Between packed classes and close dorm living, everyone wants to know the secret behind avoiding the flu, particularly H1N1. Other than endless cups of tea, the more effective, and luckily easy, thing to do is wash your hands. Thursday was National Hand Washing Day and many people think it’s important to celebrate this day, not just Thursday, but every day.”Hand washing is the number one way to stop the spread of disease,” UVM senior and nursing student Christi Burke said. Some think hand washing should be on everyone’s mind all the time, not just on one day. “I feel like being sick and hearing about H1N1 makes me want to wash my hands, not just because I know that it’s National Hand Washing Day,” UVM senior Jess Fisher said.This sentiment is echoed by many, including Carol Jocelyn, a nurse at the Center for Health and Wellbeing. “It’s a whole way of being, especially if you don’t want to catch the flu,” she said. “It is a Center for Disease Control recommendation to help manage the flu.”Just simply going through the motions of washing isn’t enough though. “Washing hands needs to be done correctly – if not, it isn’t as effective,” Burke said. “You need to wash for the right amount of time, using enough friction, and do so as much as possible.” This is the time of year at which everyone focuses on good hand washing habits, but it is clear the experts consider hand washing to be an important year-round habit.