With fall ushering in chilly rain and cold winds, runny noses and coughs seem to be popping up everywhere. With all of those germs flying around, it’s hard to avoid catching the sniffles yourself, but there are some things you can do to avoid getting sick—especially if you have a big paper or presentation coming up. Here are six ways to help you avoid catching the common cold (or anything else that might be going around).
- Keep Your Hands Clean and Away From Your Face
Washing your hands is crucial during this time of the year to help keep germs at bay and if everyone around you is sick, think about carrying around hand sanitizer, too. It’s also important to keep your hands away from your eyes and nose, since it’s the easiest way to spread germs.
- Avoid Doors (Kind of)
In may seem a little crazy, but if you’re desperate to not get sick, use your paper towel to open the door after washing your hands. That way, you can avoid touching the door handle—where tons of germs lie waiting to infest a weakened immune system.
- Clean and Sanitize Your Room
Clorox wipes will be your best friend this winter. Make sure to wipe down your door handle, desk, and phone to exterminate the cold virus. If your roommate is sick, don’t be afraid to ask them (politely) if you can wipe down shared spaces to avoid germs spreading further.
- Build Up Your Immune System with Healthy Food
Staying healthy will help keep your body is fighting shape and Vitamin C is especially important for fighting the common cold. Nuts, berries, soup, and, strangely enough, salmon are also great foods for boosting your immune system when germs are making their way around campus.
- Get Your Flu Shot
The cool thing about flu shots is that they’re designed to protect you against the specific virus going around each year. Plus, you can usually get them for free on campus or at a local drug store, meaning there’s no excuse for avoiding it!
- Get Plenty of Sleep
It can be difficult with school work and other commitments, but the more sleep you get, the better chance you have in fighting off any cold coming your way. Plus, think of all the sleep you’ll lose later if you have to stay up late making up assignments you missed while you were sick.
by Sarah Basile