College is great. You learn how to do things on your own, whether they be as small as washing your own laundry or as big as paying your own bills. It's really a time to come into adulthood.

However, there are a few things that happen in college that real adults seem to know how to manage, but I just can't figure out. Cooking anything other than pasta is a big one, but being sick at school has always gotten to me. I just can't seem to figure it out, for some reason.

Like grief, being sick at school has five basic stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Though some of us progress through the stages faster than others, they are still prevalent.

1. Denial.

No, no, no. I am not sick. I'm just overheated-- this fever of 102.3 is because I drank hot chocolate an hour ago. It's allergies. I'm totally fine!

We know you're not, and that's okay. This is only stage one, after all.

2. Anger.

Well, would you look at that! I am sick! This is the absolute worst possible time for my body to do this to me. Thanks a lot, body.

It's okay to be angry, but it definitely isn't going to do you any good. Relax and fight off the sickness while you can.

3. Bargaining.

Please. I will do literally anything to not be sick right now. I will never eat late night junk food from the dining hall again. I'll start going to bed before 2 a.m.!

No matter what you try to bargain with, your body is just not having it.

4. Depression.

Why me? I can't get out of my bed and I haven't taken a shower in two days because it hurts to move. Everything is terrible and unfair and I am sad.

Listen, we've all been there. You'll be fine in a few days, even if it feels like you won't be.

5. Acceptance.

Yeah, I'm sick. Better send out my "I'm not coming to class today" emails. Now, which one of my friends do I hire to take care of me while I'm incapacitated?

The final stage-- you have accepted your fate. Take some meds, hunker down and sleep for a few days. You got this.

Being sick at college is never fun, but it will get easier. Eventually we all learn what works for us in terms of getting healthy, and that helps out a little bit. It's okay to want your mom or your cat or your significant other, but it's a good lesson to learn-- we need to be able to deal with some things on our own, whether we like it or not.

And hey, you get a couple days off from school. You can't really go wrong there!