Being sick is bad as it is, but it’s even worse when you are in a college dorm, far away from your family. This is what happened to me last semester. I did not get sick once during the school year in the two years I commuted from home, but as soon as I moved to a dorm, my body decided to give me a 102-degree fever.
Now that I’ve gone through that, I feel like I can give you some advice on how to deal with getting sick in college and what I wish I did at the time. I hope this helps.
//Keep A First Aid Kit In Your Dorm
Before moving out, I had made a list of necessities to buy, some of which were medicines. I remember telling my mom that I needed to buy a thermometer, and she said, “You don’t need to get one of those. We’ll bring you home when you’re sick enough to need a thermometer.” Well, the joke’s on her because it was a worthy purchase (how else was I to know if I was sick enough to go home?). She also said the same thing about Tylenol, another thing I ended up needing, so I’m glad I made a first aid kit. Make sure to get one before moving out. Include things like Tylenol, Advil, a thermometer, band-aids, Neosporin, etc. The “just in case” things that are nice to have around.
Trust me, the last thing you want to do is drive to Walgreens when you’re sick.
//Skip Class
DON’T GO TO CLASS WHEN YOU’RE SICK. It’s miserable and you are not helping anybody by spreading your germs. I had an exam the day I got sick, and I went to said class to take the exam. In the middle of the test, I thought, “F*ck it. The lowest test grade is dropped anyway,” and did the best I could without taking it seriously. I turned in the test and walked to the bus stop. It was a miracle I didn’t pass out on the way.
I skipped all my classes the next day (I only had the one class on the first day of being sick). Trust me, it’s not worth the effort. Just let your professors know that you’re sick via email and rest. I could barely get myself to take a shower, let alone go to class.
//Stay In Bed And Sleep
After that exam, I went back to my dorm and passed out on my bed (making sure to call my mom to let her know I was sick.) When my roommate opened the door and saw me, she thought that someone had broken into the dorm because I never take naps during the day. The fact that she thought someone broke in tells you a lot about me. I could barely get myself out of bed to eat. This is why you need to skip class. Sleep is the best way for you to recoup.
//Don’t Forget To Eat
Funny story, this was the one week, all semester that my mom didn’t send food with me. Even funnier is that the day I was planning on grocery shopping was the day I got sick. So there was essentially nothing in my fridge. And even if there was, it would’ve been a battle to eat anything because I didn’t have the energy to.
I forced myself to eat a pre-packaged peanut butter and jelly sandwich (the only thing I left in my fridge) and went back to bed. The only reason I ate was that I needed something in my stomach before taking medicine. When your mom isn’t there to cook you food and force you to eat, it’s easy to forget how essential it is when you’re sick. My appetite was pretty much gone and my throat hurt.
//Ask For Help
My friend Stellah was super pissed at me for not letting her know I was sick. Throughout the day, I considered texting her and asking her to pick up some food and medicine for me, but I didn’t want to bother her. (She was also mad that I took a Lyft home instead of letting her drive me, but more on that later).
It’s okay to ask for help! Don’t just assume your friends are too busy like I did. Just ask them. Even when my roommate asked me if I needed anything, I told her no. I just asked her to let me sleep and she was nice enough to leave the room for the day so that I could have some peace and quiet.
Most people are nice and are willing to help you. Don’t brush off their offers or at least give them a chance to help.
//Go Home If You Can
I postponed going home as long as I could. I just stayed in bed and rested and planned on going to the Health Center the next morning. After asking me to all day, my mom convinced me. I was in no shape to drive, so I took a Lyft back home (my parents paid me back for it). It was the best decision ever.
I got home and ate a proper meal that I didn’t have to grocery shop or cook, and my mom was telling me that she finally had peace of mind (She told me she had been sad for me all day.)
If you live close enough to your parents and have the means and ability to go home, you should do it. It was totally possible for me to tough it out at my dorm, but since I had the option, I went home.
Oh, and back to the Stellah thing. Her parents live near my parents, so she said she would’ve dropped me off and stayed with one of them that night. At least now I know what to do if I get sick again :), but that hopefully won’t happen again anytime soon.
//Get A Doctor’s Note
This is important if you want to get an excused absence for your class. Most classes allow a certain number of unexcused absences, but you should try to get a doctor’s note if you can. It’ll make things easier for you and your professor won’t dock your grade due to an extra absence if they count them.
Well, that’s it for now. I hope you guys won’t have to implement any of these tips, but it’s good to be prepared.
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Did I miss anything? What are your tips on dealing with getting sick in college?