4 Differences Between Being Sick As A Kid And As A Young Adult | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

4 Differences Between Being Sick As A Kid And As A Young Adult

Being sick isn't fun.

Samantha Rockhill
Jan 23, 2017
Messiah College
74
4 Differences Between Being Sick As A Kid And As A Young Adult

This whole week I've been run down. No voice, a bad cough, chills and lack of energy have left me feeling pretty yucky. Coming home for the weekend has got me reminiscing about what it was like to be home sick. Here are the 5 biggest differences:

1. Staying home from school

Being able to sleep in and stay in bed all day made kids almost wish they would come down with pink eye. Getting sick meant being able to read, watch TV, bake cookies, and catch up on rest instead of going to school. Being sick as an adult is different. It means going to school and work armed with tea, tissues, cold medicine and trying really hard not to get others sick while still trying to be productive.

2. Having others take care of you

My mom would make me chicken noodle soup and tea, and if needed take me to the doctor. While I enjoy having both the freedoms and responsibilities of an adult most of the time, its just not as comforting to microwave a bowl of soup in your dorm room while doing computer coding as it is to have mom bring you homemade chicken noodle soup while your buried under blankets.

3. Sleep

As a kid, I bounced back from being sick super quickly, probably because I was able to get lots of sleep. In college it's a different story. While I try to take good care of myself, drink lots of water and sleep when I can, I'm busy. I have class for 3 or 4 hours a day,then 4 hours of homework, a work study job, and club and volunteering I'm involved in, plus I want to be able to spend time with friends. While I wouldn't trade any of that for the world, it does make getting enough sleep to recover somewhat difficult.

4. Getting diagnosed

As a kid it seems like your mom always knows exactly what's wrong with you and when you should go to the doctor. As an adult I'm never really sure when my "long cold" is just that or when it warrants a trip to the campus nurse or the doctor. So if I am sick for longer than 4 or 5 days, figuring out what is wrong with me involves talking to all the girls on my floor, going on WebMD and being told I have cancer (seriously don't go on WebMD), and calling Mom or Dad or both before deciding what I should do.


Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

AI music threatens creativity

The Soul of Sound: How AI Challenges Human Expression in Music

260426
Humans and robots face off in a rock band battle with guitars and drums, under dynamic lighting.
StableDiffusion

In an age where artificial intelligence can mimic the voice of Freddie Mercury or reimagine pop hits as synthwave ballads, a new frontier has emerged — one that blurs the line between innovation and erosion. While AI offers undeniable benefits in technical domains, its intrusion into creative arts, especially music, raises urgent questions. Not just about copyright, but about culture, education, and the very soul of artistic expression.


Keep Reading...Show less
ai generated music
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

Miami University
592390
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
music
Entertainment

Why Your Astrological Sign May Not Match Your Personality

We are all more than just one sign.

SUNY Plattsburgh
506290
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
astrology
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

UNC Greensboro
481913
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
spring
Relationships

The Importance Of Being A Good Person

An open letter to the good-hearted people.

Sacred Heart University
748803
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less
good person

Trending Topics

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments