This is a call to all my fellow students who are sniffling, coughing and taking shots of DayQuil.

Let us raise our tissues and play our tiny violins together: It sucks to be sick during the week as a college student.

The rules change when you become a college student, and these new rules aren’t exactly easy to navigate.

Skipping class to stay in bed and drown in a vat of chamomile tea is no longer the obvious Plan A. Every college professor has a different set of rules for their classes. While some may not take attendance, others have a strict system where a decent percentage of your grade depends on you being in your unofficial assigned seat you picked out the first week of class. More seasoned professors have seen every excuse in the book, and your “I’m sorry, I was sick” email will not fly unless you have proof from the doctor’s office.

If you do stay home, no one is going to take care of you. Yes, let that sink in. No soup from mom. No special remote privileges over your siblings because you are on couch arrest. No extensions or excused assignments from your teachers. In college, you are on your own, wondering which one of your classmates you don’t know that well you can message for notes.

Staying in bed means falling behind. Going to class means sharing your germ wealth with others and possibly getting sicker.

They say our generation is going to change the world, but I don’t think we will be able to change this. Instead, we just need to power through.

Chug a glass of super orange Emergen-C when you wake up and before you go to bed. Don’t touch anyone or anything without lathering on hand sanitizer. Go to bed as early as you can.

Yes, it could be worse, and we will be able to breathe through our noses again. But we are allowed to complain and feel sorry for ourselves a little bit if it helps us make it through the week so we can catch up on sleep all weekend.

To all my fellow college students and readers carrying around a cold, sore throat or migraine: I hear you, I see you … but I will not sit next to you.

Carole Hodorowicz is a senior journalism major. She can be reached at 581-2812 or cdhodorowicz@eiu.edu.