The flu season happens every year and unfortunately, is pretty unavoidable. Whether or not you get the flu shot, something about the cold weather and stress makes a perfect environment for sickness. As much as a sore nose and endless tiredness sucks, at least we can all commiserate over the shared experience. If you have ever gotten sick from the school epidemic you will probably recognize this process of dealing with the flu.

1. You know the flu season is coming, so you take all precautions possible before it hits. You got the flu shot ages ago, you always wash your hands, and drink plenty of orange juice so you are basically invincible. At least, they should counteract sharing food and drinks with friends and getting your feet wet in the rain. This will be the year you make it through the season illness free.

2. Everyone around you has started getting sick, but you are still desperately trying to stay healthy. Whether it is from the girl sneezing in your American Lit class or your roommate in bed coughing, the sick people seem to be surrounding you.

3. You start to feel a sore throat coming on or you have that first sneeze, but stubbornly ignore it. You just had a rough night and allergies are kicking up. Whatever it is, it cannot be the flu. Maybe if you pretend it is not there, it will go away.

4. You keep working just as hard trying to push through it, but it just keeps getting worse. You start to keep a stockpile of tissues in your bag so you cannot be caught unprepared in the middle of class.

5. You finally admit you are sick, so you just kind of sit at home hoping for it to go away soon, watching movie after movie. All the amount NyQuil, DayQuil or Advil only make it just barely tolerable. If you are lucky, maybe a friend will check up on you or make you some tea.

6. When you finally do start to feel better, it is a beautiful day. You know the hardest part is over and start to actually have energy to leave your room.

7. You make it to a 100 percent recovery. You had forgotten how wonderful it is to breathe through your nose and not want to sleep 13 hours a day. Your friends may be suffering from the sickness you just gave them, but you feel better and that is all that matters.