It’s been a week since I’ve last posted a blog entry, but when I think back to how I spent the past seven days, I truly have nothing noteworthy to say for myself. You’re probably thinking, “how is that possible?! You’re so fun and interesting!” Why, thank you, my hypothetical reader, and while that may be true, it’s actually because the last five days I’ve had the dreaded flu.
Thankfully, I am finally feeling better today, but this was probably the most sick I have felt since being in college. And as much as you may think you’re a high rolling adult, getting sick as a dog has a lovely way of reminding you that you’re not actually that independent and you still want your mom when you’re sick. I encourage you all to go get flu shots because, trust me, you do not want this. However, if you find yourself to be too late to the vaccination party and are already experiencing the joys of all over body aches and eliminating the contents of your stomach, here’s a nice little how-to-survive extreme sickness when you’re not at home.
1. You will get better.
Around day 3 of this illness that I initially suspected would last a mere 24 hours, I actually texted my mom (in complete seriousness) saying I would never get better. Is that completely ridiculous? Yes. But 3 days of being bedridden, especially when in a tiny apartment or dorm, can make you go a little crazy! So, as much as it seems like you’re doomed to a constant state of illness, don’t let the crazy get to you: you will get better, be patient.
2. Crush Some Water Bottles.
I, admittedly, do not drink enough water. In fact, I’ll often go an entire day and realize I haven’t had a single sip of water. It’s not like I drink other things instead, pop, juice, milk, etc. I really just forget to drink anything at all. Because of this, a couple times a week I usually find myself dying of thirst in the middle of the night. My roommate eventually got used to hearing me at, like, 2 a.m. fumbling around until I found a water bottle and drinking it so quickly that the plastic made a sort of crunching sound so loud that it would wake her up. She deemed this bizarre action of mine, “crushin’ water bottles”, and that, my friend, is exactly what you need to be doing in order to get better. Feel free to be more environmentally friendly and sub in a CamelBak or reusable water bottle, but the point is you have to hydrate up!
3. Stock Up on the Goods.
And by “The Goods” I mean the good movies. Some movies just have the power to make you laugh and feel all warm and fuzzy, even if you’re sicker than a dog. A few of my personal favorites include:
- Princess Diaries
- The Breakfast Club
- Trainwreck
- Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
- Shrek
4. Do NOT Listen to Salt-N-Pepa.
In case you have no idea what I’m talking about, look up their song Push It. What I mean by this is, don’t push it. You may be thinking you’re feeling a million percent better and are ready to run a marathon, compose 12 symphonies, and solve world hunger, but take it slow, big thunder. The worst thing in the world is when you do too much and end up relapsing into your sickness all over again.
5. Call Home.
While your friends will definitely feel bad for you and do their best to make you feel better, no one is going to feel worse for you than your parents. And sometimes, you just need someone to pity you. So call your mom, call your dad, shoot, call your grandma! Let them dote over you and give you more advice on how to feel better. Full disclosure: I called all of the above listed people. I needed the sympathy.
So, while it’s definitely not ideal to be sick away from home, it sort of makes you feel like a real adult. It sucks and it’s awful, but you got through it, on your own! Today, tackling illness on your own, tomorrow maybe you can pay some taxes and invest in the stock market! You got this adult living thing!