When you’re in close quarters with a ton of people, germs are literally everywhere. People get sick in college often and this time, mom isn’t there to make you soup and give you medicine. The solution? No, it’s not to make your mom come up to college or to make the trek home. The solution is to avoid getting sick in the first place!
Having gotten sick only twice during Freshman year despite having a roommate who was sick on a biweekly basis, I’d like to share some tips for how to avoid getting sick in college!
1.) Get a lot of Vitamin C!
I swore by drinking Orange Juice at least once a day during the school year. After my Chemistry teacher in 7th grade told us to drink Orange Juice when we were feeling a little ill because the Vitamin C helped us feel better, I ingrained it in my brain. It was the only thing I retained from 7th grade Chem (Oops!) but I swear by it! If you’re not crazy about Orange Juice, try drinking those Emerge C powder packets mixed in water. Supposedly they boost your immune system. It can’t hurt!
2.) Disinfect EVERYTHING.
When my roommate was sick, I went super clean freak. I used Clorox Disinfecting wipes on the door knob, TV remote, mini fridge handle, etc. Kill alllll of the germs! This also goes for your school’s gym or library–I’m not telling you to whip out disinfecting wipes in the middle of the library, but do use hand sanitizer and avoid touching your face (especially your mouth) after touching equipment or anything many people have touched. Most college fitness centers have spray disinfectant and paper towels that you should use before and after your workouts!
3.) Stop sharing drinks/food/etc.
Be a little selfish or get your own, seriously! Sharing food and drinks or even kisses is the quickest way to get sick. Whether your friend is sick or not, be cautious when sharing foods and drinks to avoid getting sick.
4.) Get a lot of sleep.
Lack of sleep is really not good for your immune system. In order to keep your immune system at the best level it can be, swap out those extra Netflix episodes with an extra hour or two of sleep. I think sleep is the key to avoid getting sick in college, seriously. No college kid gets enough of it!
5.) Use hand sanitizer.
This should go without saying. Keep all of those Bath & Body Works cute lil Pocket Bacs that you hoarded with you all of the time. Encourage your friends to use them, too, combat all of the germs. It sounds a little bit overboard, but no one ever says no to using a lovely smelling germ killer, do they? Use them after opening doors, commuting anywhere (especially if in NYC), shaking someone’s hand, etc.
Those are my 5 tips on how to avoid getting sick in college! Do you have any tips on avoiding getting sick to share?
