Class with a Cold: Tips for when you’re sick at school

What season comes right after the Holiday Season? That’s right! Cold and Flu season! I’ve seen so many people on campus in the past week or so who are feeling under the weather, and even caught a cold myself. Everyone gets them, so we tend to make light of the utter agony that is the common cold, to say nothing about bigger sicknesses like flu (ugh!). Especially at college, missing class can mean falling behind really quickly, but going to class sick is usually not the best option.

So to help you through this sneezy, drowsy, dizzy season, here are my tips for handling your cold with class!

Tip #1: Stock up on the essentials

When you start feeling a little under the weather, make sure you take the time to stock up on the things you’ll need: tissues, tea or juice, lots of fresh fruit and veggies and cold medicine! At home, we normally have these things laying around from the last time someone was sick, but when you’re away at school it’s up to you! Go out and get them now while you still have the energy! Don’t get caught in a big snotty sneeze without a tissue!

Tip #2: Take some time for you

We know there are always a billion things to do on campus, especially at FSU. Spending the night in can feel like missing out (a terrible fate for those of us with FOMO!). But staying in and resting is normally the best way to get better. Let your body rest, and then catch up with all the fun when you’re feeling 100%.

Tip #3: Use your Health and Wellness Center!

When you know your sick, make an appointment at your health center. You can find out how to make an appointment at FSU on the Health Services website. The doctors there can help you figure out if what you have is just a cold, or if it might be something more. They can also write perscriptions if necessary, and provide a “verification of visit”, which can come in handy if you’re professor asks for documentation when you miss class.

Tip #4: Keep your germs to yourself!

If you live on campus or with a roommate, if you decide to go to class while sick, or if you visit university offices while sick, it’s very important to take measures not to infect others! Be considerate and keep any used tissues to yourself until you find a trash can. After class or using a computer in the computer lab, wipe down the surfaces you touched with a disinfectant or antibacterial spray. Someone else will use it later, and you don’t want to spread your germs! And maybe, just for a few days, hold off on the handshakes or hugs?

Tip #5: Eat healthy foods!

When your sick and sad, it can be tempting to fall back into your favorite comfort foods ( I may or may not have had a Lucy & Leo’s cupcake last night to make me feel better…) but those foods tend to be high in sugars, dairy, salt, and other things that aren’t necessarily nourishing our bodies. Instead, stop by the campus dining halls and get some nourishing soup, and fruits and veggies that will help boost your immune system. And maybe eat an apple for desert instead of one of those delicious cookies, just until you’re feeling better!

Remember, it’s hard to do your best work if you’re not feeling your best, so make time to take care of your health first!

For more resources about health and wellness on campus, check out FSU’s University Health Services and the wellness services available through campus recreation.

Do you have tips for other students? Share how you stay well in comments, or tweet me @ChemCompSciADV

5 Resolutions for the New Semester

Vacation is over folks! Ensure a successful semester by making some improvements. Take a look at our suggestions for new semester resolutions.

1. Stop procrastinating

Procrastinating can feel rewarding but it’s actually holding you back. Think about it: if you can have relative success by putting things off and doing everything at the last-minute, imagine what you can achieve by making a timely effort to study and complete assignments. Don’t put off seeing your advisor or attending office hours either; handle issues before they’re urgent. Beyond the classroom, staying organized and planning ahead allows you to be more productive and flexible, and less wasteful. To avoid wasting time and having to pull all-nighters, try using productivity tools like these: Self Control , best productivity apps. So this semester, stat by adding important academic dates to your calendar, planning for major deadlines, and making a weekly schedule for recurring activities like class, work, club meetings, and studying.

2. Utilize more campus resources

One of the greatest perks of college life is that you have access to an abundance of resources. Beyond the obvious facilities and libraries, there’s database and academic journal access, technologies and premium computer programs, health and fitness services, and several academic support resources. Also at your disposal is the wonderful Career Center and helpful workshops offered by various departments. Make an effort to take advantage of resources that you have yet to use. Remember, it’s costing you or someone else quite a bit of money for you to be here, so get your money’s worth.

