We get it, you’re starting university, you want to have a great time, in which case you need our top tips on how to avoid freshers’ flu and spot symptoms.
No matter how many bugs or vaccinations you’ve had in your life, you’re almost guaranteed to get the fresher’s flu in some form or another when you start.
It’s not a great start we know, but the good news is there are steps you can take to arm yourself against it.
The fresher’s flu is caused by exposure to germs. Different people carry different bacteria and, typically, the people they interact with a lot become immune to those bacteria.
At university, no one is immune to it, as they are all meeting for the first time. Which is why you are unlikely to be able to avoid it.
What Even is Freshers’ Flu?
If you don’t already know, fresher’s flu is an illness you usually contract early on when you start university.
Symptoms can include headaches, nausea – see above, a high temperature (the main difference between the flu and a hangover is a fever) and fatigue.
Most of the people around you will catch it at some point and will be suffering too.
Just remember, it will soon pass as you fight it off and build up your immunity, and you will have the rest of the year to enjoy yourself.
Here are our top tips and flu advice on how to avoid fresher’s flu:
Make Sure You’re Getting Enough Vitamins
Don’t slip into bad habits straight away. We know you are keen to get out there and make friends and party.
But a healthy diet sis essential during this time so your body gets all the nutrients it needs to fight off viruses and germs.
Stay Hydrated
You already know that hydration is key to drinking more safely and warding off a hangover.
But it’s also vital to keep all your organs and chemical reactions working properly. Hydration is really important to good health and even more so when you are ill to flush out toxins.
Rest and Get Plenty of Zzzz
Simply put, when we are run down and tired our immunity suffers.
Even though there are bound to be plenty of late nights, try and catch up on rest and sleep so your immune system will be functioning better and give you more change to fight off bugs.
What Causes Freshers’ Flu?
• Socialising with lots of new people (including lip to lip contact!)
• Lack of sleep
• Eating too much junk food
• Drinking too much alcohol
• Stress.
Symptoms of Freshers’ Flu, Look Out for Them!
So how do you know when you have it? Are you hungover? Is it a bad cold? Here are the main symptoms to look out for:
• Headaches – with a hangover this will pass as you work off the alcohol. With the flu it will linger
• Nausea – again, have you drunk too much booze or is this sickness hanging around?
• High temperature – you definitely should have a fever unless you are unwell. If you have one you could have fresher’s flu.
• Fatigue – the flue causes extreme tiredness. You need to listen to your body, go to bed and sleep.
• Dry Cough and or sneezing – you may experience these. Like a bad cold.
What to Do When You Think You’ve Got Freshers’ Flu
If you think you’ve got it, we advise students to speak to their local GP or university doctor is they are feeling unwell.
All universities will have a doctor on campus that students can register with. They could also ring the NHS 111 number for advice if symptoms are really bad. But however you do it, here speak to a professional.
Especially at the moment, they will advise you on what to do and whether you need a PCR test for Covid.
Reading the symptoms here, they sound a lot like Covid. It’s therefore essential to seek medical advice and keep testing.
We hope you’ve gained some top tips here. Perhaps you’d like to also read our blog on What to take to uni.
