Focus on jar of honey, lemon, mug, with sick woman in bed in blurred background

Sniffles and Strep: How to Survive Sick Days in College

No one likes being sick in college. You miss class, and there's no one on campus to even take care of you. Here's how to survive those rough sick days.

We all know when you have a room full of 18–30 small children whose immune systems are developing as slowly as their notion to cover their mouths when they cough, everyone gets sick. That’s why your friends majoring in Elementary Education always carry around disinfectant and wash their hands every five minutes. College is pretty much the same. Yes, most people know how to use tissues now, but students are packed into tight living spaces and lecture halls with desks that get cleaned maybe twice a year. Then there’s the “Mom isn’t here” issue that famously leads to staying up until all hours because Mom isn’t around to say that’s a bad idea.

On top of that, moving shocks your immune system because of all the different microbes floating around. With some students moving as far as across the whole country for school and dealing with airports—a whole new level of petri dish­—getting sick at college is as common as breathing. So how do you deal with it? Grab your Nyquil and Airborne and settle in for a quick college sick day rundown. Note: we’re talking physically ill sick, not day-after-a-big-party “sick.”

Don’t go to class

Missing class is undesirable because you might miss something important. But if you’re sick enough that you can barely get out of bed, let alone walk to class and actively participate, you’re better off missing it. It’s an easy way to infect everyone in your class, who won’t appreciate it. A couple of good qualifiers: if you have a fever or need a nap after walking from your bed to the bathroom, don’t go to class.

Talk to your professor

When you realize you’re too sick to go to class, email your professor immediately. Let them know you’re feeling under the weather and ask them if they can send you the PowerPoint or other material they’re going to cover in class. If something is going around campus, the professor will likely already know and appreciate you keeping it to yourself. Be aware of the class attendance policy (if there is one), and be prepared to show a doctor’s note at the next class. By the way…

Related: Important Academic Do's and Don'ts to Help Sick Students Keep Up

Go to the doctor

Once more for the people in the back: Go to the doctor. Or the school nurse, or the closest urgent care center. Especially if your symptoms include sore throat, fever, and/or swollen glands—go to the doctor. Those are all common symptoms of the flu, mono, and strep throat, which all run rampant on college campuses. They’re all super contagious and super unpleasant. College health services have seen it all, so your first step should be to call them up and ask for an appointment. Even better is that they often have antibiotics on hand, so they can fill prescriptions in-house instead of having you drag yourself to a pharmacy.

Keep it clean

Yes, you’re sick and your nose is stuffy. But those tissues need to make it into a trash bin, especially if you have a roommate, because they will hate you for getting them sick. You should have disinfecting wipes for general cleaning up, but make sure you use them on things that you both touch like the doorknob and TV remote. When you start feeling better, put your sheets through the wash so those germs aren’t hanging around. And take out the trash so all those used tissues go where they belong.

Sleep

The reason you’re not going to class is so you can recuperate, and you can’t do that if you don’t sleep. Wrap yourself up in your blankets and spend the day resting. Remember back in high school how you’d watch daytime television between naps when you had to stay home from school sick? Do that now and hunker down in your dorm. And don’t forget to hydrate! Drinking water is important in everyday life, but especially when you’re sick.

Related: Top Sleep Hygiene Advice for Tired Students

Parting advice

No one wants to be sick at college—you miss class, you miss the outdoors, you miss breathing without the scent of Visine. The #1 thing is to get your flu shot as soon as it’s available. If you don’t have a doctor in the area, many pharmacies have them available and most insurance companies cover the total cost. Your school may also host a free clinic for flu shots. And if you don’t like needles, see where the nasal spray version is available. Additionally, be sure to:

  • Eat healthy foods—veggies, fruits, proteins—and make sure you get plenty of vitamin C (think citrus) and antioxidants (think berries).
  • Get six to eight hours of sleep a night.
  • Take immune supplements before and after you travel through airports or train and bus stations.
  • Clean off gym equipment before and after you use it.
  • Wear flip-flops or shower shoes if you share a bathroom with the whole floor.
  • Sharing is caring, but don’t share drinks and things because of germs.
  • Wash your hands thoroughly and often!

These are all easy to incorporate into your daily life and ensure that you avoid whatever current plague is raging across campus as much as possible.

For more advice on surviving college life and staying healthy in both mind and body, check out our Student Life section.

Like what you’re reading?

Join the CollegeXpress community! Create a free account and we’ll notify you about new articles, scholarship deadlines, and more.

Join Now

Tags:

About Kara E. Joyce

Kara E. Joyce is an editor and writer who frequently contributes to CollegeXpress. When she isn’t hunched over editing material, you can find her powerlifting in the gym, pirouetting in a dance studio, or planning her next adventure.

 

Join our community of
over 5 million students!

CollegeXpress has everything you need to simplify your college search, get connected to schools, and find your perfect fit.

Join CollegeXpress

College Quick Connect

Swipe right to request information.
Swipe left if you're not interested.

Fort Hays State University

Hays, KS


Joycelyn

Joycelyn

High School Class of 2023

I’m currently a college freshman attending Towson University. My major is Information Technology, and I plan to minor in Electronic Media & Film to achieve my goal of becoming a production engineer. Upon graduating high school earlier this year, I was awarded a $5,000 scholarship from CollegeXpress, which greatly assisted in paying my tuition. Truthfully, this financial reward was the difference in affording my room and board and tuition, along with other expenses for school. My family and I haven’t stopped celebrating my award since it was bestowed on me. I will never forget this opportunity for allowing me to get my foot into my university financially.

Heather McCarty

Heather McCarty

High School Class of 2020

CollegeXpress has helped me with the college application process. The tips and tricks for important essays were so helpful. I also gained useful knowledge about college life. Even though I’m fully online, CollegeXpress has helped me develop a sense of how college is in person. The experiences from college students that were featured on their Instagram page have shown the good, the bad, and the “secret” life on campus from a reliable perspective. Not to mention, they relieved my feelings of anxiety about the workload. I can now understand how it can be stressful, but it takes self-control and willpower to get assignments completed on time and with quality.

Kyla McClain

Kyla McClain

High School Class of 2024

I found CollegeXpress when you partnered with Bold.org for a scholarship. I found your website, put my information in, and got connected. I only wanted to stay in North Carolina [for college] and not move far from home, but you all opened a door up for me. I started researching colleges you suggested for me. On your social media platforms, you also give really good test-taking tips that I used and suggested others to do the same. It helped me a lot on my exams, so thank you.

Bri'Yana Brown-Dunn

Bri'Yana Brown-Dunn

High School Class of 2022

CollegeXpress helped me gain interest in many colleges/universities and many scholarships. I would say the most helpful thing CollegeXpress has done for me is sending me emails that tell me certain types of colleges are interested in me as well as emails about scholarships that I can look at and possibly apply for.

Kelly Nogueiro

Kelly Nogueiro

Counselor

For me, CollegeXpress has given me a valuable tool to use with my students to explore colleges easily beyond objective data. It helps me find colleges for students that fit their needs and wants that aren’t quite so black and white. It's a wealth of knowledge, and the Type-A side of me loves all the lists and the fact that I know they're coming from folks who know what they're talking about. I share it with colleagues and students alike, and it's always well received.