Catching a cold or getting sick in college is inevitable. With the weather changing and being surrounded by other sick people, it becomes a chain reaction. First, your throat feels a bit weird and then the next thing you know, you’re congested and endlessly coughing. The hustle and bustle of school can have you forgetting to take care of yourself and get the much-needed rest. Pushing your body past its limits and getting stressed from school can cause you to be more prone to catching a cold. Here are some tips for navigating the common cold in college and preventing yourself from catching it!
Rest
Getting enough sleep and rest is one of the most obvious ways to recover from being sick. Although this can be more difficult in college with the need to keep up with classes and homework, it is essential to recover and build a strong immune system. Sleeping early, getting rest throughout the day and avoiding pushing your limits are simple ways that can immensely help your body to recover. Finding time to get your work done efficiently and not procrastinate will grant you time to properly care for yourself. Besides the need for sleep, going out less is essential to give your body proper rest. Pushing yourself past your limits can not only get you sick but also make your sickness worse. Being in bed helps your body to properly recover.
Medicine
One of the more common cold remedies is DayQuil and NyQuil. DayQuil is taken during the day, allowing you to take a medicine that will not slow you and your day down. NyQuil is typically taken at night before a night of sleep. These are both effective methods that not only help you to get through busy days but also be able to get a full night of good rest. While typically in liquid form, capsules are also sold for those who can’t stand the medicine-like taste.
Food and Drinks
With a sore throat, congestion and nausea, having comfort food and drinks is helpful in the recovery process. In terms of a sore throat, the best remedy is tea. A specific tea many sick people get to soothe the throat best is the “Medicine Ball” from Starbucks. It combines their Jade Mint Green Tea with their Peach Tranquility Herbal Tea as well as honey and lemonade. For those not wanting to go out and buy their tea, other helpful teas include citrus or ginger. For food, any hot soup is a perfect choice to help you feel better. For college students, having instant ramen is a great choice in easing the common cold. More specifically, a spicy hot soup will help battle annoying congestions that are difficult to eliminate.
Prevention
When the seasons start to change, allergies acting up and many people getting sick in classes, worry can start to build about catching a cold or any other viruses or bugs passing around. One particular method is drinking Emergen-C during these times. These powdered packets come in different flavors that are highly effective for building immunity when mixed with water. Another effective way to build a strong immune system is to take vitamins. Multivitamins are beneficial for giving the necessary nutrients that will keep you healthy and fill in any nutritional gaps. Taking care of one’s body is helpful in battling the high possibility of getting sick and staying healthy.
Contacting Professors and TAs
Besides the need to take care of yourself, you also want to avoid spreading your sickness to others. If the sickness is really serious and you can’t make it to a class that takes attendance, contacting your TA or professor keeps them updated on your condition. Sometimes this can also help to extend the deadline on assignments so you can get the necessary rest. However, it is important to note that some professors and TAs may not allow the extension unless under serious conditions.
Preventing the Spread
While the common cold does not spread so easily, it can still spread when put in close proximity to others. Avoid sharing drinks or food when you are sick to prevent spreading your germs to others. Washing your hands also helps to maintain good hygiene and prevent the spread of germs. Another common method to avoid spreading your sickness is to cover your mouth when you cough and sneeze. These are all common knowledge that should be practiced every day, but can sometimes be forgotten easily.
