Ok, I’m going to start off by saying that everyone’s experience with illness in college is different and this might not apply to them, but for me it was terrible and I’d like to say what I found frustrating and just stuff I’m going to keep in mind for next time.
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Professors don’t care that you’re sick. I had bacterial pneumonia in both my lungs and was at risk of permanent brain damage due to lack of oxygen. I was sick for 2 weeks before being sent by the health services to the ER and then was put on bed rest for the following week. I was pretty much out for like a month. Fortunately my body sucks and I didn’t have regular symptoms beyond shortness of breath and being tired so I did my school work (what I could) from my dorm room. If I didn’t, I doubt I’d have been able to catch up enough to my classes.
On the third day of missing class I got an email from my WRIT101 professor telling me she thinks it would be beneficial for us to meet up to talk about me dropping the course. I had about 3 days where I was sick with a 103 degree fever, of which I spent writing the stupid essay due for that class. Discounting the “sandwiching quotes into a paragraph” exercise I missed and the peer review, I got a 94% on the essay. I was delusional so clearly my writing skills are up to par despite my poor (excused) attendance. My other professor told me he wouldn’t let me make up the quiz that I missed even if I was in a coma. I tried to fight it but according to the Dean’s office he’s within his right to refuse since I signed off on him being able to do so on the syllabus in exchange for a few dropped scores. Additionally, my Excel class professor only gave me 54 hours to make up over 3 weeks of work because she wouldn’t open the assignments I missed (you need the code to open them) until I talked to her in person. I pulled 2 all nighters and still couldn’t complete it all. I did however get a 100% on the first exam and about 96% on the other two. That was also apparently also allowed.
Just to clarify, I have no power over what work I’m allowed to make up since I signed off on the syllabus. Aka missed tests, assignments, and quizzes can’t be made up so suck it up and deal with it. Get your stuff done when you’re sick even if you can’t think straight bc chances are you might not be able to do it if you miss the deadline.
Professors aren’t allowed to ask for specifics if you say you’re sick. They shouldn’t need proof to excuse your absence and follow “proper procedures” in the event of your absence. Well, they aren’t supposed to ask, and they don’t, but they won’t give you the time of day unless you do tell them so disregard my previous statement!
Attendance and participation grades do in fact take into any and all absences. I got a C- in A&P in WRIT101. It dropped my grade from a 92% to a 88%. My BGEN class (business fundamentals) gave me a 80% on work habits due to my 3 missed quizzes (that went in as 0’s, dropping my average quiz scores to a 72%).
Better work on your research proposal with your lab partners because they don’t get cut any slack for an ill teammate!
The world doesn’t stop spinning. Take a few hours to lose it and cry and whatever but pick yourself back up, get what you need to done, because nothing stops just because you can’t breathe or think straight. I was and still am the VP of a student chapter. My club plans and deadlines don’t stop coming just because I’m sick. Getting this thing running was difficult enough, you best believe I wasn’t about to go leaving the incompetent guys to do my work! Our poor president does enough as is.
Little tidbits:
Take advantage of the health services! My chest x-rays were only $50 and my other treatments were free besides medication.
Inhalers suck and I despise steroids. They make me anxious and I can’t sleep. Avoid them at all costs.
Breathing is a privilege and so is walking to the drinking fountain sometimes.
Campus is not ill student accessible. Stairs are a no no sometimes and elevators break.
Allot more time to get to classes when sick.
About 15% of Olympic athletes have acute, undiagnosed physically induced asthma.
I’m so lucky that I had plenty of friends around to help me when I was sick who were also willing to put up with me. Find yourself people who will be there for you and make sure to pay it forward by doing the same for them.
Sleep. Must get sleep. But I can’t always sleep. My average sleep schedule sucked and I got maybe 5-6 hours every night. All nighters are sometimes necessary.
Diet Coke; my savior :pray:
Have fever reducers and a generous stash of canned soup or smt that doesn’t parish for a long time in case you can’t leave your room.
Fyi, when you get sick you lose weight! I dropped to 100 pounds.
Sick=no skiing :(
No skiing=$ wasted, how terrible :pensive:
Second semester sucks and so does 19 credits. My poor attendance dropped half my grades to a B, dropping my GPA from 3.7 to a 3.4 (I had a heart attacks).
Main takeaways:
Don’t get sick (you’ll prob get sick if you’re in the dorms)
If you are sick, do your work anyways
Professor aren’t always helpful/understanding
Read the syllabus and read every little word
Don’t go skiing (or do sports) when you’re recovering unless advised
Don’t expect family to show
Take WRIT101 and Data Analytics (Excel Classes) online, it’ll save a lot of hastle
Take advantage of health services :smile:
I’d be happy to hear of any advice for if smt similar happens again. :blush:
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