Last year's H1N1 scare was enough to make any college campus go crazy. Solitary confinement was the new black, students were dropping like flies, and everyone was expecting the apocalypse. While everyone was hand−sanitizing and vaccinating, school health authorities were frantically implementing an all−time high number of precautionary measures. You couldn't walk within 100 feet of the Health Service building without being blinded by signs warning you, "Wear this mask if you have a cough."
The line for a walk−in appointment was ridiculous — whether they were sick or not, people were ready and willing to use the outbreak as an excuse to cut class. Although flu shots have stepped it up and protect against H1N1 this year, here are a few tips to make the flu season more manageable.
1. Get a flu shot. It sounds simple, but for whatever reason, people are truly at their laziest from matriculation to graduation. Without any immediate benefit, why wander out of a warm room for a flu vaccine, only to have to wait in line like a herd of sheep when you could be watching every season of "How I Met Your Mother"? Even though it sucks to have to plan a time to go and the administering clinicians never explain why being allergic to eggs matters — which, if you start to ask questions, is kind of creepy — your immune system will thank you later.
2. Be understanding of roommates. Of course it's annoying when your roommate is coughing away in his or her sleep while you stare wide−eyed at the ceiling, wondering how someone can sleep through what sounds like his or her own seizure. What's important to remember, though, is that they are suffering equally — it may look like they're sound asleep, but a night's worth of coughing does not a sound sleep make. So long as the germs stay with him and he covers his mouth, you've already won. You should be sure to keep antibacterial soap or gel on hand to keep germs at bay, since rooms and houses retain them. If the noise gets too bad, you can always try earplugs or an iPod, or just go old school and use your pillow.
3. Try to get enough sleep. I realize that when you are in the middle of classes, you can't exactly just stop doing work because you want to sleep. However, a few nights of peaceful slumber make a huge difference. The best way to do this is to prioritize; be efficient during the day on weekdays and weekends so you can rest on weeknights and do fun activities on weekend nights. If you manage to accomplish your tasks and score a few nights of quality sleep, you won't be the most hated audience member at "The Social Network" the following Saturday — theater crowds are grumpy when you violate the whole "silence is golden" thing. Go figure.
With the impending low temperatures, sickness is just around the corner. If you haven't experienced illness yet this season, it's most likely only a matter of time. So long as you plan ahead with a vaccination, are understanding — but cautious — toward sick friends and stay ahead on sleep, sickness won't keep you down for too long. Remember all the age−old precautions that mom told you: Cough into your elbow, don't share cups, etc. There's nothing fun about being sick, and unfortunately, the "my H1N1 made me do it" excuse probably won't hold up this year. However, if used sparingly, the occasional sick day can revolutionize the excruciatingly long — and fast−approaching — winter months.
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Anna Christian is a junior majoring in psychology. She can be reached at Anna.Christian@tufts.edu.
