"It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye!" This line has been the buzz-kill, fun-finisher and thrill-thwarter catchphrase of moms since the beginning of time- and while the typical kid reaction was the "oh my god mom stop" eye roll, it really made us think twice before executing our next stupid idea. About one month into college, I realized that basically, the same rule applies here. It's really all fun and games until someone loses an eye, or you wake up with mysterious puss oozing out of your eye and without mom there to help you, the only logical conclusion you can come to is that you're going to lose your eye. Being sick for the first time living on your own can be scary, especially when there's no one there heckling you to stay on top of your health; however, if you really want to excel and have an enjoyable college experience, maintaining good health is essential. Here are some tips, coming from a girl who has spent the past week bedridden with mono, on how to survive your first bout of illness and maintain good health without your mom at your beck and call.

1. Load up on over-the-counters

Basically, Nyquil is your best friend. Whenever you're feeling stuffy, sneezy or all around just not good, Nyquil will knock you right on your butt and make sure you won't be adding lack of sleep to your list of 99 problems. Others like decongestants and allergy medicines are great for common cold symptoms too, and having a solid supply of ibuprofen and cough drops never hurt anyone. Having an arsenal of over the counter medicines in your corner goes a long way to ward off any minor cold or flu symptoms before they snowball into something unmanageable (like mono).

2. Stay hydrated

It's super easy to get caught up in all the homework and tests and essays, but if you're not hydrated, you'll be feeling less than ready to tackle the Mount Everest of work you get on a daily basis. Also no matter what you're sick with, the first medicine you need to recover is water. Be sure to carry a water bottle with you everywhere and keep replenishing your body's supply of essential fuel!

3. DON'T SHARE DRINKS!

I really cannot stress this one enough. No matter how hard it is to refuse to "slap the bag" or take a turn on the funnel when you're trying to defend your liver's honor in front of all your new pals, a simple "nah I'm good" could save your tonsils from weeks of agonizing inflammation. It's no secret that the majority of viruses and bacteria (LIKE MONO) can be spread through saliva, so sharing drinks was never a good idea. Even if you're just sharing with your friends, they could be carrying a virus or bacteria they don't even know about yet. And if you're the sick one, you don't want to end up being "that guy" that drags everyone else down with them.

4. Talk to your mom

From aches and pains to sniffles and sneezes, your mom will know the perfect antidote 11/10 times. Even if all the advice she can give you is "go to the doctor", talking to your mom can be super comforting. And if your mom's anything like my mom, she'll do anything possible in her power to make you feel better, which could be sending you a care package with 20+ different types of soups. My mother also offered my friends money to basically be my maid until I felt better, which brings me to my next point.

5. Be a good friend

It's super important to not only have good friends, but be a good one too. If your friend isn't feeling too hot, offer to bring them soup or ice cream. It becomes a cycle, so if you help out your friends when they're sick, they'll risk entering your germ infested dorm to help you out too. If you're lucky enough, you'll even have your friends volunteer to be your stand in mom while you're sick.

6. Get plenty of rest

Getting an acceptable amount of sleep in college is about as rare as seeing a beluga whale in the Gulf, but if you're sick, your body needs rest to heal. This could mean a little less procrastinating during the day or it could mean missing a few classes to catch up on sleep. Unlike in high school, it's not the end of the world if you miss a day of class, especially since most professors post their lecture notes online somewhere. This also could mean staying in for a weekend or two instead of going out and partying. I think it's safe to say a solid 80% of college kids are carrying some sort of sickness in their first semester of college, and bars and frat parties are just a cesspool of germs. If you're trying to fight off something already, the last thing you want is to pack another symptom onto the pile.

7. Keep a positive attitude

While being sick really sucks, especially when you don't have your mom taking care of you like usual, having a negative outlook will only make things worse. Instead, keep your head up and take on this challenge like an adult (which you technically are now). It's easy to curl up in a ball and wallow in self-pity, but keep in mind that you are going to get better soon. And when you do, be extra cautious about your health so that you don't have to deal with this kind of setback again anytime soon.