Getting Sick at Carleton

One of the disadvantages of Carleton’s trimester system is that, since the classes move so fast, even a short period of illness can feel like a big setback. And I, being of delicate constitution, have gotten sick a lot—almost once a term. Despite this, I’ve managed to remain on top of all my classes. In this blog post, I’ll share some of the strategies that have been helpful for me when dealing with illness at Carleton.

Be gentle with yourself

I used to respond to cold and flu symptoms by ignoring them and hoping they’d go away. It should go without saying that this is the wrong approach. In the long run, the best strategy to handle your illness is to take it seriously from the get-go. These days, I let my professors know right away, and ask my body to do as little as possible. Keep in mind that the better you take care of yourself by getting plenty of fluids and rest, the faster you’ll recover. Even if all you’re worried about is getting behind in school, it’s still a good idea to go easy on yourself right away.

Consider the health of others

Carleton is a very compassionate community, and taking care not to get others sick is a big part of that. The first thing I always do when I feel unwell is take a Covid test. You can get rapid tests for free from your dorm hall’s vending machine, or grab a few from the stack outside the Office of Health Promotion in Sayles. (Thankfully, I’ve never tested positive—I haven’t heard about a Covid outbreak on campus since my freshman fall. Still, it’s a good idea to test frequently.) Though few professors ask students to wear a mask in class, masking up is pretty normalized on campus, and you should definitely do so if you think you might be contagious with anything.

Finally, if you have to, let your professors know you can’t make it to class. If you’re too tired to pay attention or contribute, you won’t get much out of it anyway, and there’s no point in just exposing your classmates to infection. Remember that your professors want what you want: for you to rest and recover, so you can come back ready to learn.

Ask for help

This is the most important item on this list. I’ve already noted how understanding professors are about illness, but it’s a point worth reiterating. Carleton is a rigorous school, and a brief period of illness is often enough to make you feel pretty behind. But here’s the thing: professors know this too. They wouldn’t be here if they didn’t want to help you. Like I said, I’ve gotten sick a lot, but I’ve never felt that my grades suffered for it. I’ve been able to achieve this because I’ve prioritized rest, worked with professors in their office hours, and made plans for when I’ll get assignments done. I’ve also made good use of peer support resources like the Writing Center and prefect hours, which I would highly recommend to anyone.

Finally, go to SHAC

Student Health and Counseling, or SHAC, just got a new building, they’ve been a fixture of campus for a while. Besides counseling services, consulting on respiratory illnesses is their bread and butter. SHAC’s nurse practitioners can write prescriptions at local pharmacies (like Family Fare, which is about an eight-minute walk from campus). They can also recommend over-the-counter stuff, or even hand out certain medications in small quantities for free. All consultations at SHAC are an included service, so don’t hesitate to make an appointment—you might as well!

Colin (he/him) is a junior Political Science major from St. Paul, Minnesota. He writes for Carleton’s comedy magazine, the Cow Print, and works for the Academic Support Center as a Writing Consultant. He also participates in Quiz Bowl. His proudest achievement is getting 1st place in incorrect answers at a national tournament. Colin believes that winter starts when you can make a snowman and have it still be there in a week, spring starts when the Lyman Lakes geese have goslings, summer starts when the cottonwoods bloom, and fall starts when The Blast stops serving ice cream.