Getting Sick at Tufts (And How to Get Through It)
As the spring semester commences, I have many things to look forward to—one of which is not getting sick; however, despite my best attempts, I somehow always end up catching something in January or February. This January, I unfortunately fell ill, and while it was no fun, there are many resources available to help students manage their sickness and get back to all the fun things they have planned. Here are my tips and resources for battling illness while in college:
1. Tufts Health Services
Tufts Health Services offers numerous valuable resources for students who get sick. They have online appointments, in-person appointments at our on-campus clinic, vaccinations for the flu, COVID-19, and others, among many other resources. Having an on-campus health center has been so helpful for me, mostly for peace of mind. It’s really comforting to know that if I'm ever concerned or need help, there are resources right on campus.
2. Communicate with Professors
One of the things I get most frustrated with when sick is the likelihood that I will need to skip a class or two. Most courses at Tufts have a two-unexcused-absence policy; however, emphasis is on unexcused. If you communicate with your professors, often they will excuse your absence, allow you to make up a class later, or offer a Zoom or recorded lecture option, which takes the stress off. Everyone gets sick, and I’ve found that professors at Tufts are usually very understanding.
3. Tufts Bookstore/Campus Mini Mart
When I'm under the weather, I often don’t feel well enough to go to CVS or a grocery store to get medicine. Luckily, at Tufts, the Tufts Bookstore and Campus Mini Mart have a decent supply of cold and flu medicine available for purchase. Now, it takes me less than ten minutes to walk to either place to get the medications I need.
4. Mobile Order
At Tufts, our dining options have a mobile order option, which is extremely helpful when I don’t want to cook, go to a dining hall, or get my fellow students sick. With mobile order, you can order food or drinks ahead of time and pick them up easily at many of our dining locations.
5. Final Thoughts
While it can be stressful to be sick in college, the bottom line is: getting sick happens, and at Tufts, there are lots of resources to make sure that you can take care of yourself and get back to your activities and classes as soon as you can.