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What an eventful week: I left my car unlocked overnight on-campus, locked myself out of my room, almost cried in my foreign language class and, to top it off, was diagnosed with my second case of Mono. I had Mono several years ago when I was in high school, so I was under the impression that once you had it, you wouldn’t get it again – like chicken pox. I was wrong.
As a third-year student, trying to stay “on track” is stressful. I work two jobs, focus on four demanding classes, maintain a social life and find time for my boyfriend. This means I barely have time for family or to sleep normal hours. And eating healthily? Forget it.
I don’t live a life with the liberties of laziness. So last Wednesday, when I was delivered the ironic news – that I had Mono, again – I thought, “it figures.” It figures that right when I was about to start a new workout routine and had finally felt like I was catching up with work, I get the lazy disease.
This month was my own self-declared “No-Fat February.” I had begun to call it that to keep myself motivated to go to the gym daily. Two days in, and I was feeling fatigued and tired, which I chalked up to being out-of-shape. But extreme exhaustion? I mean, come on. I walk on-campus several times a day, I don’t smoke and I’m a once-in-a-while party drinker.
Funny, I don’t remember kissing anyone other than my boyfriend, and if I’m careful he’ll stay Mono-free. But we all know that the “kissing disease” can be contracted by other means.
Thank goodness I didn’t get the wave of swine flu going around campus recently. I was so nervous that I would catch it, because almost everyone else seemed to. But no, I escaped it, only to catch an annoying cold that makes you feel hungover for almost a month, if you’re lucky.
Mono is isolating. It’s contagious for at least two weeks, so it’s only natural that no one wants to be close to those who have it. Thankfully I have a great boyfriend who will hang out with me, even if he won’t kiss me. I also have friends that are willing to subject themselves to the chance of catching my illness.
So here’s my question: if Mono is so contagious, why am I allowed to go to class? I’m in technology-enhanced classes, meaning that whoever sits at the computer after me must beware. I’m doing my best to keep my hands clean and to cover my coughs, but there’s only so much I can do.
How are you supposed to survive a semester if you’re sick long-term? My jobs revolve around being at the university. If I’m not feeling well, I’ll have to call out of work and miss precious time and money that I won’t be able to get back. If I turn my phone off for two hours to take a nap, I’ll wake up to numerous texts and several missed calls about work-related topics. If I don’t look in my planner, I’ll get behind on schoolwork.
Am I going to have to wear a face-mask and rubber gloves around campus or carry a backpack of sanitizing products to clean up after myself?
Being sick is so inconvenient. I guess for the next two weeks I’ll just have to keep my hands in my pockets and hope that I have the energy to go to class. Because wasting my three allotted absences is a bad idea – who knows if something worse might happen!
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