Apparently, getting sick is a common thing in college, but it is by far the most annoying thing in the world. If you’re sick, please stay away from me, but the flu season is upon us and is worse than ever. The flu shot is only 30% effective this year and nobody is safe.

With this being said, you’re likely to get sick this year and if you do, here are some tips if you’re sick in college. If you have the flu, please stay away from me and get some rest. Also, get the flu shot, it’s good to have it because it strengthens your immune system and there are plenty of other reasons.

If you do get sick, first get some rest. Getting sick is your body telling you that you’re weak and that you to take some time off. Rest is imperative, and essentially, it’s when your body recovers naturally.

This entails staying in your dorm and missing class, especially since the flu has been so deadly and bad this year. Email your professors and any other people whom you have commitments with, and they will understand. I promise you, and this is coming from a person who DREADS missing class.

Second, drink lots of fluids. As a way of cleansing, your body removes toxic waste and sickness through peeing. If you’re constantly peeing, you’re going to get dehydrated, and you’re going to need fluids, or else you’ll die of dehydration.

Third, take medicine. I am a firm believer of cough medicine, and Dayquil. I always have some in my dorm and this applies to people who even have sore throats. Take it religiously, and my theory is that they taste so bad because they want the sickness to want to leave your body.

I am probably way off, but who knows? Point is, TAKE MEDICINE!

Fourth, go to a doctor. Most doctors are or should be well aware of the flu season, and they probably know other medicines or can even give prescriptions for how to deal with the flu. Also, its’ better to be diagnosed with the flu, than to just assume you have it because you could be wrong.

Fifth, do home remedies. I am a firm believer in the power of tea and chicken noodle soup. They always work for me. When I am on the verge of getting sick, I inhale these things and I miraculously don’t get sick. I don’t know the science behind it, but it works.

Finally, if you are sick and you HAVE to go out in public, PLEASE SNEEZE OR COUGH IN YOUR ELBOW OR CLOTH! Don’t use your hand because your hand will touch other things, and will cause more people to get sick. Don’t cough into the air too because you’re basically asking for other people to get sick as well.

Overall, college is the place where your bound to get sick, and if you are sick please follow these tips to avoid people from getting sick, to help recover faster.

If you’re not sick yet, here are some tips to AVOID getting sick!

First, avoid close contact with any and all sick people. Especially, since a lot of illnesses are airborne. If someone coughs on you or talks to you in close proximity, you have a high probability of getting sick.

Second, wash your hands! You should be doing this in general, but anytime someone coughs or sneezes, put on hand sanitizer or run to the bathroom. Please, I am begging you.

Third, wipe down any commonly used surfaces, thing includes, phone, computer, door knobs, the list goes on. These tend to be host sites for germs, and they can cause you to get ill. My University’s Director of Student Health and Services sent us that in an email about how to avoid getting the flu.

Finally, bundle up and stay warm. I know that when you’re cold, you’re more likely to get sick. As for the science behind it, I am not 100% positive about that, but still it will help prevent you from getting sick.

As this flu season only seems to get more insane, please get well if you are sick. If you’re not sick, hopefully you don’t get sick, and I wish you all happy and healthy lives!