How to Prepare for the Plymouth Plague

“I got sick a lot last year,” said sophomore and nursing major, Shauna Farrell. “My roommate came down with a cold and I ended up with bronchitis.” She wasn’t alone in her struggle, as the beginning of the year is often the time most students find themselves coming down with colds and fevers. “I feel like people get sick a lot more in dorms because of how much you share,” said Farrell. Allison Moylan, another sophomore and criminal justice major, couldn’t agree more.

“You’re not used to sharing as much stuff because there aren’t as many germs around you at home,” said Moylan. Being in such a new environment with an abundance of new people can be a strain on anyone’s immune system. Coughing, shivers, and stuffy noses are almost a guarantee for any student moving into the dorms. “I had to go to the pharmacy to get allergy medicine the first week,” said Farrell. She, like most students, hadn’t thought of the necessity in such medications until it was too late.

“I didn’t get sick a lot last year, but when I did I would take NyQuil for three or four nights and Advil during the day for headaches,” said Moylan. She and Farrell each gave their lists for what medications all incoming students should have stashed away in their rooms for those inevitable bed ridden days:

DayQuil (A bit of a pick me up for those mornings when you know the cold is coming on)

NyQuil (After a long day of drag- ging yourself through classes, some- thing to help you sleep is never a bad thing)

Advil (Sometimes it’s not the plague, but the headaches that will keep you from getting stuff done)

Tums (Great for those days when your stomach is just not feeling the way it should)

Claritin D (You can be sure that, out here in New Hampshire, allergies will most definitely be an issue)

Excedrin Migraine (For when you just don’t think Advil will get the job done)

Melatonin (A medicine that will help put you right to sleep...without the risk of getting addicted)

Along with these medications, there are a few other items that may come in handy when you realize your own first aid kit is still at home. It’s always a good idea to keep a couple band aids stashed away for those times when you’ll least expect needing them. Whether it’s a paper cut or a scraped elbow, keeping the infection away means one less thing to worry about. For one step further, no one ever regretted a couple blister band aids either. With as much walking that living on a campus requires, a couple blisters will come as no surprise.

Other commonly forgotten items include nail clippers, tweezers, and a thermometer. They may seem simple and unnecessary, but it is items like these that are never missed more until they’re really needed. These items should get most students by in just about any sick-at-college situation, but if you really want a good opinion on what you might need for that worse-case-scenario, never hesitate to ask mom to take you on a shopping trip.