How do you guys handle short-term illness in college?

[Kurk]

So I caught something over the weekend and am having great difficulty focusing on schoolwork today. My nose won't stop running all over my papers and I have to get up, pack up my stuff because of possible theft, and take a leak every 15-20 minutes from all the water I'm drinking.

To make matters worse I have my first Chem exam later this week and thank goodness I've been getting A's on quizzes and that the material is all HS review, otherwise I'd be out for the running in terms of doing well.

In highschool I always "sucked it up" and pushed myself but that usually just made me more sick the next day. I'm not going to skip lecture or anything, but is there a magic trick anyone has to overcome this?

Thanks in advance

Disclaimer: I am not asking for medical advise as per SDN's rules.

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[artist2022]

Dude. Stop. Get off of SDN. You post the most ridiculous things. EVERYONE GETS SICK & THEY MAKE IT THROUGH

 

[aformerstudent]

Nope, no magic trick. You just have to, as you said, "suck it up." Somebody out there is fighting a greater battle out there than your runny nose. Look at it like that.

 

[oralcare123]

Get MD's advise, there are no tricks, but medications and lifestyle changes.
Obviously you don't need to go around spreading your germs

 

[shibedeleshibe]

I agree with what everyone else is saying. Something that I found that helps me a lot is taking a lot of Emergen-C Vitamin C packets when I start to feel sick/am sick. It helps me recover pretty quickly.

 

[Mad Jack]

You just kind of work through it. Not rocket science.

 

[Its_Me_G]

Study at home or with friends at the library so you don't have to pack up every time you need to go to the bathroom. Just make sure you eat well, stay hydrated, and sleep enough

 

[Kurk]

I agree with what everyone else is saying. Something that I found that helps me a lot is taking a lot of Emergen-C Vitamin C packets when I start to feel sick/am sick. It helps me recover pretty quickly.

thx for the tip I'll try it.


Y'all keep telling me to get of SDN but this is one of the few things I do when I'm not studying or in class. It's not like I'm also wasting time partying or whatever. SDN is my way of de-stressing. I'm not distracted by it as all my grades are A's as of now. Obviously when I have to work seriously I don't go on for a few days, but what's the real harm?

 

[deleted738762]

Dude. Stop. Get off of SDN. You post the most ridiculous things. EVERYONE GETS SICK & THEY MAKE IT THROUGH

Finally something we can agree on. Our rivalry has subsided due to a mutual annoyance towards kurk lol.

 

[Lalibila]

@BioTic @artist2022 Oh shush, you all know you enjoy Kurk's posts.

 

[deleted738762]

@BioTic @artist2022 Oh shush, you all know you enjoy Kurk's posts.

He has to be trolling or he has extremely low self awareness.

 

[aj30]

@BioTic @artist2022 Oh shush, you all know you enjoy Kurk's posts.

There's no denying he provides for great entertainment. It's really hard to tell whether he's legit or not but regardless he makes it real fun around here.

 

[Life of Pablo]

Freshmen year is the worst for getting sick because you are introduced to so many new viruses from people. Just do your best to push through it.

 

[FanOfCostco]

.

 

[I-hate-alginate]

You will get sick a lot of times throughout your lifetime. Get used to it!

 

[averageasian]

thx for the tip I'll try it.


Y'all keep telling me to get of SDN but this is one of the few things I do when I'm not studying or in class. It's not like I'm also wasting time partying or whatever. SDN is my way of de-stressing. I'm not distracted by it as all my grades are A's as of now. Obviously when I have to work seriously I don't go on for a few days, but what's the real harm?

I feel like it does the exact opposite for you

 

[I-hate-alginate]

Drop out of school to recover at home

I would heavily consider this OP.

 

[Winged Scapula]

1) if another user annoys you, please use the Ignore function.

2) if another user annoys you, please do not report them for spam or trolling. This is an abuse of the report post function.

3) calling users out, insulting them etc. as several of you are doing in this thread is a violation of the terms of service and as such may place your account at risk.

It's also not cool.

