If you’ve noticed that your class size has dwindled lately, that your professor can’t lecture without being interrupted by an orchestra of sneezing and coughing, or that the trashcans in your dorm are filled to the brim with crumpled up tissues, you’re not crazy. It’s just Krud season.
The Kenyon Krud is a mysterious viral disease that plagues the campus every year between late September and all of October. The origins of the Krud remain an enigma, but almost every Kenyon student feels its flu-like symptoms during the fall semester.
The spread of disease is inevitable at a small school like Kenyon, but avoidance is possible. This doesn’t mean that you have to quarantine yourself in your dorm room until the first snowfall, but it just means that you have to be careful. Always wash your hands and avoid those who were sneezing particularly loudly during class. I like to make a game with myself out of staying hygienic; I carry a small dispenser of Purell in my backpack, and whenever I hear somebody even mention the Krud, I pull out the dispenser and slather my palms.
If Krud evasion doesn’t work and you do end up catching it, make sure that you let your roommate(s) know as soon as you fall ill. That way they can take proper avoidance precautions. Email your professors to let them know that you may be a little late with homework assignments, and know that some professors will be more understanding of your situation than others. Because a Krud diagnosis does not count as an excused absence, it may be in your best interest to go to class, even if it makes you that kid interrupting the professor with your violent sneezing. Of course, make the decision based on what feels right for you; if your symptoms keep you bedridden, then don’t force yourself to do anything that you don’t have the strength for.
If you feel like you need to go to the health center, make sure that you schedule an appointment beforehand. This is one of the busiest times of the year at the health center, and walk-ins are almost never seen right away. That being said, because the Krud is viral, there is not much that the nurses can do for you except give you some tender loving care and some cough drops. They’ll tell you to rest up and to drink fluids, and then send you on your way.
Keep your room stocked with all of the necessary supplies like plenty of tissues and Vitamin-C laden drinks. Eat your favorite snacks; if you’re sick, you’re allowed to indulge on chocolate and chips.
The Kenyon Krud is definitely cruddy, but if you take care of yourself and let the disease run its course, then you’ll emerge relatively unscathed.