We’ve all been there- you wake up, throat sore, nose stuffy, and try to convince yourself that you aren’t sick. But let me tell you guys, the flu is real and it is HERE. Be afraid for your lives. My cautionary tale is as follows:
Day 1 and 2: Denial
Not only did I tell myself that I wasn’t sick, but I also actively campaigned for my body to power though it and went full speed with my normal routine. Note: this is a terrible idea. Would not recommend.
Day 3: The Reckoning
Woke up. Powered through my one class of the day, battling the shivers of a high fever in a classroom where everyone else was sweating. Booked it over to student health. Was forced to give up my last shred of dignity and wear a mask. The reckoning was not fun, but it was necessary, because, it brought me to…
Day 4: Acceptance
After emailing my professors and swearing off any attempts at maintaining my study schedule, I crawled into bed with about 12 water bottles, a big bag of goldfish, and Netflix. The next 24 hours were just a blur of naps and multiple seasons of Friends, clouded with the haze of heavy-duty decongestants. ‘Twas a wonderful time (save the insane body temperature fluctuations).
Day 5: The Emergence
After a full day of hibernation and way more Advil than is medically recommended, I woke up to a body temp of 97.1 (Side note: am I slowly freezing to death? Input is welcome and encouraged). Milking it for all I could, I stayed in bed hermit style until about 3 PM until I got up and GOT MY LIFE TOGETHER I’ve slayed this flu. *knock on wood*
WHAT I’VE LEARNED:
1) The flu shot was a sham. I endured the trauma of a needle stab for nothing.
2) Tamiflu, when you don’t have your prescription insurance card (thanks for sending me to college without that, Dad), is $150. This is absolute insanity.
3) Fluids y’all. FLUIDS.
4) Professors are actually really understanding sometimes if you’ve been diagnosed with a very contagious illness
And, finally…
5) USE ALL OF THE HAND SANITIZER. SAVE YOURSELVES BEFORE YOU, TOO, FALL TO THIS CRUEL BEAST.