OP you need to learn how to manage these minute annoyances of life. These sorts of things happen to everyone.

 

[amariesa]

Youre sick and you have finals this week? Game over man, dental school looks down on that, I would try post bacc or masters without getting sick to show off your ability to be in good health 100% of the time.

Real advice though? See your mental health counselor, most universities have it and maybe find ways for you to de-stress in a constructive way like hobbies and clubs.

 

[californiway21]

Drama king/queen.

 

[Kurk]

Thank you to those who left constructive comments I appreciate it and have taken all of it into account.

I must say I was saddened to see @Winged Scapula 's post addressing those who still seem to think I'm a troll.

To be fair, I can understand why people think this with my far-fetched opinions and neuroticism.

A large part of maturity is being able to understand viewpoints through the eyes of others. I will do the same for you if you do the same for me.

So about me:

I am the child of traditional American immigrants who came to this country with next to nothing in their pockets. They've succeeded in starting their own business and now make what is comparable to that of a salaried corporate dentist. As a young lad I was always taught to prioritize academics over everything and anything as they're what really matter in the long run. I would say I was raised under a variant of "Tiger mom" parenting, though not as extreme.

I attended a private college prep-school where I was around other highly motivated and intelligent children. It was not an environment where mediocrity was acceptable. Unfortunately I was quite mediocre from 8th grade to half-way through my sophomore year when I realized the great importance of my grades and academic performance for myself. It was at this time when I discovered SDN as the god-send it is. SDN instilled me with hope; hope that I could turn myself around and become a doctor.

From there on I turned myself around and gained high-opinions from my teachers who saw my transformation.

It is expected of me to pursue a career that will bring a high-salary and some level of prestige. It would be beyond humiliating for both my family and myself to spend all this time, money, and effort pursuing a worthless degree with no market value only to make less money than my parents who came here poor while I grew up well-off.

I am not claiming to play the victim and frankly I share these concerns with my parents.

So it is not a matter of making a big deal about being sick—it's a matter of missing potential points on assignments because of the accompanying difficulties with illness. Little points add up and I see no reason to not to fret over them when it could be the difference between an A and B.

I understand that some of you don't share my stressors because you come from different backgrounds. I get it. A lot of you are all about acceptance and having a good time. That's not me.

I am in college to pursue dentistry. If I knew I couldn't do it I would drop-out and stop wasting money and time. I do not follow social trends and reject the idea that everyone should go to college for the "experience". There is nothing wrong with pursuing plumbing over english and frankly I'll respect the plumber more.

I will not party. I will not indulge in illicit activities. I have enough hobbies to keep me mentally sane so don't worry. Yes I am a worrier and I will not change.

Thank you fellow SDNers for understanding. If you wish to know more feel free to contact me via PM. Otherwise I would like to keep to the original posting question without deviating into my personal life every single time.

Thanks again.

 

[predentalstudent132]

Thank you to those who left constructive comments I appreciate it and have taken all of it into account.

I must say I was saddened to see @Winged Scapula 's post addressing those who still seem to think I'm a troll.

To be fair, I can understand why people think this with my far-fetched opinions and neuroticism.

A large part of maturity is being able to understand viewpoints through the eyes of others. I will do the same for you if you do the same for me.

So about me:

I am the child of traditional American immigrants who came to this country with next to nothing in their pockets. They've succeeded in starting their own business and now make what is comparable to that of a salaried corporate dentist. As a young lad I was always taught to prioritize academics over everything and anything as they're what really matter in the long run. I would say I was raised under a variant of "Tiger mom" parenting, though not as extreme.

I attended a private college prep-school where I was around other highly motivated and intelligent children. It was not an environment where mediocrity was acceptable. Unfortunately I was quite mediocre from 8th grade to half-way through my sophomore year when I realized the great importance of my grades and academic performance for myself. It was at this time when I discovered SDN as the god-send it is. SDN instilled me with hope; hope that I could turn myself around and become a doctor.

From there on I turned myself around and gained high-opinions from my teachers who saw my transformation.

