It’s that time of year again when the warm weather disappears and the cold starts settling in. You may look through your closet to finally find something warm to wear during the day. Or, you may continue to wear your summer outfits since they look nicer than bundling up with three jackets. Well, this is how I got sick. We college students, especially those of us who are living alone, have to look out for ourselves, and that first includes our health.
my experience
After waking up with a sore throat and a persistent cough some time during mid-October, I knew it was a matter of time until my symptoms worsened. I started to bulk up on clothes and tried to keep myself warm when I ventured outside. Here at the University of Connecticut, we are essentially a wind tunnel, so we have extremely strong winds that get worse as it gets colder. To combat this, I usually layer my sweaters and jackets, basically bundling myself. I also started to wear leggings underneath my pants to add even more warmth. Your body is strong, but it does need some support!
A few days later, my symptoms started to set in. The classic runny nose, the watery eyes, and the constant sneezing were the three main symptoms. I had to go to some classes for attendance but for the others, I stayed at my dorm under my covers. I decided this was the time to take medicine. Back home, my go-to treatments were Theraflu with tea, Dayquil and Nightquil pills, and boxes of tissues for the days to come. At my dorm, I only had one tissue box and my bed to ease my sickness. I bought some medicine at our local CVS since I wanted to get better as soon as possible. After a week, I started to feel better.
I absolutely despise being sick (I mean, who doesn’t?). If I were back home, my mother would make tea for me to drink, whip out the trusty VapoRub (if you know, you know), and tell me to layer up as much as possible. From my own personal experiences dealing with sickness at home and away at college, here are some of my go-to suggestions for getting through flu season!
1. Flu/Cold Medication works wonders
The number one solution I swear by is medicine. My go-to medication since childhood is Theraflu. It’s basically packets of powder containing many types of over-the-counter medications that come in both day and nighttime versions. Just boil some water and pour the Theraflu packet into the cup, stir, and you’re all set! The many types of medication within Theraflu target certain symptoms of the flu/cold: acetaminophen relieves pain and fever, dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant, diphenhydramine and chlorpheniramine are antihistamines, and phenylephrine is a decongestant. Isn’t it so much better to have an all-in-one medication rather than buying everything separately? If you ask me, this is an absolute must-have while sick, even at a cheap price!
2. Water is your bestie
I drink water Every. Single. Day. You could say it’s my favorite drink. Sure, it’s simple and tasteless, but it does the best job of quenching my thirst and it freshens me up! Seriously, you can never get enough of H20, especially when you’re sick. It’s important to keep your body hydrated while it’s busy fighting off the virus even if you’re not thirsty. The organs, muscles, and all of your internal bodily systems need water to function properly. Avoid caffeinated drinks as much as possible, like coffee, soda, and alcohol (no need to make yourself feel worse with a hangover).
3. Tired? Sleep!
All I want to do when sick is to go under my bed covers, turn off everything, and sleep. You may be wondering: why do I feel more sleepy while sick? Well, folks, this is because while you are dreaming away, your body’s cells that are fighting off the illness now have time to heal back into a healthy state. This happens during deep sleep, and the more you get, the better your immune system! So, if your parents, siblings, or friends nag you about sleeping in while sick, tell them that you’re just healing yourself!
As college students, it’s so important for us to take care of our health during flu and cold season. Stay healthy!