After being sick for several weeks last semester and only being well a total of five days this semester, I have to wonder- why can't I stay healthy? I have never gotten sick this much in my life, and it seems other college freshman are in the same boat. My first guess was living in such close quarters increases everyone's chance of getting sick. Everyone breathing on each other and leaving their germs on everything they touch just keeps the spreading of the viruses going. The dorms are like a breading ground for germs. Colds, the flu, the stomach flu, viruses, pink eye, mono, anything contagious, you can be sure to catch it living in the dorm! Even washing my hands as much as possible and using hand santizer constantly did not fend off any viruses for me this year.
My next assumption is that college freshman are not getting enough sleep, which is well known, does not support a healthy immune system. Whether it's from pulling all-nighters, trying to cram two months worth of information into one night before a test, going out and partying or just going to bed too late, it's very rare I or anyone I know is getting a regular, eight hours a night of shut eye. Not getting enough sleep every now and then is not a big deal, but when you continuously deprive your body of sleep on a regular basis, it's going to catch up with you...and usually in the form of SICK.
A well-balanced diet containing vitamins and antioxidants, and plenty of water is recommended to keep a healthy immune system. I don't think many college freshman are eating right because the majority of what I see everyone eating around campus is usually junk, and this could definitely be a leading factor as to why we're getting so sick. Even if everyone were to eat healthy and drink plenty of water, our alcohol consumption may counteract that. Alcohol is naturally dehydrating and isn't good for anyone, especially for people who aren't drinking enough water. Drinking may also be another reason college freshman can't stay healthy.
Stress is also a common-factor linked to getting sick. For many freshman, the transition into college may have not been the easiest. Some of us may have moved far from home to go to school or some may live only a few minutes away, but for everyone getting used to a new school, the dorms, the added workload of homework, and new routine may have been enough to stress us out.
Having tried to avoid all these situations so I can get over being sick and stay healthy, I have failed many times and have ended up at the blood-thirsty Student Health Center, where after hearing you speak about your symptoms for five seconds they immediately insist on drawing your blood. If anyone has not had the pleasure of being treated by the Student Health Center, they should go just so they will have a new motivation to stay healthy!
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