3. Get  involved

There are over 600 recognized student clubs and organizations at FSU; that sounds like enough to suit everyone’s interests. But joining is only the first step, it’s important to be active within clubs and organizations. Aim to be a contributing member by partaking in events or working on a committee. Stay connected by following organizations on social media and make sure you’re on the list serve to receive correspondences. You can also attend campus wide events: check out the campus calendar and Nole Central to see about fun and interesting events.

4. Make new connections

Your undergraduate experience should be more than a scholastic one, it’s also social. As your home away from home, you need a supportive family here at FSU. Don’t limit yourself to the social circle that you established during freshman year; each day is an opportunity to grow your network. Reach beyond your current crowd to make friends with classmates and peers, take advantage of networking opportunities to build professional relationships, and get to know some professors so that they can serve as mentors. These relationships can be sources of joy and mutual support that won’t be bound by your time in college; you’ll always have your FSU family so make it a great one.

5. Find balance

There is plenty of time to study, work, and have a social life. Whether its schoolwork, an extracurricular group, or leisure, your time shouldn’t be dominated by any one activity. Planning ahead gives you an opportunity to insert balance into your schedule. Your planner can have your class and study schedule as well as the time you want to devote to working out and watching TV. You’ll find yourself in academic trouble if you spend all of your time working, socializing, and playing club sports, but being cooped up in the library 24/7 is not practical either. Be honest about what commitment’s you can make this semester, and how you can maximize your contentment and productivity.

Feel free to customize these resolutions and come up with your own personal goals. Stick to your resolutions until new, positive routines are habitual. Have a great semester!

Drop/Add like a Boss!

It happens every semester: the drop/add week. Some colleges call it “shopping week”, the idea being you can try your classes out for a week, and then change your schedule without any financial penalties.  But some classes don’t actually teach during that first class meeting, am I right?

How many of you have sat through an hour of course policies and reviewing the syllabus, only to leave class with no clue what your professor’s teaching style is?

There are some REALLY helpful things you can do during the drop/add week to prepare for the coming semester and figure out which courses might be an issue. So follow my advice to make the most of your drop/add!

Tip #1: Know your No’s

Hopefully, you have a pretty good idea of what you like and what you don’t like in a course.  Do you prefer multiple choice tests to essays? Do you never ever want to wake up before 8am ever again? Do you do better in classes with multiple homework assignments, or with just one big test? While you sit through those syllabus reviews, keep an eye out for your deal breakers. If you find a lot of them in one class it might be a sign that you should look for a different course (if it’s an elective) or a different professor (if it’s required).

If you can’t change the class, make a note on the front of your syllabus that this class might be difficult for you. That will come in handy for your next step.

Tip #2: Plan Ahead

Most professors put some sort of course schedule in the syllabus, letting you know what topics will be covered and when. Almost all professors will tell you when the big assignments are coming up. Go through your syllabus and highlight these things: when are homework assignments do? when are your exams? when are the review sessions?

Once you’ve found all the dates, write them in on a calendar (if you don’t have one, our Academic Center for Excellence has a great template here!), and color code the classes. Think back to the assignments you think will be hardest for you and highlight them so they stand out. Now, hang the calendar up somewhere you will see it every day (I always kept mine right above my laptop), so you’ll always be reminded what’s coming up!

Tip #3: Set up your System

It’s important to monitor your progress in each class as you go along. I really like to use apps for this, since I’m pretty bad at math. Most professors include their grading system in the syllabus. You can use an app like Grades 3  or School Grades Tracker to program in the grading schemes. Then, as you get each grade back, add it into the app to help calculate your grade!

Tip #4: Find a Buddy

The last tip I have for your drop/add week success is to find one buddy in each class. This can be a friend taking the class with you, or just someone you sat next to on the first day.  Ask them whether they’re planning on keeping the class on their schedule, and if they are, exchange emails/phone numbers so that you have someone to ask for help if you need to miss a class, or you can’t read your notes for a certain day.

Helpful hint: People in the front row tend to take lots and lots of notes. They make great course buddies!

So, I hope you find these tips super helpful as you start your Spring 2015 semester! If you have more questions, leave them in the comments or tweet me @ChemCompSciADV