I’m sure you’ve heard this is in the past:

Everyone gets sick while in the dorms. Everyone is spreading germs.

Well, I’ll tell you something… I didn’t get sick once in my first semester of college. I actually got sick when I went home.

Getting sick in college is a terrifying thought. You really don’t have the time to be sick. College isn’t very forgiving when it comes to being sick. It doesn’t slow down. It just keeps going, whether you are with it or not.

Why is getting sick in college super inconvenient?

1. Most classes require a doctor’s note for an excuse.
2. You still have to study.
3. You still have to take tests.
4. You don’t have mom to take care of you.

Being sick during the semester means that you have to take care of yourself (including going to get yourself medicine) and still powering through to make it to classes and get your studying done. So, you really don’t want to get sick.

I’m going to give you a quick guide on how to stay healthy during the semester, especially when everyone else around you is getting sick.

Invest in a good water bottle so you make sure to drink enough water. This was super helpful for me, especially since I changed altitudes.

Drinking water is one of the number one ways to stay healthy. Water obviously keeps you hydrated. Being dehydrated puts your body in the position to get sick easier, since it has a harder time fighting off germs.

You also get rid of toxins from your body when you are drinking water. Think of water as an easy and cheap cleansing treatment. The more water you drink, the more toxins you are able to get out of your system.

My roommate was sick 3 times in the semester, and I somehow didn’t get sick once. Part of the reason is that my roommate isn’t around very often, but the other reason is I make sure to clean.

Hand sanitizer can be your best friend. Think about all the things you touch throughout the day? Elevator buttons, door handles, desks, arms to chairs, etc. That’s a lot of places that hold the potential of spreading germs.

I definitely don’t recommend using hand sanitizer at all times, but I do recommend using it at least once a day. Especially if you are noticing a lot of people that are sick.

Eating good foods doesn’t just help you maintain weight or lost weight. It’s also helpful to keep you feeling good and strong. Eating good foods helps provide all the nutrients you need to get through the day and keep your body at the top of its game.

If you aren’t taking vitamins already, you probably should. If you don’t want to, then at least take them when others are getting sick.

Each time my roommate was sick, I made sure to take Emergen-C to keep myself healthy. It’s a great way to make sure your body has all the tools it needs to fight off bacteria and viruses.

I love my essential oils. I use them for just about anything. Head ache? Essential oils. Runny nose? Essential oils. Can’t sleep? Essential oils.

I have essential oils that help me concentrate while studying, sleep better, or even reduce breakouts. You can use your essential oils to help “cleanse” the air that you are breathing. Whether it actually works or not, it sure helps me.

Stop telling yourself that you don’t need 8 hours of sleep. Stop staying up to get homework done or watch another episode of Grey’s Anatomy or Black Mirror. You need your sleep.

Your body does so much while you are sleeping. So when you don’t get enough sleep, you are cutting all of those processes short. Especially if you are trying to fight off germs. Your body can’t function properly throughout the day if you aren’t getting the sleep it needs.

Instead of staying up to watch Netflix, limit yourself to one or two episodes a night, and set a bedtime and stick with it.

I know what you are thinking.

How am I supposed to fit in time to exercise when I have classes and homework and essays to write?? And I need to eat!

You fit the exercise into your everyday schedule. I ride a bike to all of my classes. It’s helped me to avoid the Freshman 15 and I’ve even lost a little weight because of it.

Exercise should be something that you incorporate into your everyday activities. Maybe when you take a study break, go on a walk. Do some calf raises while brushing your teeth. Take the stairs instead of the elevator when you can.

It doesn’t matter who it is. If they are sick, avoid contact with them. The more you are exposed to people who are sick, the more likely you are going to be sick with them.

If you do find yourself around people who are sick, limit the amount of contact you have with them. Ask them to cough and sneeze away from you. Avoid hugs or kisses or anything of that sort.

It’s your education. You don’t want to be sick while you are trying to be a boss lady.

If you do find yourself getting sick, the last thing you want to do is go to the store to get medicine.

Make sure to have medicine in your drawers ahead of time. When the slightest symptom of any sickness begins, start taking medicine so you can battle it. I always have Emergen-C in my drawers to take.

I hope you found this helpful! Last semester, I avoided the plague — and I was so happy to have avoided it. I’m hoping we can do the same next semester 😌

With flu season in full bloom, make sure you are taking care of yourself. Keep yourself hydrated and healthy!