Being away at college brings many firsts for students. First time living away from home, first time being away from your parents for an extended period of time, first time taking care of yourself while being sick…This last one may be very new to us girls as freshman. Usually when you’re sick, your mom or dad is there to take care of you but while you’re away at school and unable to go home you need to learn to take care of yourself. So how can we be sure we are prepared?
Make an appointment
The first step when you are feeling sick is to make an appointment with the health center. You are paying a fee to use their facilities during the school year so you might as well take advantage of what you are paying for. Tests, such as the strep test, are done for cheap and you can pay with husky gold, cash, credit or check so it’s super easy!
Write it down
If you’re thinking of questions ahead of time that you want to ask while at your appointment be sure to write them down and bring them because once you get there and start talking, your questions could escape your mind
Notify your parent/guardian
You should always tell your parents/guardian when you are not feeling well and going to see a doctor. That being said, if they are anything like my mom, you are going to get bombarded with questions and suggestions. Whatever your parent/guardian says, write it down and bring it with your own set of questions. The last thing you want to do is leave the office, call your mom to talk about how your appointment went and get yelled at for not asking what she would have if she were there with you.
Notify professors
If you are going to be missing class be sure to get a doctor’s note to give to your professor. Most professors offer only a limited number of absences per semester so hopefully you don’t waste yours and are able to use a day off to get rested and better. This is just like high school – you are still responsible for the work that you missed in class
Know when it’s serious
There may come a point while you’re away where you get really sick. In this case, the health center on campus may not be the best answer. If you feel absolutely awful or are in pain that you think is ER necessary, do not hesitate to go! Going along with that, if you go to the health center and they tell you that you are okay but you still feel like something is wrong, don’t be afraid to get a second opinion. You can check out the Geisinger Careworks center at the hospital in town (570-416-1890).
Keep calm, be prepared, stay informed.