How to deal with winter sickness while at Hopkins

If there is anything worse than enduring the last week of classes at Hopkins with exams finals coming up, it's having to deal with all that stress while sick. This was my fate last semester when I got mono around the time of Spring Fair. It was downright horrible. Not only did I have a Gen Chem midterm the last day of class, but also a quiz in lab, and tests in French, Spanish and health policy. I (and my GPA) managed to survive that semester fairly well, though, and here are some things I learned that can help you when you are sick.

Definitely go to Health and Wellness. It's not going to cost you anything and it is a good starting point for medical care. It's pretty close to most of the freshman dorms, but if you are really sick and it's too far away, you can call the escort van service. That's a very useful piece of information that I don't think they broadcast too well because people would probably abuse it. If you are sick or unable to walk, you can call the van to take you to class or Health and Wellness during the day. That's what it's there for. I took it all the time when I had mono and couldn't make the trek from Wolman to Health and Wellness. If you don't want to have to wait forever there, you can also call and make an appointment. Personally, I found Health and Wellness useful. You will hear different opinions about it, but it is really something you need to see on your own. When I first felt sick, it took them a couple of visits to figure out what was causing it, but then again I had also gone to Union Memorial which did not consider running a test for mono. Health and Wellness also gave me free Gatorade and Sudafed, which was nice.

I would not recommend going to Union Memorial to figure out what illness you have. When I went to figure out what was wrong with me, the wait in the waiting room was ridiculously long, and I had to wait again once they put me in a hospital bed. One way to get quicker service there, I learned, is to cry. Even after all that, they couldn't figure out what was wrong with me and they gave me drugs that made me even more tired. The whole experience cost me about eight hours and $25.

On the other hand, if Health and Wellness is closed and you are seriously injured, your options are limited. When my roommate shut her hand in a car door last semester, Union Memorial was very prompt and helpful. You could also visit the other hospitals in the area. In fall of 2006, I went to Johns Hopkins Hospital to get a second opinion on an injury. While somewhat far, you can easily take the JHMI shuttle to get there. Once in the emergency room, the wait was short, and the doctors were very nice. He even called my father to explain what was going on with me. Mercy Hospital and Good Samaritan are two other good hospitals in the area. There are also doctors' offices in the Wyman Park Building.

Another very important thing to do is to ask for help, Be it from your friends or your teachers. If you have an incapacitating illness like mono, tell your teachers! They will usually lessen your workload for you. If you find out that you're sick through Health and Wellness, they will send an email to Dean Boswell, who in turn will email your teachers and tell them what's up. When I was sick I was excused from a chem test and given extensions on some of my papers. As far from the truth as it may seem, some teachers at Hopkins actually are compassionate people are care about the welfare of their students. It is equally important to tell your friends. You should not suffer in solitude. While they are certainly no substitute for your parents, your friends want to help you and have you feel better.

Being sick anywhere sucks, but it doesn't have to be hell. There are plenty of available resources and people wanting to make your life easier. You just have to know where to look.