6 Ways to Avoid Sickness During School
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Health and Wellness

6 Ways To Avoid Getting Sick During The School Year

From someone who got sick within the first 3 days of class.

Jessica Ma
Sep 14, 2018
University of Southern California
563
https://pixabay.com/en/teddy-teddy-bear-association-ill-562960/
Pixabay

Summer is (unfortunately) over for a majority of college students, and everyone's probably having a hard time transitioning back to school life. Once again, you have to cook for yourself, do your own dishes, and worry about going broke. In this transition period, it's extremely easy to get sick. This is also probably the worst time to get sick, since a new semester means new classes and confusing professors. To prevent this tragedy, here are 6 ways to avoid getting sick this year.

1. Don't live off instant ramen

Although ramen is the epitome of college cooking, it's not necessarily the healthiest option. There are close to no nutrients in these sodium-packed dried noodles, and you're better off buying a regular pack of noodles and cooking them. The cooking time ends up being the same as ramen, and with some soy sauce and sesame oil, the regular noodles doesn't lose in taste at all.

2. Don't underestimate the weather

If it looks sunny outside, don't head out in a tank top and shorts. Check the weather on your phone first, because deceivingly sunny looking days can end up being windy and chilly. If you're walking to class, don't forget to bring a light jacket, because even if it's not cold outside, some classrooms feel like they're colder than Alaska in the winter. Don't underestimate this transition period between summer and fall, and stay warm when possible.

3. Don't sacrifice sleep

It's easy to accidentally stay up until 3am like you did all summer, but with mandatory 9am classes, that lifestyle is no longer feasible. Whether it's a 40 page reading or a programming lab that's keeping you up, try to sleep early, then wake up early to do the assignment. Both your brain and your body need time to recharge for the next day, and by sleeping late, you may be weakening your immune system and causing fatigue on your body.

4. Don't skip out on vitamins

Even if you're eating as many fruits and vegetables as you can every day, it's still a good idea to pick up a bottle of vitamins. They can provide the nutrients your immune system needs, as well as scarcer nutrients that regular foods cannot provide. With these, even if you're not able to get the full fruit and vegetable intake every day, your body is still generally getting its vital nutrients.

5. Don't forget to exercise

Everybody insists that exercise helps with sickness, so it probably does. It helps you sweat and pumps blood to everywhere in your body. I'm no scientist, so I don't know how it works, but it seems like every time I get sick, exercise could ameliorate it just a little. Even when you're not sick, try to exercise regularly to keep your body strong and less susceptible to the millions of germs that are floating around in college.

6. Don't clutter your room

A clean room equals fewer bugs, mold, and dust. If you're not a clean person, try to be messy, but not dirty. It's okay to have textbooks stacked on top of each other, but don't leave unwashed dishes sitting on your desk for over a day. Dust and mold are known to cause sneezing and coughing for many people, and living long term in an environment like that is just not good for the body. Plus, you'll never have to scramble to clean up whenever someone comes over!

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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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