The trainers and coaches make sure that we have sufficient water breaks during practices and encourage us to drink lots of water everyday,” Geiger said.

Drinking enough water can also help you to maintain a healthy weight and diet. Often being thirsty is mistaken for being hungry and can cause you to snack even though all you need is some fluids.  Drinking ice-cold water also helps you burn calories because your body has to use energy to heat up the water.

Some people complain about water being too bland and not having any flavor. If you feel that you fall into this category try adding some lemon juice to your water or even purchasing some mini flavor packs that you can easily mix into your water bottle.