How to avoid the dreaded freshers flu

It’s the fate all freshers face. Living alongside thousands of first years from all over the world, sharing their germs and giving your immune system an absolute belting results in a cold which brings you to the brink of running (wheezing) back home.

Feeling poorly

Here’s the Royal Holloway Health Centre’s tips on avoiding the dreaded lurgy.

Get off with fewer people

The cold virus lives in mouths, so if someone is looking a bit peaky it’s best to give them a few days before you make your move. The nurses at the health centre also added that if you can get with fewer people, you’ll protect yourself more from the flu.

Don’t drink too much

Alcohol’s not good for you, which isn’t new.

What an idiot

Sleep

Sleep deprivation severely weakens the immune system, making you far more susceptible to the flu. If you know you’re going to have a late night, do your best to ensure you can lie in/nap later.

Eat sensibly and drink lots of fluids

Maintaining a healthy diet with essential vitamins is a great defence against any kind of illness.

Don’t go out with damp hair or clothes

The urban myth we all live by is a lie – Getting cold will not give you a cold. However, if you’re carrying the virus and your body is fighting off the first stages of the flu it’s very likely you’ll wake up the next morning with a blocked nose if you stumble home in the rain with no coat.

If you find yourself ill, Nurse Sue advises you to take these steps:

1) Avoid public places. You’ll only infect more people and feel worse.

2) Go to the pharmacy instead of the doctors. There’s nothing the doctor can prescribe to make you better which you can’t get over the counter.

3) Drink plenty of warm fluids and take standard painkillers such as ibuprofen and paracetamol.