<p>I, like most people, really hate having any kind of bug, and I was just wondering how people avoid it in dorms.</p>
<p>I mean, if one person is sick, everyone else in the dorm is probably going to get sick too.</p>
<p>I really hate studying and going to class when I have a cold, and my immune system kind of sucks, so I'm worried I'm going to be constantly sick. </p>
<p>Anyone have any advice?</p>
<ul>
<li>Take vitamins everyday. </li>
<li>Avoid all nighters or sleeping too little (or even sleeping a lot! You can feel sick if you sleep too much)</li>
<li>Wash your hands when you return to your dorms (carry anti-bacterial gel). </li>
<li>Wash your hands before eating (a dorm on my campus just had a serious stomach virus going around)</li>
<li>Have a handy can of Lysol. After spraying, leave the door open for a few minutes so you won’t kill yourself with the smell.</li>
<li>Take advantage of your health center.</li>
</ul>
<p>And stop worrying so much about it. If you get sick, you get sick. Somethings you just can’t avoid, but you can take precautions to get better or to lessen your cold.</p>
<p>Wash your hands after every meal and after you touch campus computers (Gross- they haven’t washed ours in 4 years- GAG), and common sense stuff- like if you touch the ground, don’t go and eat a sandwich without washing your hands. Hot drinks are good- but I would avoid caffeine overload, so decaffeinated is a good option.</p>
<p>^Mushaboom, that totally reminded me of Feist song!</p>
<p>Simplest advice is just to wash your hands regularly. Have a couple fruits and veggies as well and stay hydrated (h2o)!</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice. I’ve just heard horror stories of entire dorms coming down with the stomach flu (like MushaboomBlue was talking about) and I want to avoid that at all costs</p>
<p>pacificvista: I went through a phrase where I only listened to Feist at the time that I signed up on this website =) It is indeed inspired by the song!</p>
<p>OMF: Sharing is caring, but somethings you just can’t share too much of when you are living in a closed space with a hundred something people. Just heed our advice and take care of yourself and you’ll be fine =)</p>
<p>Get some immune boosters at the health food store - Emergen-C, acidopholus and sambucus. Eat as many fruits and veggies as you can, those phytonutrients really help fight illness. Keep hydrated.</p>
<p>Hate to burst the bubble, but washing your hands is ineffective in close quarters. Flu/cold are airborne illnesses and if you are in a cramped space like a dorm room and someone else is coughing and sneezing…you’re going to get it too.</p>
<p>Every time someone in my suite got sick, the other 3 of us would catch it within a week. Impossible to avoid outside of rooming somewhere else temporarily.</p>
<p>I usually wear a surgical mask whenever I leave my room. I haven’t been sick once this year. <em>yeah!</em></p>
<p>OMF–The good news is that while having some illness or another is virtually unavoidable, once you get sick you won’t be getting the same illness again for a while. In a weird way, I’m kind of glad I got the H1N1 flu last term because I don’t have to be so paranoid about getting it anymore.</p>
<p>Follow everyone else’s advice. Get your flu shots. Stash a can or two of chicken noodle soup in your closet. You’ll be fine.</p>
<p>If you haven’t received this relatively knew meningitis vaccine, I encourage you to look into it. I don’t know if it is now required in some states before college, but surely this should be considered. Meningitis bacteria is obtained through shared oral secretions-sharing cups, sneezing, etc.</p>
<p>I just received our state update from the Department of Health. Meningitis deaths in January 2010 are up for the first time in years: some speculation it may be related in some manner to the preceding spike of H1N1 in October, 2009. Who knows.</p>
<p>I reviewed the vaccine maker and read various papers, checked it wasn’t attenuated live (it is not) and had my kids vaccinated several years ago after a fellow hs student died from it sadly (shared punch bowl at party).</p>
<p>The vaccine covers most of the meningeal types (the bulk) but not all, so still good to be seen if fever, flu like symptoms arise and mention it to your health care team (often not though of although more likely is on a college campus).</p>
<p>The flu/cold is going through my dorm/friends right now…drink tons of water, wash your hands frequently, eat vitamins, eat lots of fruits and vegetables in your meals, don’t drink if you are feeling a little sick, etc. and normally you’ll be all right (you can also try to avoid your roommate a bit if he/she is sick i.e. go study in the lounge…but ultimately it is up to you).</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice. I’ll definitely be getting flu/h1n1/meningitis vaccines before I head off.</p>
<p>The idea of having a stomach bug in the dorm is unappealing, but I’m sure I’ll survive. I guess I’m just paranoid since my brother was telling me a story about how his entire dorm was vomiting for like a week.</p>
<p>I guess that doesn’t happen to most people though.</p>
<p>There’s currently a nasty stomach bug going around my floor. And a girl in my dorm has bacterial meningitis. (I had to take an antibiotic because I was in the same room as her for an hour…) I’m not usually a Purel person, but I’ve been using it about a dozen times per day. The last thing I want is to have a potentially deadly infection at this moment in time…</p>