It happens. There is nothing anyone can do about it except prepare.
Here are 6 phases of what it is like to get sick in college to help you with your preparation.
1. The "Panic Because My Friend Is Sick" Stage
As soon as it hits the group chat that one of your friends that you're around 24/7 has caught whatever is going around campus, immediately you start questioning every function your body is performing. Do you have a fever, or are your hands cold? Are you nauseous from sickness, or from stress? Do you have a head cold, or are you just tired?
2. The "Oh God Wait I'm Sick Too" Phase
When you eventually realize that no, you don't just have a bad hangover, you're actually sick, it is the WORST. You prep yourself for missing class, missing parties, missing game day, and missing anything worth looking forward to. Major FOMO.
3. The "Health Services Suck" Phase
After accepting your reality, you decide to go to the clinic on campus to figure out what's wrong with you, get some medicine, and get excused from class. Somehow, they always misdiagnose you, don't give you medicine, don't excuse you from class, don't give you an appointment, or a combination of any of those. You come back to your room wondering, "were those even real doctors?".
4. The "Accepting Death" Phase
This is the dramatic part where you call your mom crying saying you're on the brink of death. You tell all your friends to stay far away from you. You WebMD your symptoms and convince yourself you have the absolute worst case scenario. You high key imitate Lilo in this gif.
5. The "It's Christmas Break and I'm Finally Healthy" Phase
After weeks of being unwell, it's time to go back home. Eating some homemade food and being in a clean house really rejuvenates you. You're ready to get into some hometown shenanigans. You feel like a real human being again.
6. The "Wait I'm Back and Sick Again" Phase
And so the cycle starts again.
