If you’ve walked into class recently and noticed a decline in attendance, a round of the cold or flu virus might just be making its way through the campus hallways.
Flu season peaks between December and March, though illness can begin appearing in early fall and last into the spring.
Don’t know the difference between the two?
Cold: Symptoms include a sore throat, runny nose, congestion and cough. Fevers are uncommon. Lasts about three days to a week.
Flu: Similar symptoms such as sore throat, cough and congestion but the flu virus can come with a nasty wallop of headache, muscle aches and soreness as well as vomiting and diarrhea. The flu can leave you feeling miserable for a week or longer.
But, should you skip class to treat yourself?
Medical experts say a light cold can often be easily treated with over the counter medications. Most people can muscle though their day with minimal misery. Colds, however, are contagious, so wash your hands often and sneeze into a tissue.
If you have the more severe symptoms of the flu, stay home, experts say. Give yourself time to recover, this means staying in bed, resting, drinking fluids and avoiding college fun, work and class.
And perhaps most important, communicate with your professors. If you are too sick to head to class, they will appreciate you not spreading the virus. But, they also appreciate you letting htem know what is happening so you can stay on top of your classwork.