How to cope with Freshers’ Flu
Print Comment Editor Kamila Bell gives us her tried-and-tested tips on tackling the fabled Freshers’ Flu
I was five weeks into my first year of uni, five weeks of almost consecutive nights out followed by mornings of regret, when I awake one day to discover that my Deliveroo order is not subsiding my banging headache and nauseating hangover. Paracetamol and a hot shower follow to try and ease these symptoms, but I have no luck. I have contracted the notorious, mysterious illness aptly named ‘freshers’ flu’.
Do not be fooled by the name, however: freshers’ flu will not strike during your first couple of weeks of uni, it will arise from the tsunami of coughing and runny noses within your lectures. You will notice it when your lecturer seems to have taken a step back from the podium and has limited the number of questions they ask, for fear of contracting the hacking cough and bunged up nose that 80 per cent of you possess, for it will take no prisoners.
I found the best way to alleviate symptoms follows five simple steps;
- Grovel to your less than sympathetic flat-mates
- Grovel, maybe even cry to a chosen parent or guardian over FaceTime (from bed for added drama)
- (a) Plea to said parent or guardian that what you need to make you better is a warm bath and to eat a homecooked meal
(b) Repeat steps 1-3a until step 4 is achieved - Travel on train home to be pandered until symptoms subside
- Return to uni with your newly-strengthened immune system and leftover soup
I cannot say that you will get freshers flu, but if you do, I can guarantee you will know about it. I just hope that my simple tips can offer you a quick and speedy recovery.
Header image credit: A young man weeps in grief by the death bed of a young woman. Line engraving by J. Brown, 1846, after J. Barker. Credit: Wellcome Collection. CC BY
