Avoid Getting Sick During Flu Season
More stories from Émilie Rasmussen
The New Mexico State University’s Health and Wellness Center.
With changes in season this time of year, it is not unusual to catch a cold or begin to feel under the weather. However, there are numerous strategies that students can use to avoid getting sick.
Carol Nevarez, Nurse Supervisor at the Aggie Health and Wellness Center, gave The Round Up a couple tips for staying healthy throughout this season.
- Frequently wash your hands. Germs can live on lots of different surfaces, so it is important to wash hands, especially before eating or drinking. Campus also has places with large concentrations of people—such as Corbett—and people tend to touch what is around them. Hand washing prevents the additional spread of germs.
- Always cover coughs and sneezes. Covering coughs and sneezes lessens the transmission of germs from one individual to another.
- Keep up good, healthy eating habits. Having good eating habits helps keep the immune system functioning well, and intake of vitamin C help keep away colds.
- Drink lots of fluids. It is always important to stay hydrated.
- Get plenty of rest. Even with classes, extracurricular activities, clubs, and work, is it very important to get enough rest to function properly and not fall susceptible to a cold.
- Flu season is coming up in January and February. Flu shots are a useful precaution against catching the flu.
Finals are also coming up, and this brings a lot of stress to students. According to Nevarez, “Stress can also bring down the immune system, and when the immune system is down it puts you more at risk to get colds.”
Taking care of oneself and using these preventative measures can help fight sickness. “Stay healthy, drink lots of fluids… take care of yourself; plenty of rest and sleep,” says Nevarez.
Implementing the Wellness Center’s tips may help students to stay healthy and happy through the cold.
The Aggie Health and Wellness Center is open from 8:00 AM until noon and then from 1:00 PM until 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. Routine visits to the center are free of charge for full-time students. More information can be found on the Center’s website.
Émilie Rasmussen is in her first year at NMSU and as a Staff Writer for The Round Up. She graduated from El Dorado High School and the International Baccalaureate...