Few things in life make me as horrified as someone who doesn’t cover their sneezes or coughs. If this isn’t your first semester in college, you know how the entire campus seems to fall ill pretty much all at once. If I even get a whiff of anything sick, I whip out the disinfectant spray and paper towels– I don’t mess around with that stuff.  Especially right now?  With not one, not two, but THREE cases of MUMPS on our campus? Heck no.
Here are some of my personal tips for helping fight off the various college plagues:
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- SLEEP
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This is seriously THEEEE most important thing on this list; it can’t be stressed enough!! Being able to get 7.5 or 8 hours of sleep when you feel even the inkling of sickness coming on can do wonders. Without enough sleep, your body can’t rest up to help defend itself! Maybe even pop a Melatonin or two to help if you find it hard to catch some Z’s. Â
With sleep, though, you need to make sure you’re getting rest! I had a roommate who got sick once and refused to go to the doctor because she was sick. She ended up missing over two weeks of school because it got so bad! - Wash! Your! Hands!
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Keeping clean is also soo important! If you have a sick roommate, maybe just wash your hands a couple of extra times, or disinfect the entire house with Lysol spray– whichever makes you feel better. Me? I do both. Sometimes I also bring a gallon size bottle of hand sanitizer to class.
- Emergen-C
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I honestly have the immune system of a peanut, so I need all the help I can get in this department. I like to drink an extra glass of orange juice– maybe even sprinkle in some extra Vitamin C powder– if I’m feeling under the weather.
- Hydrate or die-drate
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Make sure to stay hydrated! If your body doesn’t have enough water in your body, it can’t quite detox to keep you shielded from all those germs. Plus, it just feels bad to not drink enough water. I like to bring a giant water bottle with me to class and refill it at least twice before I go home for the day.
Your body can’t help you unless you help it! I think it was JFK who said, “Ask not what your [body] can do for you; ask what you can do for your [body].” Or something like that. Anyway, stay on top of your health! Make sure to see a health professional if you’re worried about your symptoms.