Whatever your priorities at university may be, nothing throws a spanner in the works quite like a dose of the flu. Or for that matter, even just a common cold as whether you’re investing tirelessly in studying or simply partying as long and hard as you can possibly get away with, being struck down with winter bugs can bring everything to a grinding halt.
The good news however is that with a little proactivity and forethought, students can dramatically increase their likelihood of getting through the winter without suffering so much as a sniffle. According to the experts at findspace, much of it comes down to ensuring that you have the perfect refuge from which to escape the worst of the winter – making the right choice when it comes to accommodation really can make all the difference in the world.
Of course, that particular ship may have sailed long ago, so it is perhaps more helpful to look at the kinds of universal tips of use to all students across the board. So for those spending most of the cold months away from home, here’s a quick rundown of six helpful and effective tips from giving the annual seasonal sniffles the fight of their life:
1 – Stay Warm
First and foremost, staying warm is of paramount importance. It’s something of a myth to suggest that the common cold is actually caught as a result of being cold – in reality however, this isn’t the case at all. Instead, when and where a person is too cold for too long, their natural defences weaken and summarily open them up to an extraordinary array of potential bugs and viruses. As such, no matter what it takes to ensure that you keep yourself comfortably warm throughout the winter, you need to make it happen. Even if this means accepting that your energy bills will be a little higher or even spending every waking moment wrapped up like a Christmas present, you won’t regret it!
2 – Stay Active
Winter also tends to be the time of year during which even those with generally active routines take a step away from energetic activities and exercise. The simple fact of the matter is that there’s always a great excuse during the winter not to exercise, though this is exactly the time a year during which staying active is in fact the most important. An active and exercised body is a healthy body, which in turn works wonders for fighting away winter bugs.
3 – Keep Things Clean
As it’s best to assume that natural defences will be somewhat struggling throughout the winter, it’s advisable to intensify efforts to keep things as clean and hygienic as possible. Once again, it’s easy to find any and every excuse in the world not to bother keeping your accommodation clean and tidy – especially given the fact that it probably won’t stay clean and tidy for more than a few hours at best. Nevertheless, it’s once again a case of minimising exposure to as many nasties as possible, so it’s time and effort well invested.
4 – Eat Well
It’s always tempting to use winter as the perfect excuse to eat and drink all the kinds of things you know you probably shouldn’t – often in excessive quantities. Sadly, this is once again a sure-fire recipe for giving the body’s natural defences something of a severe kicking, limiting their ability to do what it is they do best. A healthy diet is of course of paramount importance throughout the year, though is of particular importance when it comes to surviving a cold winter without getting sick.
5 – Don’t Overdo It
Still on the same point, overdoing it when it comes to alcohol and revelry in general can bring particularly unpleasant repercussions during the winter months. It’s no secret that getting carried away and leaving yourself with one hell of a hangover to deal with doesn’t exactly do your body a great deal of good. In fact, chances are that if your body is going to succumb to the kinds of winter sniffles and illnesses you’d rather avoid, it’s going to happen while you’re hungover!
6 – Beware the Share
Last but not least, it’s worth bearing in mind that is perfectly possible and indeed normal for thousands of people to be carrying all manner of germs, bugs and viruses around with them, without personally getting sick. That person you intend to share your drinking straw with may look perfectly healthy, but they could be carrying exactly what it is you’re trying to steer clear of. So while it may not exactly be a social way of going about things, it might be advisable to avoid or at least be wary of excessive sharing activities throughout the winter.
