HEY THERE, FLU SEASON! You’re already here and guess what, you are not welcome. Like at all! As anyone in college knows, this time of the season can be a major buzzkill. Not only are you battling the soon-to-start exams blues, but you are surrounded by people who can easily pass along their contagious illness to everyone in their path. There are people sneezing, coughing and basically hacking a lung out in the third row of Sociology and you are sitting there like dude please save us all and stay in with chicken noodle soup and Netflix. The problem is that you can’t really skip class because of the common cold. There are a few things you can do to make sure you’re the smart, savvy, proactive and HEALTHY college student you were born to be!

In your room:

Don’t wash your dishes over the small sink in your room where you brush your teeth. Doing that would put you at the risk for a strain of the norovirus that WILL have you in the bathroom for quiiiiite awhile! NOT FUN.

Don’t share towels. Just don’t. DO NOT.

Create a stash of essentials. Everything from powdered vitamin C to ibuprofen and yogurt. Make sure you are stocked up on Kleenex! Get the Kleenex Lotion Tissues, if you are ready to do the extra. Being sick sucks and you feel like you’re suffering from a plaque of snot, yuck and blah. You deserve some luxury tissues!

In the dining hall:

Don’t share. Glasses, water bottles, utensils-you name it.

Wash your hands anytime you are near a restroom. The sandwich line might be huge but your hands don’t have to be!

Whenever, wherever:

Avoid your besties when they are sick. I get that you are her best friend ever but you do not want to catch what she has if it is contagious.

Get green on your plate. Greens are good for you so embrace it just like you embrace No Shave November-ha!

Sleep. The 8 hour ZZZs strengthen your immune system so make sure you are getting those in!