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Take Hold of the Cold

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at American chapter.

There’s something going around at AU. Don’t worry; it has nothing to do with the school itself. In fact, it’s just the common cold that usually comes around this time of the season. For the past two weeks, I’ve been hearing continuous coughing, sniffing, and sneezing from professors to students in all my classes. Here are a few tips of how we can keep “A healthy U”:

  1. After the summer and Welcome Week, our sleeping schedule has been tampered with. For some reason, now that the school year has kicked in, we just can’t stop the adrenaline rush that comes during the night . One of the most and obvious things to do to stay healthy is to get enough sleep! Instead of procrastinating, do your homework early. By finishing work during breaks in between classes, you will avoid staying up all night in the study lounge and have more time for sleeping. Turn off the lights, close your computer, put your phone on vibrate, and get some shut-eye.

 

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  1. According to scientists, we touch over 60,000 germs in a day. Though some aren’t even that bad, it’s still kind of disgusting to hear. Every time you use the bathroom or handle food, it’s important to wash your hands. When you cough, try to do it in your elbow instead of your hands. If you do and aren’t close to a sink, use hand sanitizer—carry the small ones that are only about a dollar at your local drugstore. For those who are a little more OCD (like yours truly), Lysol anti-bacterial spray is the way to go! You can spray it on the doorknobs, bathroom stalls and basically any object your hands touch. Since many students are confined in the dorms and thus, more prone to getting sick, it’s important to have clean hands.


 

 

  1. Though we learned from our parents that sharing makes us happy, they forgot to mention during cold season sharing can make you sick. Try to resist from sharing your food or drink while you eating. Small things such as sharing your chapstick with a friend, toothpaste with your roommate, and even sharing your pen with a fellow student puts you more at risk. This is the easiest way germs can pass, especially the harmful ones.

 

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  1. Since fall is here, it’s time to put away our shorts and layer our tanks with comfy sweaters or jackets. It’s time to dress appropriately for the weather, as it can actually make a pretty big impact. By dressing accordingly for rainy or windy weather, you will lessen the chances of getting sick! A big bonus—now you have an excuse for your parents to buy that cute jacket and those bright colored rain boots that you’ve been wanting!

 

 


 

  1.  Stay healthy! Eat well and exercise daily. It’s important to prepare your body especially your immune system to fight off those nasty germs. Even I admit I’m not the healthiest kid on the block, but balance those TDR fries with lean meats and veggies. On the exercise note, instead of being cramped up in the elevator and just simply take the stairs. As any type of physical activity can help your immune system and the rest of your body during those days you just possibly “can’t” hit the gym.

 

Already feeling under the weather? Eat some chicken noodle soup, drink plenty of fluids and get some rest!

 Colleen V. Antonio is a student at American University in Washington DC. She is majoring in Public Communication with minors in Marketing. She is a member of the sorority, Phi Sigma Sigma. Currently, Colleen writes and is President for HerCampus American, which combines her interests in fashion, food, and entertainment in the local DMV area. One day she hopes to find a job with all these interests that will enable her to travel around the world. During her free time, Colleen enjoys exploring the city whether it is heading to listen to an underground band at Black Cat with her friends or even just eating cookie dough ice cream on the steps of the National Portrait Gallery.
Lesley Siu graduated from American University in May 2013 with a BA in Film and Media Arts and minors in Marketing and International Business. Originally from Hawaii, she loves photography, fashion, travel, social media and everything Parisian. She has interned at GLAMOUR magazine in New York and Washington Life Magazine in DC, but her proudest accomplishment is founding Her Campus American in 2011 while interning in Melbourne, Australia. You can usually find her reading a magazine, enjoying a hazelnut latte or posting a photo on Instagram... and sometimes, all at the same time. Follow her on Twitter: @lesleysiu and visit her blog.