1) The “Denial” Phase
“My throat is sore because I talked a lot yesterday.”
“I’m just really thirsty.”
“My allergies are totally acting up in this unseasonably warm autumn weather.”
Lies. These are all lies.
2) The “Acceptance” Phase
You’ve faced the fact that you are indeed getting sick. Now, you try to combat it by taking as many cold medications as possible – like Advil Cold & Sinus, the Neti Pot, Vicks, Buckley’s, Robitussin, Halls, etc. (I’m not the only one, right?)
3) The “Death is Upon Me” Phase
You start to realize you’ve taken it for granted every time you could breathe through your nose. Eating is a nightmare. Will this cough ever end?! You wish you were snuggled up on the couch with Netflix and a box of Kleenex, but it’s midterm season, so instead you’re stuck in lectures and trying not to gross out your classmates.
4) The “I Can See the Light at the End of the Tunnel” Phase
Your cough has subsided and you can sort of breathe through one nostril for most of the day. You realize you may have been slightly melodramatic about your condition over the past few days.
5) The “Basically Cured” Phase
The sun is shining and you feel almost healthy. You tell yourself it really wasn’t all that bad and you’re totally ready for the next round of midterms (see Phase 1) Denial).