It is expected of me to pursue a career that will bring a high-salary and some level of prestige. It would be beyond humiliating for both my family and myself to spend all this time, money, and effort pursuing a worthless degree with no market value only to make less money than my parents who came here poor while I grew up well-off.

I am not claiming to play the victim and frankly I share these concerns with my parents.

So it is not a matter of making a big deal about being sick—it's a matter of missing potential points on assignments because of the accompanying difficulties with illness. Little points add up and I see no reason to not to fret over them when it could be the difference between an A and B.

I understand that some of you don't share my stressors because you come from different backgrounds. I get it. A lot of you are all about acceptance and having a good time. That's not me.

I am in college to pursue dentistry. If I knew I couldn't do it I would drop-out and stop wasting money and time. I do not follow social trends and reject the idea that everyone should go to college for the "experience". There is nothing wrong with pursuing plumbing over english and frankly I'll respect the plumber more.

I will not party. I will not indulge in illicit activities. I have enough hobbies to keep me mentally sane so don't worry. Yes I am a worrier and I will not change.

Thank you fellow SDNers for understanding. If you wish to know more feel free to contact me via PM. Otherwise I would like to keep to the original posting question without deviating into my personal life every single time.

Thanks again.

Have you ever heard the story about that guy who was super stressed out? Turns out he had a stick up his ass, and once he pulled it out he was all better. My family dynamic is near identical to yours but my ego may not be as inflated or distorted as your own. Don't let your parents boss you around, you are you. Follow your dreams, don't become a dentist because of profit margins, there is money to be made anywhere passion exists. As for illness, try chamomille tea, leisurely walks outside in temperature appropriate clothing, try decongestant for sinusitis, Tylenol for headache or fever, motrin if anything feels swollen, sit in a hot bath if possible, nasal spray if nose is runny, maintain a healthy diet with complex carbs, mono and polyunsaturated fats, healthy proteins with minimal processed foods and sugars. Also, being stressed out will severely impact your illness and chances of getting sick, so seriously man I get how important school is to you, but find a way to de-stress or you will literally start to fall apart very soon

 

[Incis0r]

Something that I found that helps me a lot is taking a lot of Emergen-C Vitamin C packets when I start to feel sick/am sick. It helps me recover pretty quickly.

Justinkim gives good advice.

OP, there's a common supplement probably available at a local store near you. They carry them in a pharmacy near me and also available on Amazon.

It's called CounterAttack (by RainbowLight). Whenever I feel some flu-like symptoms coming on, I take it and it helps me prevent the illness from gaining momentum. Not a bad idea to keep some of that in stock too.

 

[Alpha Centauri]

Do you ship dirty laundry to your parents?

 

[LuckBloodandSweat]

Thank you to those who left constructive comments I appreciate it and have taken all of it into account.

I must say I was saddened to see @Winged Scapula 's post addressing those who still seem to think I'm a troll.

To be fair, I can understand why people think this with my far-fetched opinions and neuroticism.

A large part of maturity is being able to understand viewpoints through the eyes of others. I will do the same for you if you do the same for me.

So about me:

I am the child of traditional American immigrants who came to this country with next to nothing in their pockets. They've succeeded in starting their own business and now make what is comparable to that of a salaried corporate dentist. As a young lad I was always taught to prioritize academics over everything and anything as they're what really matter in the long run. I would say I was raised under a variant of "Tiger mom" parenting, though not as extreme.

I attended a private college prep-school where I was around other highly motivated and intelligent children. It was not an environment where mediocrity was acceptable. Unfortunately I was quite mediocre from 8th grade to half-way through my sophomore year when I realized the great importance of my grades and academic performance for myself. It was at this time when I discovered SDN as the god-send it is. SDN instilled me with hope; hope that I could turn myself around and become a doctor.

From there on I turned myself around and gained high-opinions from my teachers who saw my transformation.

It is expected of me to pursue a career that will bring a high-salary and some level of prestige. It would be beyond humiliating for both my family and myself to spend all this time, money, and effort pursuing a worthless degree with no market value only to make less money than my parents who came here poor while I grew up well-off.

