There are many things I love about living in a Residence Hall on campus. My friends are never far away, and I can wake up, get dressed, and make it to class in under ten minutes. The one thing though that never fails, is how often I get sick living in close quarters with so many people.

I've changed my habits to try to get away from catching the cold when everyone else has it: Clorox-ing everything- from counters to door handles to my binders, washing my sheets monthly, washing my hands often, not sharing my food or clothing. Yet I still find myself sick at least once a semester, run-down from the lack of sleep and stress that comes with being a college student.

Even though it seems inevitable to prevent- for my immune system at least, if you don't get sick living at college too often, than I applaud you- there are still some new habits and tips that have helped me to recover from the sickness faster that I'd like to share:

1. If what you have seems to be along the lines of a common cold- runny nose, sore throat, itchy eyes- than I suggest you look into Zicam, or an equivalent to it. It's a tablet that you take every three hours when you feel a cold coming on, and it helps to shorten the time frame that you have the cold. I must say I never believed it truly worked until this past week- it has become my savior to get through classes. I carry Zicam and a box of tissues everywhere I go.

2. Drink a TON of water, and eat some oranges. If you're taking Zicam every three hours, you aren't supposed to drink or eat anything for the following fifteen minutes and shouldn't eat citrus fruit for the following thirty minutes (I am not sure why). But keeping hydrated will help to flush the infection out of your system, and vitamin C will help boost your immune system to fight the cold off faster.

3. Get plenty of sleep. I know that a lot of college students are constantly busy, with every minute of their days planned out. But when you get sick, it takes longer for your body to fight off the cold if you're lacking in the sleep department.

Even though college can be overwhelming at times, it's important to remember to take care of yourself first, especially if you are prone to catching a cold quite often.