The leaves have turned colors and are starting to fall, the temperature is dropping, and the semester is ending. It's a magical time of year with expectations of fun fall activities and productive days of schoolwork, but one bad illness going around campus can derail all of your plans. It's cold and flu season people! As I am currently getting over a particularly gross cold, I figured I'd compile a list of gifs from the Office that describe how it feels to get sick in college. Because let's be real, we probably all channel our inner Michael Scott (over-dramatic, needy and a lot extra) a little while sick. Unless that's just me.
1. When you first start feeling bad and you can't tell if it is due to allergies, the weather changing or an actual bug.
Everything is awful and nothing is okay. Does it even matter which one it is? It's going be bad no matter what.
2. All of a sudden, you realize you are in fact getting sick.
This realization hits you out of nowhere when it's 8 p.m. on a Wednesday and you're wondering why in the world you're exhausted, freezing and about to pass out. It's nice to finally know what's wrong, but also not great to be getting sick.
3. You immediately blame your roommate/family member/vague acquaintance for getting you sick.
Someone must have gotten you sick, and it was probably that one person in your chemistry class on the opposite side of the lecture hall. It's the only possibility, really.
4. When you get to miss class...
One of the few positives of being sick in college: professors are usually pretty chill about you missing class. As long as you let them know before class, they're generally more than happy to excuse you for the day.
5. ...until you remember you have two tests the next day.
Is there really anything worse than taking a test when sick?
6. And then you realize all of the assignments you still have to do.
Because getting sick Saturday evening and remembering the five-page paper you have due Monday morning at 8 a.m. that you haven't yet started is how every college kid wants to spend their weekend.
7. You really wish you were home with your parents.
Being an adult and living on your own can be fun, but when you get sick it can be a drag. Sometimes all you want is to be at home, where your parents will buy you Jello and make you chicken noodle soup.
8. But then your roommates become adopted moms.
Nothing says true friendship like bringing you tea, making sure you take your medicine and listening to you whine about how gross you feel. Good roommates are the true MVPs.
9. The campus health center is often less than helpful.
Either you need four rounds of antibiotics immediately or you just need to take ibuprofen and sleep away your illness. There's no in between.
10. You are afraid to miss too much class...
As much as we'd all like the world to pause until we're feeling better again, daily life continues with or without us. Getting behind is not easy to fix, so sometimes it's best to drag yourself to class.
11. ...and you're going to go no matter how disgusting you look.
At this point in the semester, people are getting pretty lazy in how they dress anyway. So you shuffling to class in a groutfit with your fuzzy socks and Chacos isn't that out of the ordinary. Besides, if anyone gives you side eye for your outfit, just cough in their general direction. They'll get the picture.
12. When you finally, FINALLY start to feel better.
You can sleep through the night without waking up in a coughing fit and you can breathe out of your nose again! There's a light at the end of the sickness tunnel, and it's time to get back out there and live like a true college student again.
