The lingering cold can be an overarching piece of your college experience, but I think we’d all rather not spend four years miserably – constantly sniffling, sporadically coughing, and always tired. When you catch your cold, which is inevitable in the bubble of germs called college, it doesn’t have to stay forever. Refer to the following advice (which doesn’t talk about using medicine, like cough syrup) to sway your colds away and to ward off colds in the first place.
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Eat well… or at least better. Eating in college is hard for two main reasons. First, unhealthy options are so numerous within into your limited options just about every day, and it gets hard to exercise self-control. Secondly, free junk food is hurled at you constantly, and it being free gives an incentive to eat it or at least take it for later. Avoid sugar as much as you can and really aim to eat the proportions you should be eating anyways: about half fruits and veggies with about a quarter of each proteins and grains.
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Sleep extra! Since you’re in college, you probably don’t sleep enough as it is. So, try sleeping as much as you should since your body needs the time to recover and heal. You may notice that sleep correlates with how long your cold lingers. Bonus points if you can sleep more than 8 hours!
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Exercise lightly. Don’t go run for several miles if you never work out (or can even muster that strength in the physical state you’re in). Nonetheless, it is important that (when you have the energy) you move your body. It’ll raise your energy levels, help you heal faster, and remind your body it’s alive and not decaying in a bed. Remember, don’t go too hard; just move some.
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Get fresh air! While it may be freezing outside, it is important not to wallow in your germs and simultaneously spread them to everyone indoors. Beyond walks to your classes (which you shouldn’t start skipping), try taking short walks outside to get fresh air. Not only can it make you feel better and help you get better, but it counts as light exercise. Two birds with one stone!
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Wash your hands frequently for your sake and the sake of others.
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Avoid excessive coffee and substances like alcohol.