Categories: Archives

Dose of home perfect cure for flu

Fall semester is nearing its end. We all know that, right?

Thanksgiving, Christmas, New… Fall semester is nearing its end. We all know that, right?

Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s. The holiday season is coming, but with it comes another season that spreads misery instead of joy among college students – flu season.

Last year, I had it over spring break. The year before, when I lived in Sutherland Hall, my roommate and I had it one week after another in February. I know that those months seem a long ways off now, but trust me, the flu doesn’t care what month it is.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu season can begin as early as October and last as late as May. Luckily, the CDC has had no flu activity reported in Pennsylvania as of Nov. 3, so it looks like we’re in the clear for now.

The flu is tricky though. One day in one class a single person has the sniffles. A few days later, a third of the class is absent, and another third has tissues piled on their desks. The flu can act fast, and if you are anything like me, you won’t be ready for it.

Freshman year, my roommate and I had been completely unprepared for the morning when she woke up with a fever. The flu had caught both of us by surprise. We had no thermometer, no medicine, no soup. I even think we were out of tissues. Since then, I’ve learned a few things about surviving the flu as a college student.

Keep the cupboard stocked with soup, noodles, tea and jello. There is nothing worse than being sick and having nothing to eat. We’ve all had our parents rush out to buy these foods at the first sign of sickness, but now, in college, no parent is around to make this grocery run. Rather than dragging a feverish body to the Giant Eagle in a few months, do your shopping now. These foods will keep until you need them, and they are simple enough to cook within the limitations of dorm room appliances.

Other useful supplies to assemble are more medicinal in nature. As students, our medicine cabinets, naturally, are equipped with over-the-counter remedies for stress headaches, upset stomachs and the like, but I’ve found that these pills and liquids provide little relief from the general aches, irritationsand melancholy of the flu.

Sure, enough Nyquil can put a sick person to sleep, but personally, I can’t sleep away 24, 48, 72 hours waiting for recovery. Instead, I rely on a humidifier full of Vicks vapor rub to make the air in my apartment breathable – I was never a fan of putting that greasy stuff on my chest. For stomach aches, I use a heating pad, and to alleviate the general unhappiness of being sick

Pitt News Staff

Share
Published by
Pitt News Staff

Recent Posts

From Pop to Personal // It’s a bird, it’s a plane — it’s Timothée Chalamet?!

On this edition of From Pop to Personal, staff writer Ashley O’Doherty talks about the…

59 mins ago

Fully Booked | Start and End the Day With a Book

In this edition of Fully Booked, staff writer Evin Verbrugge talks about the routine of…

1 hour ago

Who Asked? // What comes next post-election?

This installment of Who Asked? by staff writer Brynn Murawski suggests a path forward for…

1 hour ago

Panthers on Politics // Disinformation in Politics

In this episode of Panthers on Politics, Ruby and Piper interview Professor Lara Putnam from…

1 hour ago

Overcrowding, waste buildup still causing rat infestation on Chesterfield Street

The concentrated rat infestation on Chesterfield Street in West Oakland remains a persistent issue for…

4 hours ago

Panther Hollow Bridge closes as City continues efforts to maintain bridge safety

The Panther Hollow Bridge in Oakland closed for maintenance on Oct 19. The closure, followed…

5 hours ago