Nothing is worse than being sick, but being sick your first time away from home can be particularly rough. Grab a container with a lid and fill it with these must-have items. Keep it nearby in your dorm, and you’ll be ready to hit the books (or the parties) again in no time.
• Pre-packed first-aid kit with bandages, antiseptic and ointment (see Redcross.org for a complete list).
• Bottles of acetaminophen and ibuprofen for headaches, body aches and fever.
• Thermometer.
• Your favorite flavor of cough drops.
• Cold and allergy medicine (daytime and nighttime formulas).
• Medicine for nausea and upset stomach.
• Saltine crackers.
• A can of your favorite soup. Chicken noodle is always a popular choice (or fake, organic chicken noodle if you’re a vegetarian).
• Bags of your favorite herbal tea.
• Tissues.
• Toothbrush (there’s nothing better than a new toothbrush after being sick).
• Hand sanitizer.
• Multi-vitamins .
• Peppermint essential oil to breathe through a headache.
• Lavender essential oil to take the sting out of mosquito bites; breathing the scent will help you sleep.
• Antiseptic spray for post-sickness room decontamination.
Recent Immigration Stories
The Mississippi Free Press produced this story through the MFP Solutions Lab, supported by the Solutions Journalism Network. This series digs into Mississippi’s systemic issues and sheds light on responses to them in other communities. Beyond just reporting on problems, these stories interrogate their causes and inspect potential solutions.