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The 9 Stages of the PSU Plague

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Lindsay Miller
Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Rachael David
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at PSU chapter.

Whether you have the immune system of a champion or get sick the second someone sneezes, there’s no denying the germ pit that is college. Put a bunch of young people together, add a little alcohol consumption and a large lack of sleep, and you have yourself the perfect recipe for the PSU plague. So, if you’ve ever been miserably unhappy in Happy Valley, here are nine stages you’re probably familliar with. 

1. Denial

I managed to make it this long, so I must be immune, right? That sore throat in the morning means absolutely nothing, and my nose must be stuffed because of allergies. Even though it’s freezing. Yeah, allergies. That must be it.

 

2. Bargaining

How many different meds can I take before something bad happens? I NEED to go to class today. If I drink water all day, I can totally get better before I get really sick. It’s probably just a 24-hour thing anyway. The fact that my roommate hasn’t left her bed for two days means absolutely nothing.

 

3. Regret

Why do I always share food with people? I should really wash my hands more often, carry hand sanitizer and probably eat healthier. Then, maybe my immune system would have been able to fight this off. This is all my fault.

 

4. Acceptance

All I have eaten for the last few days is soup, and I can’t even taste it. But it’s okay because I caught up on all the TV I’ve missed. Sleeping is also nice – I haven’t felt this relaxed in a while. It’s kind of nice being alone and having nothing to do.

 

5. Restlessness

Is it possible to be sore from NOT moving? I’d honestly rather be in class right now than be stuck in my room for another second. I’ve almost run out of ramen, and I’m fairly certain I’ve built up a tolerance to NyQuil™. I’ve been sick long enough, don’t you think? Time to get better.

 

6. All better!

I feel great today. I can actually breathe, and my stomach is not wreaking havoc. Feeling the fresh air is amazing, and I can actually see everyone I know. I think I’ll go out tonight – I need a change of pace.

 

7. Just kidding.

Maybe going out wasn’t the best plan. Now I’m hungover AND sick. Fabulous. Another season of Grey’s Anatomy it is.

 

8. Getting caught up.

Maybe I shouldn’t have waited until the last minute to get all my missed work done. I have no idea what’s even going on because I missed lecture. Should I email the class for notes? No, I hate getting those emails, too. Office hours it is.

 

9. All better… again.

I kind of miss staying in bed all day. Maybe I still feel a little sick… nope. I’m fine. Plus I don’t want to miss any more work anyway. But I do wish I was watching Netflix right now.

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Lindsay Miller is a senior at Penn State, majoring in Media Studies. She enjoys spending her time sleeping, eating, and watching Netflix, usually with her kitten, Kiwi, lying in the most inconvenient spot possible.  She also enjoys reading and writing until she gets frustrated and erases everything. If you want to get in her good graces, bring her a milkshake.     
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Rachael David is currently a senior at Penn State University and serves as the Campus Correspondent for Her Campus Penn State. She is majoring in public relations and minoring in psychology. Her love of creative writing and all things Penn State is what inspired her to become a member of the HC team in the fall of 2013. Her background experience includes working for the Undergraduate Admissions Office at Penn State as a social media intern in the spring of 2014 and is currently working as a social media intern for an internet marketing company in Harrisburg called WebpageFX. This past summer she also served as a PR intern for Tierney Communications. Rachael enjoys anything media related especially catching up on her favorite shows, including Saturday Night Live and any show on Food Network. She has a passion for food but also loves being active and spending her free time running or hiking. She hopes to gain more experience in all aspects of the media industry during college and plans on pursuing a career writing for a life & style publication in the future.