Surviving starting second year with freshers’ flu

Starting second year you think you have everything all figured out: you’re no longer the baby-faced fresher you were last year, you have the clubs figured out and you know the lecture halls from the library.

You’re all set for this to be the best year yet… but no.

Of course freshers' flu hits you out of nowhere and it can take even the most prepared second year down. We like to tell ourselves we’ve done everything right, had some nights in, a few at the pub, but in reality no student knows how to properly cope with the realities of juggling life and a cold.

Second year is so much more important so of course you have to struggle on

The 'welcome lectures' put the fear in you so you force yourself to everything in the first few weeks. Everyone knows if you miss that first lecture things can spiral out of control. Unfortunately, you end up as the only dying person on the back row punctuating everything the lecturer says with a cough. If this wasn't already bad enough, the stares from everyone else will make you want to hide for the next week or so.

All the necessities

The flat parties, the house warmings, the pres are amazing this year – or so you hear

Maybe not all your friends came back for Freshers' but as soon as the start of term hits everyone is trying to show off their flats, their decorating skills (if you can call a string of fairy lights and night out pictures decoration) and make some memories. They’re all living their best lives – but you’re not.

Luckily though, you get to see all the fun via Instagram posts! You try to convince yourself that it’s fine and that there’ll be plenty more nights later in the year. It only half works though, with the juicy chat over breakfast the next day sending vicious waves of FOMO through your body.

You become the resident flat hermit

Your friends will look at you when you emerge from your room wrapped in a blanket like you’re carrying the plague. It’s second year, how could you have done this to yourself? Yeah, I was made to retreat with my fifth cup of tea that hour so I didn’t infect the rest of the flat. No sympathy here.

No one sees you for at least half a week as you haven’t moved from beneath the mound of tissues around you.

Tea, nap, repeat – your new daily routine

It’s time to reappear

We should all know by now when it’s time to go to the GP and book an appointment. The steady stream of Lemsip and Strepsils can only do so much before something slightly stronger and a bit of advice might be necessary. The reality ends with you on the phone to a medic friend, who probably could only tell you the kind of thing your mum would. But hey, they’re doing a medical degree, it’s good enough right?

Thanks Marchmont Pharmacy xx

The second time around is so much worse – freshers, you don't know how good you have it! So it’s time to wake up, take the cold medication and get your life back on track before you get stuck with the sore throat and spluttering cough that can be heard from the Meadows through to Potterrow.