When you are 18 and headed off to college, there is a lot going through your mind. Friends, food, comfort of bed, etc. The last thing on your mind is the slight chance you get sick. Obviously, I'm not talking mono sick, i'm talking common cold, strep, and/ or flu sick. Truly, the last thing on your mind.
Obviously, college is an adjustment but that's a whole other subject. I'm here to discuss the one thing no one seems to bring up when you leave for college as a freshman and quite frankly, a sophomore, junior, and senior as well.
Getting Sick.
Up until my college years, I was the kid who would get sick and have my mother serve on me every second of every day until I got better. She did this willingly, of course ;). So, obviously, a cup of my moms soup, a warm steam or bath, a missed school day, and a bundle of cuddly blankets later, I was fine.
In college, it does not go like that. First things first, you cannot miss class. No matter how sick you are if you miss class you are so beyond screwed. I literally have a teacher that does not care if you get sick. Her syllabus clearly states "the only way I will give you an excused credit is if you are in the hospital near death." She's a great teacher, don't get me wrong, but when you get sick in college, there is no such thing as a "sick day." You wake up for your day and actually have to perform your day as if nothing is wrong.
It is brutal. No sick kid wants that. I want my mothers soup and her warm embrace where she tells me everything will get better. I need to find someone to personally remind me to not only take my meds but test the heat of my tea to make sure I do not burn myself.
Before I continue with this, just want to give a huge shout out to my mother for always making me feel better when I was sick pre college years. You are a true legend. I am missing you dearly right now as I sit in bed, most likely with the flu.
So, this brings me into my next reason for why being sick in college sucks the most. You do not have meds. Not sure if this is a me thing but for two years now, I have never come to school with meds. I come with hella vitamins but never meds or antibiotics. So now, when you do get sick, and trust me you will, you have to fend for yourself.
Most college kids are on a budget, so having to buy meds is always annoying but god forbid your are like health center sick you actually have to go and see a doctor. On top of that, you have to get a prescription and wait for that prescription. It is a whole hassle of a day and not many people have a full day devoted to doing this.
Also, unless you have a car, how the hell are you supposed to get to a health center? Walk..? WHAT IF IT IS COLD? THAT WILL MAKE YOU MORE SICK.
So, basically, when you get sick in college you pray to the gods nine or more hours of sleep and some hot tea will magically cure you! It most likely will not but you keep praying to those gods because there is nothing worse than being sick in college.
Currently, as I write this, I sit in my bed with a horrific scratch in my throat, a pounding headache, chills, and a runny nose. Hey mom, can you come help me?
Haha, I wish.
If those reasons were not enough to prove my point that getting sick in college is the absolute worst than this last reason will really make it really clear.
When you get sick in college, you have no access to a germ free zone. At least at home you know for a fact there are zero germs.
In college, that cannot be confirmed. Whether it be a dorm, classroom, or gym, there are germs EVERYWHERE.
Especially if you go to a large school. I go to a school of 44,000 people and I HIGHLY doubt my classrooms get scrubbed down with lysol wipes after class.
To the kid who sits across from me in class that coughs in his hands and then wipes his hands on the desk, screw you. I blame you entirely for getting me sick because you and the 5000 other kids that do that are infecting up not only me but like all of my peers. #fluszn
So, I proved it, didn't I? There is nothing worse than getting sick in college.
If you genuinely believe that there is.. let's hear it. I will still win that argument.
P.S. Dead serious mom if your reading this get your ass to my campus I need you asap. :(
