Its mid/late January now, the sun is starting to stay out later, and it's starting to feel a bit warmer, but one part of winter that has frustratingly been carried forward through to the new year has been flu season.
I was struck down with the flu just before Christmas, miraculously recovering on the night of Christmas Eve, and I am currently writing this with a box full of tissues next to me as I have yet another cold, lucky me! Sickness at uni is something nobody warned me about, well, I had heard the tales of freshers' flu (and boy did that hit me hard) but nobody talked about the feeling of sitting in a lecture theatre, not being able to think at all and having to blow your nose every two seconds, I've never felt more disgusting, slimy and sweaty than the past few days, but hey I'm on the mend now, and I've got a few tips on how to survive.
(Artistic representation - this is not me :) )
Tip 1: DRINK DRINK DRINK
Calm down student, not like that. Actually - on that note - don't drink alcohol, from experience, you will throw up and you will feel worse.
I'm talking water, tea, lemon and honey, all the things your mum would say to drink when you were sick, she was right, listen to her! Not only do all of them help soothe your pains and make you feel a bit better, they also have that added benefit of reminding you of the comforts of your family and your family home, I know this won't be something everyone wants but for me that's what really helps me get better.
Tip 2: Chill Out!
I know this one sounds obvious but I can't stress how important it is to... not stress. I am TERRIBLE with this step, but do as i say not what i do. You need to rest, your body is literally fighting a war inside you, take a step off the gas, get a hot water bottle and stick your comfort show on, it's okay to take a day or two off, it's gonna help you recover way faster than if you were trying to go a million miles per hour and do everything you'd do when you were fit and healthy. For me, I haven't gone to the gym today, but I hate not doing anything active at all so i replaced it with a small walk, find an alternative and do that instead! Don't stress yourself out, and don't put your body under stress, chill out!
Tip 3: Keep your Hygiene Standards High!
This one is super important. Obviously, you need to be keeping yourself clean in order to not spread the sickness, but there's also the feeling of being clean that I miss so dearly when I'm sick. I have pretty long curtains (hair) so whenever I'm sick they can get pretty gross with me constantly sneezing and my running, but I also just feel/notice everything way more so it's almost as if my own hair is scratching my cheeks. The solution? A nice hot shower, it makes everything feel, smell and look better. Staying clean is in my opinion the most important part of recovery.