I had meningitis at uni, and these are the symptoms that made me seek help immediately

It feels like information about meningitis is everywhere right now. With cases rising in Kent and two confirmed student deaths, it seems like the country has gone into a frenzy.

But with meningitis disproportionately affecting young people and students, it’s genuinely important to understand the real warning signs. Take it from someone who actually had it while at university last year.

The Meningitis outbreak in Kent is now being treated as a ‘national-level’ incident, with the head of the UK Health Security Agency calling the explosive nature of it ‘unprecedented’.

15 cases of Meningitis B have been confirmed so far – with two people dying from the disease. A… pic.twitter.com/bkGBm8oGun

— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) March 18, 2026

For me, it started like any normal illness. At first, I just felt generally unwell, as if I had a cold or the flu coming on. I had chills and couldn’t warm myself up, even under a duvet with a thick hoodie on and a heated blanket turned up to full.

I also had a headache, but that wasn’t unusual for me. I assumed it was something I could sleep off, so I went to bed early, expecting to feel better in the morning, like I usually would.

But things changed when I woke up a few hours later. My headache hadn’t improved at all; it had actually gotten worse. That was the first red flag. Normally, even if I went to bed with a headache, it would at least ease slightly after some sleep. This time, it was rapidly turning into one of the worst headaches I had ever experienced.

Over the next couple of hours, everything escalated quickly. The pain became unbearable. It felt like my head was in a vice, constantly throbbing. I started being sick because of how intense it was.

🚨 BREAKING: The meningitis outbreak has been declared a “national incident” with the first case now reported in London

— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) March 17, 2026

Then came what I knew was the tell-tale sign: I couldn’t tolerate light at all. The headache was so severe that even the smallest amount of light made it worse. I couldn’t even bear to turn the bathroom light on. That level of light sensitivity is a key symptom of meningitis.

Alongside that, my neck became incredibly stiff. I found it difficult to move it from side to side, and even turning around felt like a struggle.

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Soon after, I began to feel confused and noticed I was stuttering over my words. That was the moment I realised something was seriously wrong. I called 111, and they sent me to hospital immediately.

Looking back, I was very lucky to recognise how serious my symptoms were early on. A lot of people assume they can just ride out an illness at home, but with meningitis, things can worsen extremely quickly and even lead to sepsis.

Looking happier than I felt

One of the symptoms people often associate with meningitis is a rash that doesn’t fade when you press a glass against it. I didn’t have that symptom, which made me unsure at first whether meningitis was even a possibility. I later learned that not everyone develops the rash, which is something more people need to be aware of.

In the weeks leading up to getting ill, I had been stressed and overwhelmed with university deadlines. I wasn’t sleeping properly, but I was still going out and drinking, which left me run down and more vulnerable, as many students are.

My mum, who works in healthcare, had always made sure I knew how to recognise the signs of meningitis. She had also urged me to get the meningitis booster vaccine while I was at university. She even tried several times to arrange it for me, but it was near impossible to get anywhere. We were told I wasn’t eligible because I was already fully vaccinated and not considered at risk. We were told I could get it privately if I wanted, but we didn’t end up pursuing it.

🚨 BREAKING: The UK Health Security Agency says MenB bacteria is the strain behind the meningitis outbreak in Kent

Most teens are only vaccinated against MenACWY strains, not the MenB strain

Only babies born after 2015 were offered the MenB vaccine on the NHS

— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) March 17, 2026

Looking back now, I can’t help but think the meningitis booster should be much more widely offered, especially to young people and university students, who are among the most at risk. It’s something that could potentially prevent outbreaks like the one we’re seeing now.

The fact that the booster is only being rolled out more widely after cases have risen says a lot. It shouldn’t take an outbreak for preventative measures to be taken seriously.

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Featured image credit: SWNS