EAST LANSING - Shots are nothing new to college life but they are when they are flu shots. Colleges across Michigan are kicking off the fall with the flu vaccination challenge. The competition was launched by the Department of Community Health to encourage more college students to get their flu shots.

"Its going on between 14 different schools the University of Michigan is also one of them including Michigan State," said Marideth Tschirhart, the Director of Health and Safety for the Residence Halls Association's MSU Chapter.

Back in January, the department said they noticed an increase in flu hospitalizations across all age groups. Last season, they said in a press release that only 10.1 percent of individuals between 18 and 24 years old received a flu vaccine, citing the Michigan Care Improvement Registry.

"When you have a big part of the population on a college campus that is not immunized they are at a greater risk for having it become an outbreak of flu," said Kathi Braunlich, Marketing and Communications Coordinator at the MSU Olin Health Center.

The Department of Community Health says college students face a unique risk for catching the flu due to their lifestyle factors including living in close quarters, sharing restrooms and social activities.

"People seem to believe in this myth that the flu hits older people and really young people," said Linda Vail, Health Officer for the Ingham County Health Department. "And if you're in-between and really healthy, then you're kind of outside of the risk zone for that and that's just not true."

Vail went on to say that some of the healthiest people get hit the hardest because they have robust immune systems that will have a stronger response triggering harsher symptoms. She also said flu season typically peaks during cold months because people stay inside more. Contrary to the popular belief that cold weather weakens the immune system.