It's February. We are past the fun part of winter, in which the joys of the holiday season distract us from the bitter cold. Now, it is just unbearable. The polar vortex is alive and well across the United States, with temperatures so low that many colleges had to cancel class for several days. With this extreme weather comes the rapid spread of illnesses across college campuses. One day this week, I looked around and realized half my class was missing and it dawned on me-- it is "The Plague" season.

"The Plague" is a common term used at universities to describe a phenomenon that takes place between January and February every year when it is practically unavoidable to get sick. Especially if you live in a dormitory with communal bathrooms, you need to be prepared. Some years it is the flu, others it is mono. So, if and when you do get sick, here are my suggestions for how to get better as fast as possible, because unless you are invincible, you will likely have to deal with this at some point in your college career.