They’re not silent, but they can be deadly. Deadly to your schedule, your life and your to-do list. You’ve all heard and seen them. The loud, AHHH-CHOO. And the worst part, apparently a lot of these people were never taught how to properly sneeze and cough into your arm so you don’t go spreading those sickly germs. It’s time you take necessary precautions and fend for yourself. When you notice the signs below, suit up to fight against the plagues taking over your college campus.
1. You live on a college campus a.k.a. a freakin’ petri dish. If you really think about it (and don’t think too long on the topic because you’ll freak yourself out even further about getting sick- start WebMding symptoms and it’ll just end poorly), germs are EVERYWHERE. Heck, the pump on the hand sanitizer probably has germs from the person who was trying to sanitize before you, not to completely scare you or anything.
One of my friends is a biology major and for class, she took a sample of a table to see how much bacteria was on it. Well, I hope you aren’t eating right now. If you are, I’m sorry I am going to spoil your appetite. That petri dish, that tiny swab from the table, had grown in just a few short days into an extensive amount of bacteria that no one wants to even acknowledge, much less live in.
And it truly shouldn’t come as much of a shock that this bacteria and germs are everywhere. You take people from all over the country, all over the world for that matter, and stick them in a teeny tiny radius (speaking specifically to my Elon peeps here), but really, on any college campus, and you’re not in good shape. Students are busy, immune systems are down, they’re living in close quarters and there’s so much interaction between people on campus. That equates to a recipe for disaster.
2. Your roommate says she’s “not feeling too well.” -- STAY AWAY! That’s probably your reaction, if you’re smart at least. You let her down easy and say, I love you and no offense, but pleasssssee sanitize everything you use, or better idea: just stay quarantined in your room. I CANNOT get sick this week (or any other week for that matter) I have too much going on. You offer to bring her meds and soup and other things that make sick people feel better, because you’re not a complete savage.
3. You feel a little tickle in your throat. Your nose feels a little stuffed up. You pop some DayQuill and pray for the best. Despite your prayers, and even though you’ve religiously taken your allergy medicine and used your Nasonex every morning, nothing seems to be working. Maybe I’ll make a nice green tea for myself, you think. Yes, that will solve everything. Only it doesn’t, and you’re in trouble. Better book an appointment at the Health Center and set yourself up for a nice few days in bed with Netflix.
If you’re experiencing any of these signs, do a few things. First, try to stay away from those sickies. I know, this is easier said than done. So, wash your hands constantly, try to get a reasonable amount of sleep, exercise and simply take care of yourself so your immune system can fight off those germs. And, if you do finally get sick, remember that it’s ok to take a few days off for your body to rest.
