This weekend, I saw thousands of people playing beer pong, sharing cigarettes and reusing red Solo cups. Badgers joined together on Breese and Regent and Randall to celebrate the start of another (soon to be) disappointing year.

And I came to a realization: I’m going to get swine flu, you’re going to get swine flu, we’re all going to get swine flu. In fact, it’s already started. And you know what? I’m really not too concerned about it.

UW has taken massive steps in preparation for an outbreak of swine flu on campus – ranging from the reasonable, like disseminating information, to the absurd, like designating certain areas of residence halls as H1N1 containment areas and requiring professors to come up with a shortened plan for their course if widespread outbreak requires the university to close. University Housing students should probably be most concerned.

Even my fraternity felt the need to send out information, as are many landlords throughout the city, including Steve Brown.

Let me sum it up for you: Avoid getting others’ saliva. Avoid getting coughed on. Wash your hands. Stay home if you’re sick.

We get it. These are good ideas every flu season, and the newfangled H1N1 doesn’t make this season too much different.

On a related note, here’s a great way to find out if you have swine flu.