You never know what to expect the first week back at school, but being sick just adds another dimension to it. As if the holidays didn't take away enough of your motivation, say hello to a new two weeks of hell while you go through your sickness and recover. Here are six thoughts you'll have while you're there.
1. But... You just left home!
Ah, now you’ve left the warmth and comfort of your parents’ place to brave your sickness and the cold of winter by yourself. Not that it’s your parents’ job to take care of you when you’re sick. (OK, it’s kind of their job to take care of you when you’re sick.) No one is able to bring you food or medicine. This is what growing up is all about; no one to brave the crazy grocery store lines for you. Or to hold your hair while you vomit.
2. You get to bring supplies with you everywhere you go.
Tissues, medicine, barf bags; every outing requires its own sort of accessories. You feel vaguely like Batman -- only with slightly fewer utility belts and significantly more mucus.
3. You wish you could wear a hazmat suit.
Not only because it's cold, but also because of the contagion. You wash your hands and remind people to wash their hands after touching you. You warn people to keep at least three feet between you. You feel like you have the plague -- you feel like a harbinger of death. Just keep a bottle of industrial sized hand sanitizer handy and try not to touch… well… anything.
4. Sleep is your friend.
Being a college student, you’re familiar with a lack of sleep. But you finally have an excuse to sleep as much as you’ve always wanted to. No guilt over that nap mid-Netflix marathon -- get rest while you can.
5. Food is a fantasy.
You remember at some point that food was both desirable and delicious, but you can’t remember when or why that was. Now it seems like a far-off fantasy, something you could only have dreamt of in a fever dream. Now it’s hard bread and plain bananas: Straight nutrition that makes you feel sick immediately after you eat it. You don’t know if food will ever be enjoyable again.
6. Nothing is real.
At last, the walls started melting and reality feels like a string of fever dreams. It’s alright; just roll with it. It’ll pass soon. But do keep track of what day it is, at least, and don’t forget to email your professors when you’re not coming to class.
Do yourself and your classmates a favor: Don’t come to school when you’re feeling this sick.
