Why Getting Sick in College is Actually the Worst

The first weeks of school go on without a hitch.  You study, you hang out, you have a blast.  But then it hits you…

The cough.  The sore throat.  The neverending stuffy and leaking nose.  The “I’m too hot” then the “I’m too cold.”  

You’ve caught the college plague.  And it’s actually the worst thing ever.

1. There’s no one here to take care of you.

You’re alone, a “real adult” as you so gracioiusly claimed yourself.  But you don’t want to take care of yourself when the plague hits.  You want someone to wait on you hand and foot, fetching you noodle soup and tea to soothe you.  You essentially want your mom, or someone who can at least fill the void for the week you feel like death.  

But no one wants to take care of you.  Your roommates and friends don’t want to get sick, because you know priorities, and your family is miles away.  You have to get your own tissues and tea, you have to heat up your own noodle soup and remember to take your cold meds every three to four hours.  You have to take care of yourself and it sucks.

2. You still have to deal with homework.

There’s no putting off your responsibilities because you’re under the weather, there’s no taking some time off to relax and get better.  You instead have to sleep when you can and pray to the homework gods that you don’t fall behind.  Or hope that your professors understand that you’re basically on the brink of death.

If they don’t understand, then you’re on your own (wow, seems to be a trend of getting sick in college) and you have to suck it up.

3. You have to pretend that you’re not sick to get by.

You have responsibilities other than school, like clubs, jobs, and sports.  They’re things you love and don’t want to miss out on.  If you let your sickness get to you then you’ll have yourself a serious case of FOMO.  All your friends will experience things that you SHOULD be experiencing, and you don’t want to miss out on those things.

So you fake it till you make it.  You suck it up, even though that is probably the last thing you should be doing.

4. You have to accept that you’re sick and try to get better (or die trying)

You accept your eminent death. It’s a cold one.  It’s a feverish one.  It’s a death filled with tissues and too many cold meds.  It’s probably filled with too much bad TV while you’re avoiding all responsibilities.  There’ll be tea and liquids lining your bedside.

Sooner or later, though, you get better.  And it’s like all is right in the world.  You see everything in a new light.  You appreciate a world where you’re not sick.  

Until the next time you catch the plague…

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