Staying Healthy While Living at Southern

Satying healthy at school is a lot harder than you might think, and trust me blowing off your health and not doing anything to prevent yourself from getting sick will lead to a sick, miserable you! Two weeks ago at the end of the week, one of my roomates became very sick, after a couple of days she went to the health center and saw a doctor there who ran several tests on her. We later on found out that she had strep throat and a cold. I was constantly washing my hands, using purell on my hands, trying to avoid touching door handles, buttons, doors, and disinfecting anything that my roomates touch and all of my belongings in general. I also take a 1000mg vitamin-c supplement everyday along with my usual glass of orange juice. I have gotten strep throat once a year, every year for the past 6 years and I would love to say that this year was different, but unfortunately the germs got me that weekend and I found out that I did indeed have strep throat, I got a perscription from my doctor and am all cured now. Luckily, unlike my roomate, I got sick over the weekend and had time to recover, but she got sick during the week and could not go to class for 24 hours after she took her first pill. I think the things I was doing while my roomate was sick were all great, and I still keep up with those habits, but I also found out some more helpful tips on how to prevent yourself from becoming sick, such as: eating a healthy vitamin-rich diet, humidifying dry air during the cold and flu season, use tissues - not cloth hankerchiefs, expand your circle of friends to be larger to give yourself more resistance to illness, do not share towels, utensils, or toothbrushes (yuck!), and consider getting a flu shot - I got mine last week at the women's health and flu shot clinic in the Adanti Student Center! I also found out what you can do when you have a cold or flu to help yourself get better quicklier: drink fluids (lots of them!), humidify your environment, get a lot of rest, help your breathing by propping yourself up on pillows, cough and blow your nose often, gargle salt water, do not take antibiotics for a cold/flu, and take an over the counter remedy. I stopped by the health office, picked up pamphlets and got all this helpful information, I suggest everyone do the same! Also call and schedule an appointment to get yourself a flu shot - they are free for students on the student health plan, and $15 if you are not which is still cheaper than most other places you will go.