Final exams, coughing and sneezing — the three seem to be synonymous in the last weeks of December, as many students try to balance test weeks with staying healthy.
This campus trend has been noticed by health administrators such as Dr. David Teller, Student Health Services associate director for medical services. He said the spike in cold and flu-like symptoms results in more student visits to Beutel, A&M’s student health center.
“As soon as the cold starts coming through we see more and more people,” Teller said. “We have been booked full since September.”
For students like Kaley Jones, history sophomore, winter is a time when people do what they can to stay healthy and then hope for the best.
“The sickness is upon us, and all we can do is huddle together with our NyQuil and orange juice and hope for the best,” Jones said. “Sickness influences finals because if you feel crummy while you’re trying to study for finals, let’s face it, we won’t study or we’ll study a lot less.”
In order to help students stay healthy, Dr. Teller offered the following tips:
1. Avoid students who are coughing and sneezing.
2. Eat a good diet of “brain food,” not fast food.
3. Get plenty of rest.
4. Reduce stress as much as possible.
5. Wash hands well and often.
6. Consume enough Vitamin C.
7. Exercise.
8. Drink plenty of water, not alcohol.
9. Self-isolate if sick.
10. Use a tissue to cover your mouth when you cough.