Swine flu the new freshers flu? university in September

[lovelife]

Suprisingly i haven't been too stressed about swine flu. But it really just occured to me that i start university again in September. It's well known that everyone is ill the first few weeks due to the mass amounts of people- freshers flu. But if it's swine flu it will be alot more serious. I was ill alot during freshers last year so it can only get worse this time! I'm getting worried and put off going back to uni again. Even if i take safety measures there's hundreds who wont. I really think i'm going to get it - and people are dying without other health issues now.

[nomorepanic]

So you are just going to lock yourself away in your house forever then?

[lovelife]

That's the thing- i won't. My idea of safety is just carrying hand wash around and not getting close with random people in clubs. It's still very easy to get ill in uni though and it just worries me - especially since i'll probably freak out from a silly sore throat!

[nomorepanic]

If you get it you will deal with it at the time.

Look at your username - lovelife - so please do just that and don't worry about something that will probably never happen

[Lissy43]

I started uni in March, a few people had coughs and colds but I was fine.

It will be that this flu will be more wide spread come the autumn/winter but there is little we can do and there will be vaccines available at some point so try not to worry.

[stephles]

Hey lovelife,

It sounds like you are keeping yourself as healthy as you possibly can - this is all you can do. Embrace university! Enjoy the student lifestyle but remain responsible and try not to worry.

Steph

[pd]

Freshers flu is pretty unavoidable anyway, the way I see it is that when you're living in halls, with loads of other people, some of whom have questionable personal hygeine, drinking too much, not sleeping enough, the kind of things that people do during the first few weeks of uni, you're bound to get ill. Everyone gets ill, and it's pretty unavoidable unfortunately, unless you shut yourself off from everyone else.

[lovelife]

Thankyou everyone =)
I suppose i know really there's nothing i can do without living in my bedroom on internet deliveries! Even then people have to touch and breathe over those deliveries! Haha no escape!
I think i just wanted to put the worries outloud.

In the end - the more we worry the weaker our immune systems will be if the swine flu comes! Que cera cera!

[bcr]

I work in a university and just accepted that a lot of us in universities (students and staff) will probably get it around October. However it is just like Freshers Flu, lots of people get that and recover just fine.

I used to be Vice President in a Students Union (back in 2004) and wrote the following advice on Freshers Flu which I think applies just as well to Swine Flu:

Whatever year you are in it is highly likely at some point you will get Freshers' Flu. Unfortunately the cures to this are not the most exciting:

- Drink plenty of fluids (non-alcoholic!!!)
- Get plenty of rest (Missing a lecture/night out is not the end of the world!)
- Register with a Doctor and go to the Medical Centre for further advice

If you don't take it easy in the short term it could turn into something more serious in the long term.

I think most universities will be well prepared and have advice for students as they arrive back. Unfortunately I think most of us will get it at some point, but just like ordinary flu nearly everyone will just have a rubbish few days and be back on their feet in no time.

[sweetypie]

swine flu isnt as bad as normal flu
its like a cold but with the chills and aches and headache hunni
i dont go to uni so i wouldnt no about freshers flu
but i do no swine flu isnt has bad because i was diagnosed last week and was laid in bed for 2 to 3 days then back on my feet still feel abit achey after a week of having it but my sister couldnt get out of bed for a week with normal flu
ope this eases your worry x