As a first-year student, one would think the most difficult part of your first semester would be the new courses or making friends. However, this is completely wrong. The greatest challenge is seeing how long you’re able to dodge the unavoidable spread of the freshman plague before your immune system collapses. Well, I have good news! The illness that rocks everyone’s world as they transition into a new era of their life cannot be avoided, only survived.
Stay Hydrated.
You would think this tip is pretty straight forward, yet so many people don’t drink a sustainable amount of water during the day. Do you know how much money your college has spent putting in those fancy water fountains? Me neither, but it’s probably a lot. Honestly though, invest some money in a Hydroflask, cover it in stickers, and make it a point to drink enough water that you have to refill it multiple times a day. This simple step works wonders for many other issues besides improving your overall health. Who doesn’t love clearer skin, improved digestion, and the need to pee all the time?
Get Some Rest.
Believe me, I understand how tempting it is to stay up until the wee hours of the morning with your new BFFs, chit-chatting away about the cute guys/girls you pass on your way to class every day. It’s easy to forget just how important is it to sleep for more than four hours per night. The adrenaline rush of the never-ending slumber party in your shoebox-sized dorm room will fade after you fall asleep during your first General Chemistry exam. So please, for the sake of your health and the sanity of your hallmates, go to sleep before two o’clock in the morning!
Call Your Parents.
Yes, I know calling your parents to tell them you got sick after they warned you time and time again to wash your hands before you eat feels like admitting defeat. Unfortunately, this is the burden one must endure if they wish to surpass the plague. Like the song from Disney’s Tangled, mother really does know best. Your parents are the reason you’ve survived this long, so the odds that they have some tricks to share for getting out of your sickly state are pretty great. Trust me on this one, take their advice. Even if it drains your bank account to invest in all of those new medicines and vitamins they recommended, it’s worth every penny.
Stop Sharing Everything.
When you’re in college, basically everything is communal. The bathrooms, the dining hall and sometimes even your bed (for sleepovers with friends only obviously). It’s totally okay to establish boundaries sometimes, even with your roommate. It’s okay to be selfish. Keep your toothbrushes and makeup to yourself, you’ll thank me later. Another major thing to avoid sharing (when possible) is saliva. Even if you see the most gorgeous human to ever grace the Earth and the stars align for you on one particular Saturday night, kissing them is so not worth it. Runny noses and other contagious symptoms? Never heard of her.
Know Your Limit.
One of the most prominent things I have seen since arriving here on campus is peer pressure. As much as I hate to say it, you all will experience it at one point or another throughout your college experience. This pressure plays its biggest role when the weekend rolls around. You can convince yourself all you want that you feel well enough to go out with your friends, but trust me, you don’t. There’s no harm in skipping your normal routine for one weekend and recover from an illness. Don’t fret, the parties will be there next weekend. Plus, no one wants to be that one freshman at the party who’s coughing and spreading germs all over the place. So if you’re exhausted and feeling a subconscious urge to have a night where you eat some takeout food and watch Gossip Girl, then do it.
So if you’re one of the many who fell prey to the freshman plague, good luck. My advice is to keep in mind that you’re not alone, there has to be someone who got you sick.