I’m writing this snuggled under the covers with a thermometer in my mouth. I’ve come down with a sniffly, sneezing, coughing cold. This is the first time I’ve been sick away from home and it is scary and daunting. But I’ve been able to get through it. I wanted to share what helped me the most this cold season. *I’m in no way what-so-ever a doctor.
Tell a friend. It’s good to let a friends who is here in Boston know you are feeling under the weather for a couple of reasons. They will know why you’ve been MIA the past few hours and friends are good for checking up on you too. They might offer to help you. And by help I mean bring you soup and tissues from the store.
And tell your mom/dad/older/wiser. They will have solid advice that you may not have thought of like “Lay down if you’re dizzy, open the window if you’re feverish and take some cold medicine already, Abby!” Parents are also great at calming you down. I only have a simple cold, but in my mind I was sure I had a parasite and at least one broken bone. And I hadn’t even looked at WebMD yet. My parents helped me rationalize and realize that I just have a stuffy nose and I will get better so CALM DOWN.
Netflix. Part of why I was freaking out was because I was sitting in my room doing nothing but thinking about how I didn’t feel well. Netflix is a great distraction and will keep your mind from making your symptoms worse. You could also watch a ton of cute puppy videos on youtube. Or read for one your classes if you are feeling really ambitious. But don’t push yourself.
Tea. Hot tea not only feels good on a sore throat, but drinking fluids will help your immune system fight off what ever is making you sick. And, am I the only one that thinks making tea is fun and relaxing? Yes? Well, whether you are microwaving a mug of water in a MicroFridge or using a water boiler and loose tea, you are taking quiet time from studying or watching a movie to relax. The warmth from the hot tea is also very comforting regardless of if you are sick or not.
Rhetty to go meals. BU Dining has a great program called Rhetty-To-Go Meals. You can order them the day before online for breakfast lunch or dinner if you know you won’t have time to sit down and eat or you will be off campus during a meal. Then you pick them up the next day. BU Dining also has a Flu meal option. The website also encourages you to have a Flu Buddy to pick up your meal and numbers for the Residence life office if you need help finding a Flu Buddy. They also have menus picked out by Student Health Services specifically for certain symptoms.
http://www.bu.edu/dining/where-to-eat/things-to-know/rhetty-to-go/rhetty-to-go-flu-meals/
SHS numbers. Of course Student Health Services is always there for you too. If they aren’t open then you can talk to a nurse 24 hours a day and if you need to see someone they can direct you to another doctor. http://www.bu.edu/shs/
