Speaking from Experience - Freshers Flu

Freshers' Flu

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Freshers' Flu is the name commonly given to a battery of illnesses contracted by as many as 90%^[1] of new students during the first few weeks at a university, in some form; common symptoms include fever, sore throat, severe headache, coughing and general discomfort .^[2] The illnesses may or may not include actual flu, and is often simply a bad cold, but is so named simply due to alliteration. This is mostly a British term, and is rarely heard outside the UK.

The most likely cause is the convergence of large numbers of people arriving from all over the world, many of whom carry germs to which they are immune, but others have not had a chance to acquire the necessary immunity.^[3] The poor diet and heavy consumption of alcohol during Freshers Week is also reported as a cause for many of the illnesses contracted during this time. "Stress, which may be induced by tiredness, combined with a poor diet, late nights and too much alcohol, can weaken the immune system and be a recipe for ill health. All this can make students and staff working with the students more susceptible to infections within their first weeks of term." ^[4]

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[edit]Other effects

As well as the usual viral effects, Freshers' Flu can also have some psychological effects. These effects arise where the stress of leaving home, and other consequences of being independent, not to mention various levels of homesickness and the attempts at making new friends, can further weaken the immune system, increasing susceptibility to illness.^[5]

Wikipedia

Freshers' Flu is a psycho-socially advanced poly-virus, experienced in some form by around 90% of all new university students during the first few weeks of term. In many ways it is related to the form of cold/flu bug(s) suffered by a lot of children starting at school, their parents, their siblings, and teachers starting at a new school, but it has many features of its own which are only very rarely present in these related illnesses. The illness can be seen to be made up of three parts: the viral, the psychological, and the social. The viral part is that part which is shared with the other scenarios listed above, and consists basically of a mixture of standard cold and flu-type viruses from different areas, which are brought into contact as a mass onslaught to the immune system of the person in question. This normally leads to at least some holes being found in the immunal defences which have so far been built up by the individual's experience. Here, however, lies the first distinguishing feature of Freshers' Flu as compared to other related illnesses: its "catchment area". Unlike a simple school situation, the constituents of Freshers' Flu are likely to come from around the entire country (and, in some cases, the world), as the victim mixes with such a wide variety of people in an attempt to make new friends. This greatly increases the chance of catching the illness, and its subsequent seriousness. The second part is the psychological part of the illness. While one element of this, in terms of the stress of new experience, is common to all scenarios, there is an added element in the case of university students. This is that their immune defences are further weakened by an extra layer of stress caused by having "left home", with all the consequences of that independence, such as washing, cooking and attempting to be organised of one's own accord - quite apart from varying levels of homesickness... The weakness induced by the psychological part of the illness is further increased by the social part. This is caused by the need to make a lot of new friends, adapt to a new life, and not seem boring (to others or to yourself). There is a definite tendency for the first few weeks of university to be intentionally turned into a blur to try and minimise the psychological problems outlined above. The effect is, if not the opposite, another side of the same coin: the combined weakening effects of alcohol and other drugs1 consumed in larger quantities than previously and a succession of late nights and long walks to and fro in insufficient clothing.2 In summary, the combined effects of all of the above lead to most people walking around campus in the first few weeks of their first term at university extremely tired and/or sleepy and/or coughing and/or nursing a very sore throat - or in extreme cases not walking around campus at all (or not at the level they should be). Sadly, neither viruses, homesickness or psychological adjustment can currently be cured, and socialising is an intrinsic and formative part of many people's university experiences, so Freshers' Flu is probably here to stay. 1 tobacco, for instance 2 It is a common, although not universal, problem for freshers to forget that the weather will turn cold very soon, and that if they do not bring a winter coat with them, they will be cold. http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/hub/A645211

How to beat Fresher's Flu

• Sleep – Get as much sleep as you can, if you’re overly tired then you will lower your immunity to colds and flus.
• Drink – Try not to drink alcohol every single night, take nights off, go on freshers events that don’t involve alcohol.
• Eat - Eat well, avoid take aways every night of the week and make sure you are getting your 5 portions of fruit and veg each day.
• Doctor – Register with a GP as soon as you arrive at uni, that way you will have somewhere to go if you do get ill

http://www.studento.com/university-guide/freshers-guide/freshers-flu.html

How to beat freshers’ flu…and actually study

Freshers’ flu is part and parcel of most students’ first few weeks at university; but there are steps you can take to try and avoid ailments and ensure you are fighting fit to enjoy your student days and make the investment in all those university books worthwhile. 

The term ‘freshers’ flu’ is a little misleading, most people won’t suffer from full-blown flu; a combination of drinking too much, living on fast food and not getting enough sleep will usually contribute to most students developing colds and coughs and generally feeling under the weather. 

Of course, everyone wants to go out and have a laugh during freshers’ week but taking a few very simple steps will help you to stay healthy and ensure that you make the most of your first term at uni. Eating well will do you the power of good; fast food may seem cheap and easy but doing a weekly shop and cooking for yourself will usually work out much cheaper, especially if you team up with your flatmates and split the bills and cooking responsibilities. If freshers’ week has passed by in a blur and you realise you haven’t even seen a vegetable for days, stock up on multivitamins. 

Getting plenty of sleep is also important; try to balance your nights out with nights in so that you are getting enough rest. Some people are lucky with their timetables, but if you have a busy schedule, you will find that staying out late starts to take its toll. If you do fancy a night on the tiles, try to drink plenty of water throughout the night; this will help to keep you hydrated and make your hangover much more bearable the morning after. 

Exercising is another great way to boost your immune system and fight off freshers’ flu; it’s also a brilliant opportunity to meet new people and make the most of the facilities on offer. 

Working may not be a priority in the first few weeks but it’s always a good idea to get organised so that you are ready for when the workload starts to increase and it’s time to get down to serious study. 

Whether you do an online course or attend university on a full-time basis, your tutors will provide you with a course book list, which will include a number of titles, such as Open University books or textbooks, which you will need for the coming term. You can stock up on student stationery before you leave home; there are some amazing offers around so you won’t have to part with too much of your student loan. 

University is a great opportunity to meet new people, try new things and have a great time, but it’s important to remember why you are actually there. If you eat well, get plenty of rest and avoid going over the top on your nights out, you should be able to combine your studies with having a truly unforgettable freshers’ week.

http://www.studentbeans.com/guestarticles/how-to-beat-freshers-flu-and-actually-study.html

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