I am not claiming to play the victim and frankly I share these concerns with my parents.

So it is not a matter of making a big deal about being sick—it's a matter of missing potential points on assignments because of the accompanying difficulties with illness. Little points add up and I see no reason to not to fret over them when it could be the difference between an A and B.

I understand that some of you don't share my stressors because you come from different backgrounds. I get it. A lot of you are all about acceptance and having a good time. That's not me.

I am in college to pursue dentistry. If I knew I couldn't do it I would drop-out and stop wasting money and time. I do not follow social trends and reject the idea that everyone should go to college for the "experience". There is nothing wrong with pursuing plumbing over english and frankly I'll respect the plumber more.

I will not party. I will not indulge in illicit activities. I have enough hobbies to keep me mentally sane so don't worry. Yes I am a worrier and I will not change.

Thank you fellow SDNers for understanding. If you wish to know more feel free to contact me via PM. Otherwise I would like to keep to the original posting question without deviating into my personal life every single time.

Thanks again.

Your profile picture fits you perfectly. Are you squidward tortellini?

 

[CDT13]

Man and I thought I had it rough working 12 hour shifts 5 days a week and going to class at night!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[schmoob]

It seems as though the post from @Winged Scapula fell on deaf ears, so I will be more blunt:

If members continue with rudeness, insults, callouts, and trolling, I will place their accounts on a probationary status. I will also close this thread.

OP - You're an adult now, and are expected to have a level of problem solving skills. People your age have professions that involve carrying firearms and being trusted to administer deadly force if necessary. You have a cold.

 

[SmileItsLife]

Vitamin C......... all day.

 

[Rynomachine]

I make some tea and skip unimportant classes. Study at home or something.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

 

[Auntymarkovnikov]

DayQuil my friend, DayQuil.

 

[Kurk]

Do you ship dirty laundry to your parents?

I live at home and do housekeeping myself thank you. What upsets me is that I'm like a clean-freak and I still got sick. I guess when you're among so many other sick people it doesn't matter if you carry a container of disinfectant wipes everywhere you go and obsessively use hand-sanitizer.

Your profile picture fits you perfectly. Are you squidward tortellini?

Squidward Tennisballs

 

[SmileItsLife]

I live at home and do housekeeping myself thank you. What upsets me is that I'm like a clean-freak and I still got sick. I guess when you're among so many other sick people it doesn't matter if you carry a container of disinfectant wipes everywhere you go and obsessively use hand-sanitizer.

Squidward Tennisballs

That's the reason why you are more prone to get sick. Hand sanitizer dries out your skin because of the alcohol. Bacteria and virus can get through the cracks. The most important thing to do during flu season is keep your skin moisturized. I would attempt to control your hand sanitizer urges, or at least moisturize a lot, so you don't get sick as much in the future.

Plus, you need to get a little dirty to build up your immunity.

 

[Jueves]

Lol, you would think that we'd be in the Dead Sea with all this saltiness. So much hate

 

[FanOfCostco]

Justinkim gives good advice.

OP, there's a common supplement probably available at a local store near you. They carry them in a pharmacy near me and also available on Amazon.

It's called CounterAttack (by RainbowLight). Whenever I feel some flu-like symptoms coming on, I take it and it helps me prevent the illness from gaining momentum. Not a bad idea to keep some of that in stock too.

Omg will you change that god awful avatar.

 

[Incis0r]

Omg will you change that god awful avatar.

 

[caffeine jitters]

Didn't you have a Matt Ryan picture in the past?

 

[Incis0r]

Didn't you have a Matt Ryan picture in the past?

You got me

 

[fit2]

Try not to get sick!
I used to not take care of my body much in high school but being healthy rested is a little more important in college.

You just gotta deal with it now. It'll pass don't worry

 

[drcrentistdds]

You say SDN is your de-stressor, but you seem very stressed out to be honest. so at the very least I'd say you need a new de-stressor. I would recommend joining some type of student group or activity completely unrelated to dental stuff.

