We are now weeks into another school year, and as we adjust to life back on campus, so do our germs. The cold and flu viruses are spreading like wildfire across campus and I am struck with a constant feeling of unease. Did the person behind me just sneeze on me? Why do these coughing hooligans keep interrupting the professor's lecture? Did the sniffly girl I just shook hands with rub her nose with that same hand??
As the paranoia mounts and more people fall prey to the virus, I pat myself on the back for having a superior immune system -- until the unthinkable happens. My body starts to ache even though I haven’t exercised since I moved into my room a few weeks ago. My nose starts to run, and I try to convince myself it’s just allergies. But once the illness overcomes my defenses, I unwillingly accept the truth and lie in a motionless burrito of blankets until I stop feeling like something someone ran over with a garbage truck. And while I lay here in my cocoon of sickness, I start to think of all the reasons why it's the absolute worst to be sick in college.
1. Your parents aren't there to buy you popsicles or bring you soup.
Sitting there and wallowing in misery, the only thought that crossed my mind was how badly I would kill for a giant tub of ice cream or even another box of Kleenex that only my mom would provide.
2. You have no one to complain to.
Sure you could whine to your roommate about how you feel like you’ve been beaten to a pulp, put through the washing machine on high, and left out to dry on a cold winter morning, but that would get annoying really quickly. And they'd probably kill you sooner than they were planning to.
3. Your roommate wants to murder you.
Speaking of your roommate, they have probably been thinking about killing you in your sleep over the last few days. Between coughing fits that left you breathless at 2 a.m. and the constant sniffling, your roommate has gotten less sleep than you at this point. And they cannot wait for you to recover.
4. You have to get up to eat.
Unless you have enough food to last you through a week of hell, you probably have to get up and walk over to the dining hall to get a decent meal. Which means you have to interact with people, even though the thought of talking or moving makes you want to punch yourself in the face.
5. You have to go to class.
There is nothing worse than sitting through hours of lectures when you feel like death. You prop yourself up on one arm and strain to keep your eyes open and your nose from running while the professor drones on about material that could lull you to sleep on a good day.
6. You miss out on all the activities.
As you lay in a bed full of Kleenex and Netflix, scrolling through your Insta and looking at your group messages makes you feel even more miserable than you already do. All your friends are out -- partying, hiking, going out to eat, finding cool new spots in town-- while you're stuck in a glorified closet with only your computer to keep you company.
