Green Tea & Figs

It was bound to happen- it seems that each time everyone returns to school after a long break, the sniffles seem to spread like wildfire. I tried to fight it off as best I could with loads of vitamins and orange juice, but it may not have been enough.

Getting sick at college is nothing like being sick during high school- your parents can't call the front office and tell them you'll be absent because you're not feeling well, and you certainly can't write a letter of explanation and have your 'parent' sign it. Here, most professors will give you two days to miss class. Many don't care if and why (whether you're sick or your favorite politician decides to visit campus) you take advantage of these two days out of the entire semester; you're an adult, and you should be able to prioritize. Either way, it is your sole responsibility to make up anything you miss in class. Although many can be understanding of missed pop quizes and things of that nature because of a legitimate illness, assignments are usually due on certain days, regardless of whether or not you show up. Miss more than two classes and your grade will reflect it; sometimes by 1 pt of your overall class grade for each day. Manage not to miss any class? You may find yourself receiving some rare extra credit points.

Try to keep up a supply of green tea packets for anytime you feel a cough coming on. Apparently tea has the power to reduce the risk of many types of cancer and "...inhibit the growth of bad bacteria—E. coli, Clostridium, Salmonella—and leave the beneficial bacteria untouched...". Apparently 70% of your immune system is located in your digestive tract.
Trippy.

Figs are also a good addition to a college student's diet; "... the fiber in figs can lower insulin and blood-sugar levels, reducing the risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome...". No one needs their metabolism to be messed with when they've got classes throughout the day, a part time job, and never ending papers to write.

For when eating healthy isn't enough to fend off the common cold or worse, make sure you have a supply of OTC medicine to help you get back on your feet.



The Leadership Summit is tomorrow and Sportsfest is next week- no time to be sick. I think I'll be buying a lot of green tea and figs. I still haven't given up on the orange juice.

:)