I would also strongly encourage you reach out to the counseling center at your school. We could all benefit from some in-person help on managing school and career related stress.

Feel better!

 

[Kurk]

and once he pulled it out he was all better.

That's the reason why you are more prone to get sick. Hand sanitizer dries out your skin because of the alcohol. Bacteria and virus can get through the cracks. The most important thing to do during flu season is keep your skin moisturized. I would attempt to control your hand sanitizer urges, or at least moisturize a lot, so you don't get sick as much in the future.

Plus, you need to get a little dirty to build up your immunity.

That makes sense actually. I'll lay off the sanitizer. Thanks.

You say SDN is your de-stressor, but you seem very stressed out to be honest. so at the very least I'd say you need a new de-stressor. I would recommend joining some type of student group or activity completely unrelated to dental stuff.

I would also strongly encourage you reach out to the counseling center at your school. We could all benefit from some in-person help on managing school and career related stress.

Feel better!

I joined pre-dentistry group and EMS. I might join one other casual club.
Idk about counseling center I'm pretty thick-skinned and have too big of an ego to go there......yet. Maybe after I **** up an exam.

 

[Its_Me_G]

Idk about counseling center I'm pretty thick-skinned and have too big of an ego to go there......yet. Maybe after I **** up an exam.[/QUOTE]

Wow.

 

[blablabla1]

0-1

 

[deleted738762]

Idk about counseling center I'm pretty thick-skinned and have too big of an ego to go there......yet. Maybe after I **** up an exam.

Wow.[/QUOTE]
Most people would say the same thing. Not sure why you're surprised. However, I believe based off of Kurk's usual posts (like asking for advice on the simplest things) and what he just said I'm interested to meet him in real life. A fine specimen indeed.

 

[averageasian]

Kurk, college is about growing up, being challenged in ways you never thought possible, and being realistic with yourself. College isn't a place to find a safe space and complain. Everyone on here can attest to that. If you can't handle 4 classes, considering taking next semester off, I'm serious and I mean this in the best way possible.

Go to a foreign country and see how good your life is. You're not working in a sweatshop or a poppy field to feed yourself and a family. You don't live in a country with secret police and with a dictator who kills citizens. See how life is like in a country where people have never seen a doctor or a dentist. If you aren't willing to minister to those In need and educate them on oral health then why do you even want to be dentist in the first place? I feel like you could gain a lot from an experience like this and it could really affirm or disaffirm your commitment to dentistry. Right now, i doubt your motivations for a career in dentistry but by all means, prove me wrong. An experience like this could help you write a killer personal statement and deliver an awesome answer for "why dentistry?" at an interview. At the end of the day, you're complaining about a cold, you need to grow up.

 

[Incis0r]

.

 

[FanOfCostco]

You got me

OH SNAP.

 

[blablabla1]

Kurk, college is about growing up, being challenged in ways you never thought possible, and being realistic with yourself. College isn't a place to find a safe space and complain. Everyone on here can attest to that. If you can't handle 4 classes, considering taking next semester off, I'm serious and I mean this in the best way possible.

Go to a foreign country and see how good your life is. You're not working in a sweatshop or a poppy field to feed yourself and a family. You don't live in a country with secret police and with a dictator who kills citizens. See how life is like in a country where people have never seen a doctor or a dentist. If you aren't willing to minister to those In need and educate them on oral health then why do you even want to be dentist in the first place? I feel like you could gain a lot from an experience like this and it could really affirm or disaffirm your commitment to dentistry. Right now, i doubt your motivations for a career in dentistry but by all means, prove me wrong. An experience like this could help you write a killer personal statement and deliver an awesome answer for "why dentistry?" at an interview. At the end of the day, you're complaining about a cold, you need to grow up.

All in all I think he just needs something to ground him and bring him back to earth. I wouldn't want a dentist who doesn't have his/her head straight on their shoulders.

