Well, the cold and flu season has arrived in full force. This year as a special treat, they brought their friend, the measles. As if barfing and exploding sinuses weren’t enough, we can now look forward to colored spots all over our bodies.

The weather’s tremendous confusion as to whether it should be hot or cold is no help. And, with the peace and tranquility of the Thanksgiving homestay behind us, we are left to fend for ourselves.

That might sound like an easy task, but wait. Finals are around the corner, and the stress of getting good grades at the last minute is upon us. That stress causes us to stay up late reading material we should have read weeks ago. We begin to eat carelessly, if we even choose to eat a meal at all.

What happens next? You know just as well as I do. We get sick. When you’re away from home, a cold never seems like only a little inconvenience either. You literally feel like you’re dying and you waste no time telling everyone you meet exactly how you feel.

A typical conversation with a sick person can leave you a bit short on topics for small talk. Their obviously hellish existence is quite overwhelming and you feel helpless to their misery except to say, “Well gosh, I hope you feel better.”

Sick people are never optimistic either. See if this sounds familiar: “Hi (place name here), how are you?” Have you ever noticed that everyone asks you how you are whether they really care or not?

Anyway, your sick friend answers, “Well let me tell you, last time I checked, I still had a pulse and that’s about all I’m hoping for right now.” What do you answer to that? I’ll tell you what you say. You say “Well gosh, I hope you feel better.”

I have a few cold and flu tips that might keep you from being the next victim.

First, dress appropriately when you go outside. If it’s cold or snowing, wear a heavy jacket and gloves or earmuffs if you have them. Freshmen, don’t worry, hats and earmuffs really are the “cool” thing to wear when you live in DeKalb. Anyone who has lived through an NIU winter can attest to that.

Second, if you think you’re getting sick, don’t chance it and go out to the bars or a party. You are just going to wear yourself down even more and get sicker. Believe me, I think the DeKalb social community can attempt to live without you for one or two nights.

Besides, if you’re taking any kind of cold medication and you drink, you could make yourself feel a whole lot worse. In fact, you might even wind up dead. This is no area to play games in.

The best idea is to just stay home and wrap yourself up in a warm blanket. Have some friends over to keep you company and relax. Keep in mind that Mom wasn’t lying to you all these years when she told you to keep drinking juice and have chicken soup. You need to be at your best for finals and if you take control of the situation now, you can guarantee good health in the weeks to come.

So, from one fellow sickie to all you healthy people I raise my liquid cold medicine cup to you and wish you the best of luck in the stress to come.