Starting to Feel Under the Weather? Bounce Back!

April 3, 2012 | Author Amy Esselman

The weather is changing and getting a little warmer. Trees and leaves are blooming and looking great all over campus. But with all the beauty (and pollen) in the air, sinuses get in a tizzy and student’s internal systems go a little haywire. First it’s a cold, or a little tiny flu, and then you find yourself in a sneezing war, and a battle to get from your room to class without running into anything, or anyone who might make your eyes water, your nose run, or heaven forbid, your throat a little scratchy.

So what happens if you do catch a bug, or if you catch a cold right before midterms, or right after, when you’re back from your fun in the sun? Between classes, practice, and any extra clubs, you don’t want to be feeling under the weather—especially this time of year. Some classes are acceptable to miss. Shoot a quick email to the professor, or proclaim a it a “personal day”, but either way, it’s better to miss at the beginning of the semester, when things are fresh and make up days are both built in and frequent.

When you aren’t feeling great you have a couple of options. First, you can lay low. Hypothetically, you could skip class, lounge around, and will yourself better. It’s a tough call, but I’m willing to go out on a limb and say that probably won’t help! I find that when things aren’t going your way, and nothing seems to work, you have to keep on moving, and stick through a little frustration in order to kick start yourself back to feeling 100%.

I’m not saying a few naps won’t help, they definitely will. But stopping all movement, communication, and work, in my non-medically based opinion will actually do more harm than good. You want to motivate yourself, think positively, and eat well to get back on your feet.

Make sure you are eating right. I know we all like to skip breakfast every once and a while, but why? It’s the first meal of the day and could potentially take you from groggy to great in a few short bites. If you have a score throat, make tea. If you have a bit of a cold, grab some OJ before heading out the door, and make fruit your best friend for the next few days. Fruit is not only healthy but it feels bright and fun—that may seem odd, why does that matter?! Color won’t make me feel better! Well no, not exactly, but the color can perk you up, give you something yummy to snack on, and of course throw a few extra vitamins your way.

Also make sure to drink plenty of liquids. Orange juice and tea can be great to get you rolling but also try to drink plenty of water and stay hydrated. Most college sickness is a combination of stress, sleep deprivation, dehydration, and extreme closeness with other sick students around campus. Drink water, tea, orange juice, and really anything else that will get you feeling in tip-top shape again.

The final piece of advice is to get enough of sleep. Like I said before, college sickness comes and goes, and sometimes quick. The best way to beat it right off the bat is to make sure you are getting enough sleep. Don’t go out all the time, or save all your work for 5 minutes before you need to get in bed. Try to stick to a similar sleep pattern and not go to bed super late, or even sleep in super late! It will make you more tired and just prolong your iggy, sick feeling. Try to bounce back and tell keep active. Going for a run also works for me. In no time you should be feeling better.

Remember not to overdo it when you’re sick, and if it doesn’t get better, or you start feeling worse, visit the health center at your school. You can only try so much before you have to at least ask for a second opinion. But, for a common cold you should be good with a pack of tissues, tea, and a good attitude, but make sure to know the difference and don’t wear yourself out either way!

-Ring Queen

I’m reading Current Issues and Enduring Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking and Arguments

Tags: college life, health

Starting to Feel Under the Weather? Bounce Back!

Profile cancel