What To Do When You're Sick In College
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Student Life

10 Things To Do When You Are Sick In College That May Save You From Missing Class

It's already bad enough being homesick.

Melissa Sahadeo
Nov 20, 2018
The State University of New York at Stony Brook
214
Girl
Unsplash

I'm currently writing this as I'm in my dorm room, coughing my lungs out and definitely annoying my roommates, even though they're too nice to let me know. It's tough being ill and not having the loving convenience of your mom giving you a spoonful of cough syrup or making you a warm cup of tea to ease your throat. Here are some things to keep in mind when not feeling well to help you recover fast!

Drink plenty of fluids

Everyone knows the benefits of drinking water. Staying hydrated while sick is very important because this will help wash germs out of your immune system and can also help loosen mucus, which will make recovery much faster.

Eat healthier

No matter what, eating healthier, along with drinking water as stated previously, is always a good option to overcome an inner illness. Eating healthier can definitely make you feel better and make recovery faster since you're treating your body right. Swap out the coke and bag of chips for a plate of fruits or veggies.

Sleep!

I know being sick might stress someone out because, not only do they physically feel horrible, their lack of energy is holding them back from getting actual work/responsibilities done. Your physical health should always be prioritized first before your assignments. Besides, they cannot be effectively completed unless you start feeling well.

Let your roommates know you're not feeling well

This would be helpful in their case and considerate on your part. It's important for your roommates to know if you're sick, since you're all sharing a tight-knit living space together, and we all know how fast and easy germs can spread. Letting them know would allow them to take extra precaution not to touch your belongings or food, and can even help you by giving you tissues if they're a nice person.

Communicate with your professors

When you feel like you're dying, it definitely is debatable whether you should go to class or not. You don't feel good, but at the same time, you don't want to be penalized for being absent and miss writing down important notes. Sometimes, you may not even afford to miss a class because of how much attendance matters. But if it comes down to drastic measures and you absolutely cannot be present, you should always email your professor, letting them be aware of your illness and asking about the information you missed in class. This shows that you still care about your education and demonstrates qualities of responsibility.

Go to the health center on your college campus

If you're well enough to get up and walk outside, visiting your campus health center is highly suggested and would definitely be beneficial. This is the best place to get professional treatment on colds, sore throats, coughs, and other types of common illnesses.

Give your parents a call

I mean, you should always call your parents, regardless if you're sick or not. But in all seriousness, your parents are probably the only people in this world who genuinely care about your wellbeing and would want to know if you're healthy or not. Let them know you're okay, but could be feeling better. Hopefully, they'll drive to visit you with some homemade soup, or send a lovely "get well soon" care package.

Keep up with healthy hygiene

This includes washing your hands after using the bathroom and before meals, carrying hand sanitizer with you during the day, and even cleaning the screens of your phone and laptop, since these places have the most germs and you're touching them constantly.

Be considerate

You don't want your germs to spread and cause other people to get sick, too. Be considerate and always cough/sneeze into your elbow. This is the best way to avoid spreading germs into the air. It's also best to avoid coughing/sneezing into your hands since this is another ideal way for germs to spread.

 Lastly, have the basic necessary treatments with you in your dorm

Sometimes the basics like aspirin, DayQuil, and NyQuil can ease a bad cold or flu significantly. It's also good to carry Halls cough drops with you in your bag throughout the day in case that bad cough gets unbearable.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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