Recently, my seasonal allergies have flared up and I have felt exponentially worse. My mother claims that it’s due to the sudden heat. Itchy eyes that are hard to keep open, congestion clogging up my nose making me pant and pulling my face mask into my mouth, runny nose and the loud sniffling that comes with it, and the constant sneezing. I don’t mind these symptoms, but as a student with exams, the symptoms are louder than they are inconvenient. I feel awkward during the silence in testing rooms, sneezing and then hearing the chorus of “bless you’s” coming my way. Or, sniffling every 20 seconds. It becomes a beat — a part of the symphony that is school. But, it’s embarrassing. I myself grow annoyed when others show these symptoms. It’s irrational and quite hypocritical since I am also the perpetrator. Maybe it’s the internalized embarrassment I hold for my own symptoms. I project those same negative feelings onto others.
Regardless of how I feel about my allergies, I started to feel very unwell on Wednesday, the day before my Biology exam.
After spending about an hour meandering throughout my campus, breathing in the spring air and admiring the growth of both trees and flowers alike, I went to Chemistry class rubbing the life out of my poor eyes and sneezing every other minute. My friends noticed this, and recommended that I go buy some Benadryl for my symptoms. And so, I went to the convenience store and downed the two pills of Benadryl that came in one packet.
Immediately, I felt better, but I couldn’t tell if it was the placebo effect or if the pills actually worked. I would soon receive my answer as my consciousness grew fuzzy during my ethics class. Drowsy, I forced myself to try to stay focused, but it grew increasingly more difficult.
My drive home was a blur and I hurriedly showered at home before passing out in my bed.
I woke up at 2 AM, disorientated and stressed. I did not study. I did not brush my teeth or wash my face. I quickly performed my nighttime routine and looked at my notes for at most 10 minutes before passing out once again.
Walking into the testing room, I felt so unprepared for the test, but I ended up performing pretty well despite spending my time sleeping instead of studying.