How do I deal with being sick?

Claire 

Being sick sucks, and getting sick in college only makes it worse. This past week, I got sick and was once again reminded of how horrible it is to go through classes while feeling under the weather. The hardest thing about getting sick away from home is you no longer have anyone to take you to the doctor or bring you cold medicine, but those things are still just as important to you feeling better. 

It can be a tricky learning curve, but once you learn how to take care of yourself when you’re sick, everything will be much easier. First, try to figure out what your body needs. For small colds, you can try a neti pot, aspirin, a saltwater gargle, and tea. If your symptoms are more serious, you can always stop by the Stevens Wellness Center for free. We can all agree that calling Health Services is the last thing you want to do when you aren’t feeling your best, but I can guarantee that they will be helpful and can put you in the right direction to feeling better.

In terms of classes, I would recommend trying to go to as many as you can. Right now, with finals approaching and final projects closing in, you might regret taking time off and falling behind. However, if you do go to class, make sure you are wearing a mask and using plenty of hand sanitizer to avoid getting anyone else sick. You could also request a recording from your professor or notes from one of your classmates. 

Ethan

Aw poor baby, you probably got sick partying a little too hard with all of your alcoholic friends. If you are wondering how to get better, I am the best person to ask. If we were in the military of sickness, I would be a four-star general. After years of service, I have been managing different kinds of illnesses and I can be your personal WebMD. 

My first question back to you is why you didn’t use WebMD or go to the health center but I am going to hope this question was sent preemptively. If the advice column was the first person you went to when facing illness away from home for the first time, I think you need to reevaluate the chain of command. But if you get sick and the problem doesn’t fix itself within the first 3-6 days, you should go to the doctor. So many people get sick and avoid getting help at any cost, you would think they were trying to get themselves killed with the effort they put into avoiding medical help. So if you are one of those people, I wish you the worst and recommend you stop reading here. 

If you are willing to go to the doctor, my advice is to do that. The internet will tell you the same thing and the internet has never lied to me in my times of need. I hope your illness works itself out and you don’t need medical attention but I would recommend bracing for the worst. Good luck and get well soon!