Surviving Cold and Flu Season

Getting sick in the middle of the semester is close to disaster.  The semester is so short and moves so quickly there is not time to take off a few days.  Do everything you can to stay healthy:

• Eat nutritiously
• Exercise
• Get enough sleep
• Wash your hands all the time!

Sometimes you cannot help getting sick. I am getting emails from students every day who are sick. Even with hand sanitizer, Kleenex and disinfectant wipes in my classroom and office I got sick this year.  In that case:

• Notify your professors that you are ill.
• Get lecture notes and handouts from friends in class if possible.
• Don't hesitate to go to the health care center - don't wait until  you are really sick.
• It is better to take one day to take care of yourself and get better quickly than to push yourself and get sicker.
• Remember to eat and stay hydrated.  See if someone will bring you soup if you have to go to the dining hall.  (Ask them to leave it outside your door and knock so they do not get your germs!)
• Take short bursts of time to review notes so you do not get too far behind.
• As soon as you are recovered, contact your professors again to see what you missed and how you can make it up.

Let me add a plug for working ahead.  Getting sick is one of the situations where you will be glad you did not leave work and studying to the last minute!
Stay rested and healthy!
*****
First Semester Success: Learning Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available at amazon.com, wordassociation.,com and barnesandnoble.com.  Click on the upper right link.