I wish this was a topic I knew nothing about, however, I have been blessed with the worst post-high school immune system I could have imagined. Obviously, no one actually enjoys being sick ever but being sick in college is an ever bigger struggle.
You wake up Monday morning, eyes crusted over, nose running, and mouth drooling. You blindly search for your phone on the nightstand, already knowing you are snoozing at least two times. You finally muster up enough energy to wash your face and brush your teeth, realizing that you are in rough shape. Throw on the glasses, oversized sweatshirt, and leggings and you're headed to the dining hall to stock up on vitamin C and caffeine, hoping to see as little people you know as possible in the process.
Finally made it to class with watering eyes and fever sweat dripping down your back and your friend makes a “someone looks sick” comment. Wait? I look sick, I definitely woke up this morning feeling like a Victoria Secret model so that’s strange. Instead, you just say “I know” and sit in your seat hoping to zone out all class. This dream is quickly shot down when the professor says “okay, break into groups.” You panic, signaling to your friend to please be in your group because she will understand that you don’t want to do anything, but then the professor shuts down that dream and counts off by three.
After having a dreadful morning, you realize you can battle this yourself and call the health center making an appointment for 5:00 p.m., six hours away. Practically before you even hang up you’re already calling your mom. She picks up and all she has to hear is your sad attempt at hello before she says “What’s wrong honey.” Being sick without mom to take care of you is the worst, but she assures you it will all be okay, and texts your roommate to bring soup and tea to the room ASAP.
The clock finally ticked to 5:00 p.m. and you’re in the health center waiting room, trying to shield yourself from your sick classmates so you don’t contract something worse than you already have. They scream your name and you slowly mope into the examination room. There they take your vitals and ask you about your stress level. You give them a look of I am a junior in college during midterm week with no idea what I am doing after graduation can we please not talk about my stress level, and they move on.
On your way to the pharmacy, you realize you probably should have taken your friend up on her offer to drive you, but you really do not want human contact at the moment. The pharmacist gives you the same look your friend gave you in class but you are finally one step closer to making it to your bed for the night. You give your mom one more call because let’s face it. Since she can’t take care of you, she should listen to you complain about how dreadful you feel.
You spend the next week in quarantine, barely surviving your classes and murdering your social life. When you finally feel better, now all of your friends caught what you have and you are now the one getting soup and tea for your awesome roommate.
