While most of my friends were bundled up and going out for two weeks, I was sniffling my way through the holidays. No joke, I thought I had the plague. Don’t worry, it was just a serious cold, a classic case of watery eyes and a runny nose and I recovered like a champ. But when I returned to school, I felt like I was walking into germ-topia. You guys are disgusting, seriously. We need to talk about this. Since no one I know has an immune system made of steel and this flu season seems to mean business, I have a feeling that keeping industrial sized bottles of hand sanitizer on tap is not going to combat the germs this year. That being said, chances are you will unfortunately fall victim to an illness this season. Don’t fret, there are methods to recuperate and luckily for you, I spent most of my Christmas break perfecting them.

• The golden rule: Get plenty of sleep. Allowing your body to snooze instead of straining it to carry out otherwise normal activities will give it that extra kick to fight the nasties throwing a party in your body.
• Get steamy: To tackle the massive amounts of post-nasal drip, use a humidifier at night to maintain moisture in the air and alleviate congestion. For a more simple approach, take a hot bath or shower to open your nasal passages.
• Drink up: It’s a given that drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated is a must when feeling ill. Green or herbal tea with honey is another soothing approach to treating the symptoms of colds, allergies and inflammation. I was practically chugging this stuff by the mugfull. The tea itself is organic and rich in antioxidants and the honey will coat a sore throat for relief.
• Smell that?: As much as I hate to admit it, Mother truly does know best and now using Vicks is a go-to for me. The medicated aromas in this solution open nasal passages and make you feel refreshed. Ignore the initial chill when applying, it goes away and you’ll thank me later.
• Pass the tissues: Don’t simply let the mucus mountain build up, that’s extremely primitive and counterintuitive when it comes to getting better. Blow your nose to clear out the buildup and make it easier to breathe.

I’m no doctor. These are simple tricks to help you while you’re on the mend. If you are truly ill, seek actual medical advice.