By Maggie Raker
Take a moment to think about how you feel. With moving back into dorms, classes starting, and schedules filling up, answers about your stress level or emotional state can probably come to mind easily. But how do you feel physically? Hopefully, the answer is good, but for a not-insignificant number of college students, the answer right now is that they’re feeling sick.
Freshman flu, also known as fresher’s flu, is a phenomenon where college campuses see a rise in cold cases and other illnesses at the beginning of the fall semester. Despite the name, this wave of health issues is felt across all grades and is not the actual flu. Generally, symptoms are closer to those of the common cold. Students may experience, amongst other things, a sore throat, stuffy nose, and headaches. These symptoms usually only last 3-4 days but can last up to 2 weeks.
Two components go into the development of freshman flu. The first is that students are, in most cases, being exposed to more new people than they have all summer. Every student is settling into the routine of getting-to-know-you groups, class introductions, dorm living, club meetings, and more. Put simply, you’re interacting with more germs than usual. The second component is the fact that fall tends to be a hot season for sickness anyway. Cold weather can suppress our immune systems while forcing us inside, which puts us closer to other people that could infect us.
So, you might be sick right now or at risk. What can you do about it? To stave off sickness, some basic standards such as drinking water and resting are never bad places to start. On top of that, you may be interested in carrying hand sanitizer or even a face mask with you! And if you’re already sick, you can always check out the Roanoke College Health Portal and talk to a specialist if needed. The bottom line is, now more than ever is the time to take care of yourself, and get the semester started right.
