Sickness is a dreaded state of being that every college student is all too familiar with. The headaches, warm skin, watery eyes, runny nose, scratchy throat, and persistent cough are telltale flu symptoms. As students, the natural initial instinct is to ignore all signs of illness and push through. However, as humans, the desire to lay down and rest is strong. Which side deserves to win out? Is academic progress or the healing process more important?
This dilemma is the one I faced Monday morning when I woke up feeling unwell. I was battling a scratchy throat and immense fatigue, but I had to take an exam for my Intro to Comparative Politics class. Somehow, I managed to gather the energy to attend class and take the exam, but the deterioration of my physical health ruined my exam experience. I struggled to effectively remember information from studying my notes, and my lack of focus increased over time. Although I passed this exam, taking it was an unfortunate burden and challenge.
Fighting through disease while completing necessary coursework is common for college students. Our bodies need rest, but our brains must engage with school so we don’t fall behind. This flu season taught me that overcoming illness during the academic year is about balance. Students can take small steps toward academic success while practicing self-care to ensure their general well-being. Although it was a hard lesson to accept, I realized that health is the priority. A healthy body is crucial to education and learning.
My main advice for surviving flu season is to allow time and space to rest and relax. Drink plenty of fluids, consume food, and take medicine to lower a fever and ease cold symptoms. Although these tips may seem obvious and widely recommended by doctors, it’s one thing to know what to do and another to perform the said actions. When afflicted with the flu, I wanted to take care of myself, but it felt impossible to commit to acts of self-care. I simply wanted to lay in bed all day and wait for myself to recover automatically. It’s essential to listen to one’s body and nurture it, especially in times of sickness.
Another piece of advice I’d like to offer is to not feel guilty for resting. As college students, we have an overwhelming sense of obligation to be productive or achieve goals. This emotion is valid but unrealistic. We can’t always be studying for tests or writing papers. We must take breaks to encourage our minds to function at their full potential. Although I underwent some stress and anxiety over missing class, I reminded myself that any work I produced while bedridden wouldn’t be logical or coherent. Patiently waiting to heal helps the road to recovery and leads to future academic achievements.
Communication is key to staying caught up on assignments and preventing grades from falling. Professors are usually accommodating and understanding about wellness issues, and sending a quick, straightforward email should do the job. They are typically willing to excuse absences, provide extensions, and explain confusing homework details. If the professor is unsympathetic, universities have departments to report the problem to. There are a few situations in which losing grade points is unavoidable. For example, if a class doesn’t administer any makeup exams, and this policy is clearly outlined in the syllabus, missing the exam due to illness results in an inevitable grade loss. However, a semester is long and has a variety of coursework, meaning that students can still pass a class even if they don’t take one exam. Sick periods are uncontrollable, and students are never at fault for it.
College flu season is the absolute worst, but everyone can live through it and thrive afterward. Developing healthy habits and implementing self-care into a daily routine is incredibly beneficial for college students. Sickness is an awful yet valuable experience I hope not to repeat this spring semester.