Being sick on and off for the past month has given me a new appreciation for the spread of germs and pathogens on college campuses. The spectacle is truly a sight to marvel at; it happens so quickly, and with so little effort involved during the spread.
Just think of the typical party you go to. Patient zero arrives to the party as the initial carrier. They come in and, of course, head straight for the jungle juice. They cough and sneeze all around the area, effectively contaminating the open drinks laying around. They then head to the perfect area to pass their cold on more: the dance room.
The hot, sweaty and cramped space creates an open season for the spread to continue. The next day arrives and somehow two out of five of the people from the party say they are not feeling well. These people then attend another party and the cycle begins again.
Partying is only one of the ways by which sickness travels. The proverbial death sentence when it comes to getting sick is having a roommate who is sick. The close quarters environment makes it nearly inevitable that both people will at some point become ill. Those living in suite-style dorms like Bragaw or Wood Residence Halls are faced with an even bigger challenge as suites can be an easier place for pathogens to spread with the larger number of people in such a confined space.
The body becomes even more susceptible to becoming sick while being in conditions that college may often generate: having a lack of sleep, using poor eating habits and undergoing stress. Having any of these three will result in a weakened immune system making it harder to combat illness. This coupled with the aforementioned variables makes it easy for your body to become a fertile ground for illness to develop.
Being sick, for most people, will become a handicap while attempting schoolwork. In 2006, the American College Health Association conducted a survey where college students self-reported being sick as the number-two reason for impediments to academic performance. This becomes abundantly clear when sitting through a lecture while feeling under the weather.
While it may not be possible to prevent the spread from ever happening, it is certainly possible to reduce the likelihood of it occurring. Right now, Student Health Services is offering flu shots for students. The process is as simple as setting up an appointment at the Student Health Center, then requesting a flu shot.
If that sounds like too much work, there is also the option of attending a flu shot clinic on one of the days they are offered. This process simply involves entering the Piedmont Ballroom or wherever the event is held and receiving your shot.
The Student Health Center boasts a laundry list of care provided to students from well-known practices like primary care to more obscure practices like massage therapy. Student Health also has a pharmacy within the facility that can provide both prescription and over-the-counter medications.
If you are one of the many students at NC State who hold an antipathy for Student Health, then there are still alternatives to prevent the spread from reaching you. Within the city of Raleigh, there are two primary care facilities close to campus, Avance Care and WakeMed Physician Practices, 1.2 and 2.7 miles away respectively. For less severe illnesses that do not require a physician’s attention there is a CVS on Hillsborough Street where over-the-counter medications can be purchased.
Being sick does not have to be a month-long battle. Through the right precautions and avoiding germ-infested situations (or attempting to minimize the risks involved in them), you can avoid being a victim of the spread.
