We have all been there, everyone at least one time or another has had to deal with the inevitable sickness that arises from being surrounded by people in a small area. Being sick at any point is never fun, but trying to juggle classes, work, homework, friends, and the general requirements of life seem to make it so much more difficult. And not having your parents there to dote on you like you did when you were sick in elementary school makes the experience so much worse. Here are the stages of being sick at college.

Stage 1: The Denial

You begin the semester telling yourself that you are invincible to all germs and illness. Sure, you are human but it never crosses your mind that you will actually get sick. After all, your busy schedule doesn’t include any sick time.

Stage 2: The Beginning

Out of nowhere, something starts to brew. Maybe it’s the faintest tickle of a sore throat, or a cough and sneeze here or there. Sure, maybe all of your roommates and friends are sick, but this is probably just allergies. You are not convinced of any illness.

Stage 3: The Functioning Stage

There is no more denying it, you are sick. Yet, your days can’t stop just because you’re struggling through a cold. So you pack your bag full with tissues and cough drops, swallow a dose of cold medicine, and go on with your life. In this stage, you go through class, work, and even some fun times with friends, with only mild struggles.

Stage 4: The Walking Dead Phase

This is the point in your illness when you feel like a creature of the undead, walking around but barely functioning. You live off a steady diet of soup and cough medicine and you become “that kid” in all your classes, the one who everyone will shoot dirty looks at and blame later on when they are sick. Morale is low at this point, very low. If you can make it out of bed and function, you deserve a gold medal.

Stage 5: The Hopelessness Phase

It feels like it has been weeks and weeks of sneezing and struggling, but somehow this suffering will not subside. Everyone around you keeps saying things like “wow, you are still sick” and “you should go to the doctor.” At this point, you are often miserable and can’t wait until the day you feel better.

Stage 6: The Slow Recovery

Finally, you start feeling better. The coughing becomes less frequent. Your trash is no longer stuffed with used medications and tissues. You can actually sleep through the night and think clearly for the first time in an eternity. This is bliss, and you promise yourself you will never let this happen again.

Stage 7: The Healthy Stage

This is when you go back to your normal college routine of late nights, less than healthy choices and an overall lack of acknowledgment that you were ever once sick. Now that you are healthy, you take it for granted. Until the next cold rolls around…