Dorms are like a petri dish, germs just grow everywhere because so many people are living in small spaces all together, and you touch so many things like furniture, stairwells, the laundry room, and the bathrooms. Now I’ve survived one year of college so far, and I absolute got sick, multiple times in fact. But I’m back for year two, and I’m hoping the following list will help me, and you, avoid getting sick while living in dorms.
Try to clean every now and then
This is easy for me to say because I have OCD, but not everyone likes cleaning like I do. It’s a chore, and it’s boring, and sometimes you only find the energy to clean when you’re procrastinating homework. But it’s important to get germs and dust taken care of so you can stay healthy. Nothing too major, just clean your dishes shortly after they’re dirtied, do your laundry once a week, and vacuum once a week or every two weeks. If you get sick, make sure to clean to get better, I recommend wiping down furniture with Clorox wipes, or using Lysol.
Take care of yourself
If you want to drink juice daily instead of taking vitamins, be my guest, but having vitamins in your system will just help strengthen your ability to fight against germs. Get enough sleep, even if it means sleeping until two p.m. on Saturdays. Basic hygiene, like changing toothbrushes every now and then, and washing your bathrobe. Little things to help your body can make all the difference.
Get garbage out of the room
(Walks my roommate out of the room) JK. But make sure to empty garbage pails, don’t let rotten food sit in the fridge, and wash dishes the same day you dirty them. It’ll make the room smell better, and there won’t be as much of a bad environment for you to live in.
Ventilation
Although you’re forced to leave the room for class every week, the air in your room is trapped in that small space. Leave the door open when you’re in the room, and when the weather’s nice, crack your window open for a few hours. It’s important to let the air move in and out of the room, so your lungs can take a break from the heavy, dense atmosphere from within the room.
Common things
We all know them, but for the sake of you being an adult for the first time now that you’re at college, I’m going to remind you all the common ways to avoid getting sick. Wash your hands often, especially after you’ve touched things in public places, like Marketplace, High Library, or your dorm staircase. There’s a handwashing station in Marketplace, as well as germ killer. Don’t touch your eyes or mouth without washing your hands. If any of your friends is feeling under the weather, don’t share things with them, and if you want to hang out, don’t hang out in your dorm or theirs, go to an open room.
Don’t overwork yourself!
College is stressful, and even though it’s only a few weeks into the semester, we can already feel the effects of stress kicking in. Stress has a lot of impact on the body, and keeping it down can help you survive the year. Spread your work load out, take breaks, and don’t be too harsh on yourself.
Remember, if you do get sick during the school year, which you most probably will, take the steps needed to get better. Stay in bed, eat some hot soup, stay hydrated, relax, take medicine, and encourage yourself to get better. Utilize the resources from Student Health and Wellness, and skim through these tips to survive the flu season. Stay healthy, Blue Jays!