We’ve all struggled through that constant, awkward sniffling during a quiet class.

If your immune system is anything like mine was freshman year, you are constantly trying to avoid the dreaded dorm room cold. I felt like I was always on the verge of getting sick. When you live with 100 other students in an almost-70-year-old building, you have no choice but to learn a few tips and tricks to keep yourself healthy.

Prevention

The first — and most important — piece of advice I have is to beat your cold before it starts. Start by getting enough sleep. If you give your body time to rest, it will be able to fight the filth itself, and you will have more energy and feel better throughout the day.

Hydration

Water is the next step in keeping away a cold. Staying hydrated will protect against sinus problems and headaches.

Nutrition

Another hard one to balance in the dorm is eating your veggies. Keeping your diet clean will give your body the nutrients it needs to stay energized and properly fueled. Head over to SaladWorks every now and then to get those greens in.

Medication

Of course, prevention medications will help you kick your sickness to the curb as well. Flu season will sneak up on you, so make sure you remember to get your flu shot. Another thing that saved me was vitamin C (and lots of it). The gummies were always my favorite, but the powders work wonders too.

Cleanliness

The last thing I recommend is keeping your dorm as clean as possible. Clorox wipes are cheap and will disinfect just about any surface.

Management

Sometimes even the most meticulous prevention still doesn’t cut it. If you do get sick, give yourself permission to slow down. Let your body rest and recover. Stay in bed and watch a movie or take a nap. At this point, over-the-counter medications will be your best friend. Treat your symptoms before they get worse. If you cannot make it to a drugstore, you can find various medications, such as Dayquil and Nyquil, in the student center. You can even charge these to your Tigercard (score). When you start feeling sick, a little bowl of soup or a cup of hot tea can do wonders to make you feel better, so load up at Panera. Lastly, avoid coffee and alcohol. These will slow your body down and make it harder to fight off infections.

Communication

Something I always found helpful when I wasn’t feeling good was to tell a friend. Having someone there to help you out makes a world of a difference, even if they are just there to encourage you. Also, don’t forget to call your parents. They sometimes know more about how your body handles sickness than you do, so they will be able to give some good advice. Being sick in a dorm room is no fun, so you are going to need all the help you can get.

Want more information on how to stay healthy? Check out this article!

Be well, Auburn.

Photography: Hannah S.