Raging parties, copious amounts of booze, benders and no mum and dad there to tell you what to do… Now you are in an 8am lecture, head throbbing as you join the dawn chorus that is hundreds of your classmates coughing every 10 seconds… welcome to the fresher flu.
Every year, 90 percent of the first year student population experiences the ‘fresher flu’ as they eagerly enter their first year of University. If you look back on the last few weeks, various viral and psychological clues point to the flu. Consider this, you have moved in with 20,000 new students from different parts of the country. Each person brings in different germs and viruses. Combined with prison-like hall living you’ve got a people scale petri dish.
It’s safe to say at this point, first year immune systems are still settling into the Scarfie lifestyle. The various stresses that accompany this newfound lifestyle start to take their toll. And soon enough, the flu strikes. While the fresher flu sucks, there are a few simple steps you can take to both dodge and treat it.
Firstly, do your best to take a break from alcohol and drink more water. The fluid pumps out toxins and replaces the fluid lost through coughing and sneezing. It’s also advisable to get an early night - you can party harder when you sleep better. Next, stay clean! Keep your mouth and hands to yourself while you are sick and lovingly apply soap and hand sanitiser regularly.
Try to eat well. If you’re in a hall, hit the salad bar. It’s a good way to dodge the ‘fresher five’, another fresher epidemic you may encounter towards the end of the year. If you’re in a flat, try and do the same. Vege boys is never too far away.
So hack away proudly. Your flu is more often than not the result of getting too loose. So keep and eye on all aspects of your health and you’ll be sweet.