Snot My Problem: Cleaning Up After a Sick Roommate
As the year comes to a close and the weather turns a bit foul, you might find yourself in the presence of quite a few sick people. For a few of us, one of those people might be your roommate.
Sick people generate a lot of trash, mostly in the form of tissues. In my experience, they’re usually too run down to move very far as they gather their rest. This results in a pile of tissues, dishes, wrappers and other such waste. Those of us who have known our roommate for a while will usually clean up after them.
However, just because a roommate is willing to help out doesn’t mean that they should be taken advantage of.
It’s understandable if you get sick and need to put off some household chores and other obligations, but make sure to communicate your needs with your roommate. If you just expect them to clean up after you, they will most likely end up just getting frustrated with you. As finals approach, no college student needs that kind of additional stress.
One of the worst things you could do is leave without at least doing some cleaning. If you decide that you’re not feeling well enough and need to go home to see your primary doctor, then try to make sure your roommate doesn’t need a HazMat suit when he or she comes home. They don’t want to bring friends back to find that they’re place is uninhabitable, and no one wants to step on a hidden land mine (read as: tissue.)
Dishes aren’t quite so bad, but keep in mind how often your roommate does the dishes. You shouldn’t make them do them all the time if you can manage it. If nothing else, just clean your own. As a friend I’m willing to work around my roommate when he’s not feeling well, but I’ve already got a lot to do. I don’t want to add a bunch of work to my day all the time. Once in a while isn’t bad, but no one has the free time to provide full-time care for free (on the other hand, if you pay me…).
However, as a friend, this is one of those times that a little leniency will go a long way. If something starts bothering you, let your roommate know but still try to help them. You’re trying to get all of your studying done, but so are they and I can guarantee that feeling sick is making it much harder.
My suggestion for keeping yourself from getting sick when living with a sick roommate is a lot of vitamin C. This time of year is when I tend to stock up on orange juice and drink at least one glass (as well as a few glasses of water) throughout the day. Other than that, just make sure that you keep a little distance from your roommate and don’t reuse any glasses or dishes that they may have used.
Remember, only you can prevent epidemics.
Follow Uloop
Apply to Write for Uloop News
Join the Uloop News TeamDiscuss This Article
More Uloop Health Articles
- Getting Involved with Autism Awareness Month
- The Trend—Fall Cover Ups
- College Guide to Cannabis
- Ways to Keep your New Year’s Resolution
Recent College News Articles
RECENT ITTA BENA, MISSISSIPPI CLASSIFIEDS
WRITE FOR ULOOP
Apply to Write for Uloop NewsGET TOP STORIES DELIVERED WEEKLY
TOP 5 NEWS ARTICLES
BROWSE OTHER COLLEGES
- By CollegeUniversity of MississippiMississippi State UniversityUniversity of Southern MississippiAlcorn State UniversityBelhaven CollegeDelta State UniversityJackson State UniversityMillsaps CollegeMississippi CollegeMississippi University for WomenMississippi Valley State UniversityUniversity of Mississippi Medical CenterWilliam Carey UniversityCoahoma Community College East Central Community College East Mississippi Community CollegeHinds Community College Holmes Community College Itawamba Community College Jones County Junior College Mississippi Delta Community CollegeAcademy of Hair Design-JacksonAcademy of Hair Design-PearlAntonelli College-HattiesburgAntonelli College-JacksonBlue Cliff College-GulfportBlue Mountain CollegeChris Beauty CollegeCopiah-Lincoln Community CollegeCopiah-Lincoln Community College Simpson County CenterCopiah-Lincoln Community College-Natchez CampusCorinth Academy of CosmetologyCreations College of CosmetologyDay Spa Career CollegeDelta Beauty CollegeDelta Technical CollegeFosters Cosmetology CollegeHealing Touch Career CollegeMagnolia College of CosmetologyMidwest Technical Institute-RidgelandMississippi College of Beauty CultureMississippi Institute of Aesthetics Nails & CosmetologyNorthwest Mississippi Community CollegeRust CollegeSoutheastern Baptist CollegeSouthwest Mississippi Community CollegeThe Academy of Hair Design SixTougaloo CollegeTraxlers School of HairUniversity of Phoenix-MississippiVirginia College-BiloxiVirginia College-Jackson
- By State
- By City