 

[Incis0r]

Go to a foreign country and see how good your life is. You're not working in a sweatshop or a poppy field to feed yourself and a family. You don't live in a country with secret police and with a dictator who kills citizens. See how life is like in a country where people have never seen a doctor or a dentist. If you aren't willing to minister to those In need and educate them on oral health then why do you even want to be dentist in the first place? I feel like you could gain a lot from an experience like this and it could really affirm or disaffirm your commitment to dentistry.

This is really good advice. Good way to gain some perspective.

 

[Faefly]

Thank you to those who left constructive comments I appreciate it and have taken all of it into account.

I must say I was saddened to see @Winged Scapula 's post addressing those who still seem to think I'm a troll.

To be fair, I can understand why people think this with my far-fetched opinions and neuroticism.

A large part of maturity is being able to understand viewpoints through the eyes of others. I will do the same for you if you do the same for me.

So about me:

I am the child of traditional American immigrants who came to this country with next to nothing in their pockets. They've succeeded in starting their own business and now make what is comparable to that of a salaried corporate dentist. As a young lad I was always taught to prioritize academics over everything and anything as they're what really matter in the long run. I would say I was raised under a variant of "Tiger mom" parenting, though not as extreme.

I attended a private college prep-school where I was around other highly motivated and intelligent children. It was not an environment where mediocrity was acceptable. Unfortunately I was quite mediocre from 8th grade to half-way through my sophomore year when I realized the great importance of my grades and academic performance for myself. It was at this time when I discovered SDN as the god-send it is. SDN instilled me with hope; hope that I could turn myself around and become a doctor.

From there on I turned myself around and gained high-opinions from my teachers who saw my transformation.

It is expected of me to pursue a career that will bring a high-salary and some level of prestige. It would be beyond humiliating for both my family and myself to spend all this time, money, and effort pursuing a worthless degree with no market value only to make less money than my parents who came here poor while I grew up well-off.

I am not claiming to play the victim and frankly I share these concerns with my parents.

So it is not a matter of making a big deal about being sick—it's a matter of missing potential points on assignments because of the accompanying difficulties with illness. Little points add up and I see no reason to not to fret over them when it could be the difference between an A and B.

I understand that some of you don't share my stressors because you come from different backgrounds. I get it. A lot of you are all about acceptance and having a good time. That's not me.

I am in college to pursue dentistry. If I knew I couldn't do it I would drop-out and stop wasting money and time. I do not follow social trends and reject the idea that everyone should go to college for the "experience". There is nothing wrong with pursuing plumbing over english and frankly I'll respect the plumber more.

I will not party. I will not indulge in illicit activities. I have enough hobbies to keep me mentally sane so don't worry. Yes I am a worrier and I will not change.

Thank you fellow SDNers for understanding. If you wish to know more feel free to contact me via PM. Otherwise I would like to keep to the original posting question without deviating into my personal life every single time.

Thanks again.

Some of us had way worse life, way way way worse life.

This is nothing compared to what some of us went through.

You can't live like a slave just because your parents were poor and now you have to earn money to repay them.

Nobody asks you to the party, nobody asks you not study, but at the same time, don't be so serious like that.

This worry will end up eating you one day.

One day you'll snap and might hurt someone.

or worse, someday you'll get sick and realize that all this was not worth it.

You don't have to work day and night to be a dentist. You can work hard, very hard, but you don't have to work like a robot to be a dentist.

Anyway, I think you don't have friends, and people are being harsh on you.
.

 

[LuckBloodandSweat]

I live at home and do housekeeping myself thank you. What upsets me is that I'm like a clean-freak and I still got sick. I guess when you're among so many other sick people it doesn't matter if you carry a container of disinfectant wipes everywhere you go and obsessively use hand-sanitizer.

Squidward Tennisballs

At least... you're a spongebob fan too. You remind me veryyyyyyy much of this girl I knew in undergrad...... She literally rage quit when she got an 80 on a test lmfaoooooooo. Her attitude was to be busy 24/7; be a part of 5 clubs and still do well in school (which she did) but at some point that will just burn you out. Learn to be less obsessive and just let go. If you're capable of success and work hard good things will come to you