The sickness season has hit early and with a vengeance. So far I’ve been infected with pink eye, a viral throat infection, and a pretty awful cold, all within four weeks. Georgetown’s Health Clinic is notoriously slow to schedule appointments and infamous for sending patients home with the “just wait a few days” diagnosis. With these limited healthcare options, I’ve decided to avoid getting sick in the first place and tried to come up with a list of healthcare rules to enforce on myself.
Some of the best preventative healthcare tips are generic: wash your hands frequently, get a flu shot, get enough sleep, cough into your elbow, etc. But college life presents a unique set of health obstacles- you’re cramped together in a tiny community of people with no inhibitions about sharing drinks or bodily fluids. While you’re having the best years of your life partying and knocking back dranks, viruses and bacteria are also having a grand old time spreading around in the dishes you forgot to wash. Here’s four disease prevention tips specifically for college students:
Weigh the risks of your random DFMOs.
Do you really like this person? Do you at bare minimum know this person? At all? Is he way hot or are you just way drunk? I’m not going to tell you to quit the random hookup game entirely, but consider whether or not making out in public with a guy you just met is really worth the flu.
Buy a thermometer! Now!
A fever is one of the most common symptoms of illnesses that need to be treated with prescription medication: strep throat, pink eye, and meningitis are all accompanied by fevers, and patients need antibiotics to fully recover, usually sooner rather than later. Investing in your own thermometer can help you determine if you need to visit the doctor or if you just need some sleep and Advil.
Tell your roommates if you’re sick!
As a common courtesy, tell your roommates that you’re sick so they can watch out for themselves.
DON’T SHARE DRINKS!
This might be the most obvious but hardest to enforce. When inebriated and your close friend, or kind of acquaintance, or someone you literally just met offers you a sip of their delicious White Russian you want try it. The only effective way I’ve been able to stop sharing drinks is by making myself the most delicious drink at the party, preventing me from wanting anyone else. I’d ten out of ten recommend this all the time, not just during cold and flu season- it makes every night a special occasion.
Good luck not getting sick! I know you’ll totally follow all these rules to a tee. Cheers!