Sara Schenk

As the temperature drops and cold season creeps in, we’re all getting the same reminders in our emails and on signs over campus: if you’re sick, stay home. It sounds easy enough, right? But for a lot of college students, it’s not that simple. With attendance grades on the line and the pressure to keep up with coursework, staying home when you’re sick can feel like a gamble you don’t want to take. University of Michigan Hospital reveals that 2/3 of parents say their child worries more about taking a sick day than taking care of themselves.

Penn State is sending the message to stay home and rest, but they’re also grading you on whether or not you show up to class. So, what’s the right move? The truth is, pushing through sickness might seem like the easier option in the short term, but it can do more harm than good, both to yourself and to others around you. The Washington Square News highlighted an article covering how the attendance policies at NYU enabled colds to spread quicker. The article quotes Graciela Blandon, a student at NYU Paris, who said, “In September … nearly every student at NYU Paris had a cold. NYU’s attendance policy de-incentivized students from staying home when sick, so people … showed up to classes with colds, and by mid-September, nearly the entire cohort had gotten sick.”

A recent Softworks study from May and June 2023, which surveyed 614 participants, revealed that 79% of people felt pressured to work even when unwell. This sense of obligation reflects a widespread issue, as experts advise against such behavior; taking a sick day without guilt is essential for long-term health and productivity

Here’s the struggle: many classes tie part of your final grade to attendance. Whether it’s participation points or strict attendance policies, showing up is rewarded, while staying home can feel like you’re losing. Missing even a couple of days can send you into a spiral of anxiety—especially if you’re already balancing a full course load.

 

A day in bed to recover could mean missing an important lecture, a quiz, or even hinder your attendance grade. No one wants to see their grades dip  because they took a day to recover. But realistically, showing up to class when you’re feeling terrible doesn’t do anyone any favors. It’s harder to focus, you’re not absorbing material, and worst of all, you could spread germs to your classmates. The CDC highlights that infections can spread quickly in crowded spaces like classrooms. They strongly recommend staying home when you’re feeling unwell to prevent exposing others to illness​

Listening to Your Body is Non-Negotiable

The idea of powering through sickness is ingrained in a lot of us. Maybe it’s the fear of falling behind, or maybe we’ve just gotten used to always being on the go. But the reality is, when your body is telling you to rest, you should listen. NAMI Hearts and Minds emphasises the importance of listening to your body, “Even if it feels hard to ‘tune in’ sometimes, it’s a habit worth cultivating. As you learn your body’s signals, you will find it easier to talk to your doctor and proactively manage your health.” Health should always come first. Ignoring symptoms like fatigue or a cough can make things worse. What starts as a mild cold can quickly turn into something more serious, like the flu or a lingering illness that takes you out for even longer. Taking care of yourself now means you’ll recover faster and be back to full strength in no time. Showing up to class sick only prolongs the recovery process, and no one is at their best when they’re feeling awful. It’s important to recognize that skipping a few classes now is better than being knocked out for weeks because you didn’t take care of yourself properly. PSU Abington’s policy tells their students to “Stay home and away from others if you are experiencing fever or respiratory symptoms such as but not limited to cough, sore throat, runny nose, chills, fatigue, headache, body aches.”

Communicating with Your Professors

One of the biggest concerns about staying home while sick is falling behind. Under the reddit thread r/college, students anonymously confide in their fear of losing points, one user writing “College is built around getting to class no matter what, so it forces students to make decisions like this.” But here’s where being proactive can make a huge difference. Most professors understand that cold season is brutal, especially on a college campus where it’s easy for illnesses to spread.

If you start feeling sick, the first step is to email your professors as soon as possible. Let them know what’s going on and ask if there’s a way to stay caught up from home. Many professors will work with you, whether it’s by sharing notes, giving you extensions, or letting you attend remotely if that’s an option. It’s all about keeping that line of communication open.

It’s best not to wait until the last minute. The earlier you reach out, the better. It shows that you’re being responsible, and most professors will appreciate the heads-up. Penn State Abington’s attendance policy encourages instructors “to provide, within reason, opportunities for students to make up work that was missed for legitimate, unavoidable reasons, such as: illness, injury, family emergency.” Check your syllabus too—many professors outline their attendance policies, and some might already offer flexibility for health-related absences. Most professors are willing to work with you, it just takes the courage to speak up for yourself.

Resting when you’re sick is about more than just getting over your illness quickly. It’s also about preventing burnout. College life is stressful enough without adding illness into the mix. Trying to push through when you’re not feeling 100% just wears you down even more, physically and mentally.

Burnout, a term coined by psychologist Herbert Freudenberger, is defined as the feeling of exhaustion, cynicism, or incompetence. It is a real issue many college students face when they don’t take time for themselves. If you’re constantly going from class to class, study session to study session, without a break, your body is eventually going to force you to slow down, whether you like it or not.

It’s better to take a day or two to rest now than to face a complete energy crash later. And, let’s be honest, you’re not doing yourself any favors by pushing through an illness and showing up half-asleep. Your classmates will thank you for staying home too.

Where to Go If You’re Sick

If you start feeling sick and need advice, there are plenty of resources on campus you can turn to. The health center is in LARES 103 and open from 8am-5pm, free of charge.  Many local clinics or even telehealth services are available to college students. For other resources, try:

• Carbon Health Urgent Care 9am-7pm
• PM Pediatrics Urgent Care 12pm-12am
• Patient First Urgent Care 8am-8pm
• AFC Urgent Care 8am-8pm/5pm on weekends

Grades Can Be Recovered, Health Can’t

At the end of the day, prioritizing your health over your grades is the right call. It can be stressful to stay home when attendance counts, but it’s better than pushing yourself to the point where you’re sicker and behind for longer. Communicate with your professors, use the resources available to you, and remember that your grades can be recovered. Taking care of yourself during cold season not only helps you get back on your feet faster, but it also keeps your classmates safe too. Let’s make this cold season about balance—because your health is worth it.