As many returning UCLA students are aware of, the beginning of winter and specifically winter quarter classes always leads to an influx of coughs and sneezing in lectures for the upcoming weeks. Most commonly, students should expect to see outbreaks of the common cold and other respiratory illnesses, including strep throat and respiratory syncytial virus. Students should be warned that not only is the first quarter of college a dangerous time for airborne illnesses, but it is also likely that a similar trend will occur once returning from winter break.
The factors that cause these influxes of sickness don’t just stem from an increase in people or airborne illnesses traveling from other states. One of the main concerns for returning college students is increased rates of chronic stress. According to BMC Psychology, 73.2% of students rate moderate to high levels of stress. Prolonged periods of high stress can lead to a rise in suppressor T cell levels, which negatively affect the immune system. Prolonged stress may be one of the reasons why the peak of UCLA’s sick season doesn’t occur until week three or four of school.
For students who have contracted a cold or flu during sick season, there are many ways to help feel better as quickly as possible in time for the next round of midterms. Students who live on the Hill have an advantage in this area as many of the dining halls offer free tea packets by the coffee and water machines. Stocking up on tea can help with soothing sore throats, especially if a midterm involves an oral presentation. For students without access to dining halls, ASUCLA coffee shops, such as Bruin Buzz, Kerckhoff and the Music Cafe, carry Numi teas. A recommended combination for sick season includes a mixture of the orange spice and lemon chamomile teas.
In order to help manage stress levels, Be Well Bruin is a good resource for students to access CAPS, or Counseling and Psychological Services, and the UCLA RISE Center. Students can use UCLA resources to promote their mental health and combat the onset of chronic stress, thereby reducing their risks of immune system fatigue and long-term or recurring sicknesses.
However, according to the Journal of Infectious Diseases, it is likely that higher rates of the flu are expected among college students after returning from winter break. The holiday season has been shown to cause increases in adult illness comparative to child outbreaks as increased travel and contact lead to a delay in flu outbreaks until adults return to regular patterns of movement. With this information, it is important for returning students to get vaccinated for the flu and ensure extra levels of vigilance in stress management, sleep scheduling and at the most basic level, hand washing.
As the year progresses, UCLA students should be mindful that the “sick season” is not just a matter of bad luck, but a predictable pattern tied to both physical and psychological factors. Increased social exposure, seasonal travel and chronic stress all converge to make the early weeks of each quarter a hotspot for illness. While coughs and colds may be an inevitable part of campus life, awareness and prevention can go a long way in keeping Bruins healthy and ready to take on the rest of the year.
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Featured Image Photographed by Sapna Drew/BruinLife
