Article by Lexi Baysinger. Media by James Menk.
As everyone knows, winter is coming. Gone are the days of laying outside on Scott field with the sun shining down. Now the days will get shorter and snow will start to drift down from the sky. Along with snow and darker days, the winter brings along sickness, namely colds and flus. As that time draws closer, it’s important to know how to combat the viruses that threaten to take over Greenville College.
Take Personal Care Seriously
Yes, everyone knows that it’s important to take care of themselves. Make sure to shower daily, brush your teeth, and wash up when finished in the bathroom. Now more than ever it is important to listen to the advice that parents give their children throughout the years. Colds and flus travel best through contact and if people don’t take care of themselves, they will become a great transporter for viruses.
Drink Vitamin C
Don’t misunderstand this, it does not mean drink orange juice. Let’s repeat that, orange juice is not the only source of vitamin C in the world, no matter what your friends say. There are many other kinds of juice, or even food, that people can consume in order to get the right amount of vitamin C to boost the immune system and attack viruses. While getting sick may seem like a great way to get out of class, staying in bed all day alone coughing up a lung isn’t worth it. Take a trip to IGA or CVS and check out the alternatives that they have to orange juice, especially if the thought of drinking orange juice triggers the gag reflex.
Rest
As more and more college students pile on work and extracurricular activities into their lives, resting becomes a laughing matter. Between sports, work, classes, and homework, the idea of sleep seems like a foreign concept. But it is important for the body to have some time to recharge. The less a person sleeps, the more likely that they will become sick or stay sick longer. Rest doesn’t necessarily mean sleeping, rest can just mean taking a break and watching a movie instead of stressing about everything that has to be accomplished.
Stay Away from Sick Friends
This is very important. While it doesn’t mean leave your friends all alone to fend for themselves when they are sick, try not to spend too much time with them. Everyone wants to help their friends get better, but people also need to think about themselves. They can’t help their friends if they get sick themselves. Take friends a care package, sit with them for a few minutes, maybe watch a movie with them, but as soon as you leave their company make sure to wash your hands and probably anything else that came in contact with them.
Don’t Live in a Dorm
For most of the campus, this will be hard to follow. Sorry to say that most of the student population is doomed to experience a plague inside the walls of their residence. Dorms seem to be a breeding ground for germs and when the cold season hits, they are a dangerous place to be; especially Burritt, where most of the female population of the school lives. Burritt has the unfortunate habit of contaminating every girl that resides there, and not all of them will get the virus, but all of them will become carriers.
So as the year moves away from the pumpkin spice fall, and towards the red velvet winter, take care. Viruses come up quick and sneaky and can take anyone they choose. Take precautions now and stock up on the vitamin C, blankets, and movies. On the off chance that someone does get sick, it is much better to be prepared than to scramble for supplies after they become sick.
