Is it normal to get sick in college?

It seems like every college student gets sick when they start a new year. With the lack of sleep, different food and lots of stress, its normal to feel under the weather.

Is it normal to get sick a lot in college?

College kids get sick a lot. They are usually not serious ailments. The most common ones include the flu, mono, stomach flu, and acne. Nevertheless, these health issues can seriously affect their studies and overall college life.

What do you do if you get sick at college?

What is the most common illness among college students?

College campuses are crawling with germs and viruses. This is because students often live in close quarters, attend more social events and may have many others in their classes. Some of the most common seasonal illnesses to watch out for include the common cold, flu and COVID.

Should I skip college if I'm sick?

Though this is your call, staying home is usually the best option. It allows you to get the rest you need to recover and limits the number of people you expose. If you do need to go to class, wear a mask!

What to Do When You're Sick in College! | Waddle's College Survival Guide

How do I stop getting sick in college?

Make sure you are replenishing and fueling your body with healthy and nutritional foods. Include lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, protein and dairy. Don't forget to also drink enough water to stay hydrated. Being active and moving our bodies can also be helpful for both physical and mental health.

Is it OK to miss a day of college?

For students who miss one or two classes over the course of a semester, professors rarely care. But the frequent skippers fall into another category. Professors can see frequent skipping as disrespectful of their time and expertise. Ultimately, it's OK to miss college classes when you have a good reason to skip.

How often does the average college student get sick?

Seventeen percent of students reported suffering with a chronic illness, and 27% reported an episode of an acute ill- ness over the 14-day period. For the total student population, the average number of sick days was 0.83, and for students reporting an acute illness, the average number of days was 3.04.

What percent of college students get the flu?

Research indicates that flu attack rates among subgroups of college students could get as high as 73%. However, flu vaccine adoption rates among college students are low, hovering between eight to 39 percent,^1,10–12 far from the recommendations made by Healthy People 2020 (70%)¹³ or Healthy Campus 2020 (50%).

What percentage of college students are unhealthy?

As of fall 2022, around 38 percent of college students rated their health as very good, while only 14 percent stated their health was fair or poor. Many colleges and universities provide health services for their students and promote awareness of the various health issues that students encounter.

How long does freshman flu last?

Summary. Flu symptoms tend to develop one to two days after exposure to the virus and last for between five to seven days. Day 1 to Day 3 are characterized by the abrupt onset and worsening of symptoms. Day 5 to Day 6 is when most people start to feel notably better.

How do you tell your professor you are sick?

Dear Professor (professor's name), I am writing to share with you that I have not been able to attend your class (course name and time of course) on the following dates (insert dates here) due to (insert situation here; i.e. illness/flu) situation. I have been trying to catch-up on course work as best as possible.

Is the flu common in college?

Every year, the flu spreads across college campuses nationwide. Close living quarters, shared restrooms, and a lot of social activities make a college student more likely to catch the flu.

Can you call out sick in college?

Email Your Professors.

If you're going to miss class, email your professors as soon as possible to let them know. If your professor takes attendance, having a sick note from the nurse will help you to get an excused absence.

Why do so many freshman get sick?

The high rates of sickness are most commonly attributed to the increased frequency of contact among students — think communal bathrooms, large lectures, and use of shared spaces like common rooms and libraries — in contrast to the decreased contact students experience while living at home.

What are the symptoms of the frat flu?

Symptoms of “frat flu” include a low grade fever, cough, post-nasal and a sore throat. If these symptoms are prominent, don't just write it off as “frat flu.” As the weeks of school progress and winter quickly approaches, the viruses students contracted at the beginning of the year should be dying out.

What to do if you have the flu in college?

Who is less likely to get the flu?

The same CID study found that children are most likely to get sick from flu and that people 65 and older are least likely to get sick from flu. Median incidence values (or attack rate) by age group were 9.3% for children 0-17 years, 8.8% for adults 18-64 years, and 3.9% for adults 65 years and older.

Do college freshmen get sick a lot?

It's not uncommon for college students to become sick much more frequently than the rest of the population, as we live in a cesspool of germs hosted by parties, hookup culture, and the passing around of vapes in every color.

How healthy are college students?

College students exhibit low levels of physical activity, high levels of sedentary behavior, poor dietary behaviors, sleep problems, high stress, and increased substance use. On-campus resources offering programs to improve college students' health have been limited during the pandemic.

How sick is too sick to go to class?

Having a sore throat, cough, or mild congestion doesn't always mean kids can't handle class and other activities. Kids should stay home when they have symptoms like a fever over 100.4°F, diarrhea, vomiting, or trouble breathing. When in doubt, check with the school.

Do college professors care if you skip class?

Sometimes a professor might have a policy about attendance. For example, a professor might say that a student will automatically receive a failing grade if they miss a certain percentage of the course. You might still have a passing grade, but they could still fail you if you miss too many classes.

What happens if you miss first week of college?

If you miss the first week, you generally will not have been dropped and can catch up. However, it is now 100% your responsibility to get the syllabus, read it and understand it. If the professor spent one day talking about a paper that is due midterm, he may never mention it again.

Should I tell my professor I overslept?

I am a firm believer in honesty being the best policy. I suggest you explain to your professor that you apologize for missing class but you slept through your alarm.

Why do college students get more cold?

College campuses are a “hot zone” of upper respiratory viruses due to the vast numbers of ill students in close proximity to one another. Peak incidence of the common cold is in the fall and winter, due to the cold, dry air that allow viruses to propagate, but colds can strike all year.