This past weekend the disease that has been ripping through our campus community has finally reached my vulnerable friend group. I knew the moment one of us tested positive, it was the verdict for us all. I mean how do you spend all your time with the same people and not infect one other?
Once it was confirmed with a last minute walk into the health center, it was immediate panic. Will we get our roommates sick? How will we go to classes and complete school work?
It was another weekend of fun lost to sickness. We all decided we needed to prioritize rest and get better as soon as we could. I did all I could think of: hot showers using steam to help clear out the sinuses, taking naps and going to bed early, taking over the counter medicine, and filling my stomach with Panera Bread.
The hardest part of having the flu in college was not having my mom be there to help me with all these things. Although she answered my FaceTime calls, there is nothing like your mom taking care of you when you are ill. I learned a great deal of independence and how to take care of myself, even in my worst time. Once I was feeling better I did a deep disinfecting clean of my dorm room. This called for washing all the bedding, clothes, and Cloroxing every surface. I then played the stressful game of catching up on all the work I put off while sick, which thankfully wasn’t as bad as I anticipated.
Now, I’m feeling normal and confident in my abilities to take care of myself.Â