The Sick Survival Guide: College Edition

Every year when thousands of students return to college to live in tight spaces together, they unfortunately bring all of their germs back with them.  A plague seems to hit the entire campus about a week after classes start at the beginning of every fall semester.  On top of that, flu season is always right around the corner from move in.  Unfortunately, you’re BOUND to catch the plague at least once in your four (or more) years of college, so here are some helpful tips to get you through in your time of sickness.

1. Utilize your university’s health services or nearby urgent care clinics!!!!

• Your university has health services for a REASON! Go use them! Even though you may not want to, sometimes seeing a professional is the only way you’ll know what to do or have the medications you need to get well. Head to the Bob Smith Health Center to get checked out.

2. Take a rest day if you need it.

• If you’re running a fever, don’t go to class and get the rest of your classmates sick, too.  Or even if you’re just feeling too crummy to get out of bed, that’s okay every once in a while! Your professors have been there, too, and most are very understanding about illness.

3. SLEEP!

• You won’t ever get better if you don’t allow your body time and enough sleep to heal.  If you’re going to take a rest day for illness, actually make it a rest day.  DON’T stress out over the lecture you’re missing or the work you’ll have to make up.  Do yourself a favor and just sleep the day away.

4. Load up on vitamin C gummies and cold medicine.

• This can also be used as a preventative measure, but vitamin C supplements and cold medicines like Alka-Seltzer and Dayquil can be lifesavers! Taking them on a regular basis can help keep your energy up, your temperature down and your sinuses clear.

5. Stay Hydrated.

• The best way to avoid feeling bad in any situation is to make sure you’re still drinking plenty of water, even if you’re just lying in bed all day.

6. If you’re not getting better in a few days, go back to a health care professional.

• It’s smart to go back to your health center/urgent care to make sure you haven’t developed anything too serious.

But most importantly…

7.Don’t go for a crazy night out before you’re 100% better.

• Like I said, sleep is the most important thing for you all the time, but especially when you’re sick.  There will be more parties and more weekends to go out.  Take care of YOU first!

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