The moment the doctor walked in, I knew. She looked at me, in her white coat and with her concerned eyes, and said these words:
“You have mono.”
Well, crap, I thought. But then I thought something different: although being sick stinks, there are great resources online, at school, or from your parents. Here are some good tips about how to deal with mono when you’re in college!
Tip 1: If you feel tired, sick, or under the weather, go to the health center. Seriously. If you are sick, don’t put off getting what you need, whether that’s a diagnosis or just advice about how to handle your (possible) mono! Mononucleosis is transmitted through saliva or sharing food and drink, and the symptoms include fever, sore throat, fatigue, lack or loss of energy, and want (or need) of sleep. It’s a virus, so it can’t be cured by antibiotics, but after one to three months, it goes away on its own!
Tip 2: GET SLEEP. This comes from someone whose brain is most active at night, who loves reading until 12pm, and who says, often, “I’m so bad at sleeping.” When you’re sick enough, you will discover that you are very good at sleeping. Sleeping helps your immune system and helps your body rest so that it can fight off mono better.
Tip 3: Do what your body tells you. If you feel too tired to go to class, email your professors and tell them. It’s better to skip a few days of class and feel a lot better than try to drag yourself through. Every. Lecture. Trust me. I’ve been there and it is not fun.
Tip 4: Be aware that you will miss out on some fun. Sometimes, you’re going to have to say no to that really fun party, or a girl’s night, or a date night with your significant other simply because you’re too tired to do these things. That’s okay. As soon as you feel better, you’ll be able to have tons of fun again! And because mono is a virus, you won’t ever contract it again—so you won’t have to worry about missing out on fun stuff because of mono after you’ve recovered.
Tip 5: Eat healthy. Healthy food is imperative whenever you’re sick. Eat a good, balanced diet. Lots of fruits, veggies, and lean proteins like fish are good. Also, healthy snack foods like nuts are a good idea. Stay away from sugar, alcohol, and caffeine.
Tip 6: Remember your mono will eventually be over with. In ten years, you’ll have forgotten about when you got it.
We hope these tips helped you guys deal with your mono (or just provided a good list for what to do in case you get it)! Stay healthy, collegiates.
Resources: livestrong.com and webmd.com
Image Credit: Parks and Recreation GIFs, Giphy, Runner in Denial, Brunch and an Episode, Degrassi Wiki