{shortcode-6d799c1bd00197c5f20cda62b5a3f39a26607e4d}

With the change of seasons, Sick Season is rolling around. Here are some tips and tricks to stay healthy.

1. Say No!

Consent is everything, people. Honestly, just refuse to let the germs enter your body, and you’ll be perfectly fine. Establish firm boundaries with all pathogens.

2. Avoid Freshmen at All Costs

Freshman flu is infectious and absolutely lethal if you catch it. Avoid any and all possible contact with freshmen, and definitely steer clear of Cabot Library. If you see a lanyard, hold your breath and run in the opposite direction.

3. Treat Yourself

Hot chocolate, warm apple cider, chai… the list goes on and on. Stay hydrated with a nice warm drink and consider it a necessary immunity boost. Your body is a temple, and that temple requires a $7 beverage to function. We don’t make the rules.

4. Sleep?

Even just a semblance of a sleep schedule is better than taking sporadic naps throughout the day. We know you’re doing your pset at 3 a.m., but your immune system is begging you to reconsider your life choices. Try going to bed before midnight at least once this week. Your body will thank you. Your grades might suffer, but at least you won’t be hacking up a lung.

5. Touch Grass

Go outside, touch grass (before the sneezes kick in again), go on a walk around the Charles, and cherish the last few days of nice weather we have. Yes, you have three essays due and a pset you haven’t started, but vitamin D deficiency is real. You might get hit by an aggressive biker or scooterer, but honestly, that’s still better than whatever’s circulating in the Yard right now.

6. Wash Your Hands

We’re definitely judging if we don’t see you wash your hands properly. That little rinse under cold water for 2.3 seconds? Not cutting it. We’re talking a full 40-second, soap-involved, Happy-Birthday-twice commitment.

7. Eat Vegetables

Revolutionary, we know. Your body actually needs more than caffeine and sweet treats. There are nutritional benefits to vegetables. We’re begging you: eat something green that isn’t matcha.

8. Manage Stress

Yeah, we’re just going to skip this one. You have three midterms, two papers, and a group project that’s giving you high school PTSD. Keep trying your best king. We believe in you, even if your workload doesn’t.

9. Laughter

Who needs medicine when you have Flyby to supply you with infectious laughs? As they say, laughter is the best medicine. But watch out though — it can be pretty contagious.

10. Give Up and Go to HUHS

Sometimes you might actually just need medical attention. The “little cough” you’ve had for two weeks? Might not be just allergies. And no, asking your pre-med roommate doesn’t count as seeking professional help. Swallow your pride, book the appointment, and accept your fate in the waiting room.