As thousands of new students embark on their university journeys, a common adversary emerges: freshers’ flu. First-year students usually go through a tidal wave of sickness. The main drivers behind this increase are stress, sleep deprivation, and increased exposure to other viruses. Dr. Zania Stamataki, an associate professor of viral immunology at the University of Birmingham, zeroes in on that important detail. Here, she describes how during freshers’ week, students’ immune systems can become “under-resourced and overworked.”
Prof Sheena Cruickshank, an immunologist and professor in biomedical sciences at the University of Manchester, agrees that the return of students to university campuses carries significant risks. This massive increase produces a highly pathogenic “mixing pot” of infections. Freshers’ week is just the start of this period when millions of people get exposed, introducing a melange of new respiratory viruses. Packed lecture theatres, dirty shared kitchens, and late-night parties are the perfect storm for spreading illness. These cramped conditions create an environment where germs can flourish and spread rapidly.
Amid this critical transition period, students regularly face increased stress and compromised sleep quality. Dr. Stamataki adds that a lot of early-to-middle adults think drinking will make them feel more relaxed and sleep easier. She cautions against this myth, stating, “A lot of people have the misconception that if you’re consuming alcohol, you sleep better. You have higher stress and you sleep worse.”
19-year-old university student Emily Valentine writes about her experiences with the pressures of uni pressure. “You’re pushing yourself so much because that’s what you’re being told to do,” she explains. This pressure, more than anything else, forces students to ignore early signs of sickness. Consequently, they continue to socialize or go to class, even when sick.
The consequences can be severe. What we never expected Imogen Farmer remembers her traumatic experience after contracting meningitis only a week into her university life. Meningitis is an infection that causes inflammation in the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. It’s transmitted person to person via direct oral-fecal route, such as when the common cold spreads. Symptoms may involve high fever, headache, stiff neck, sensitivity to light, drowsiness, and seizures. A non-blanching rash can be a sign of this deadly disease.
Imogen’s fight against meningitis led to both of her lower legs and the tips of her fingers being amputated. Explaining her initial eagerness to make friends, she remarked, “That is how you meet a lot of people and bond with friends. So I did just say yes to everything.” This attitude is indicative of a larger culture among students, who frequently put social interaction before health.
The close quarters that characterize university life are only one risk factor. Prof Cruickshank warns that binge drinking in particular undermines the body’s power to fight off severe infections. It does this by decreasing the production of white blood cells. And it can take your body weeks or months to recover from a major attack by a virus,” she cautions.
Meanwhile, freshers —those new first-years —are getting used to their new schedules. Even with an active, far-from-lonely social life, they could be easily overwhelmed with the symptoms of various ailments. Prof. Cruickshank explains the cycle many students face: “We’ve all had those times when you’re super stressed, you’ve got loads of deadlines, you work, work, work, you finish all the deadlines – and then you get ill.” This cycle becomes especially worrying during freshers’ week as the social atmosphere can make virus spread even more likely.
This leaves students with a difficult choice of staying in shape and being active versus getting the sleep they require. Imogen Farmer confesses she puts rest first when her body tells her something’s off. Unlike most of her peers who are forced to risk their health by still going to lectures, even when ill. “I tend to rest, but I know a lot of my friends try to push themselves to go to lectures, especially in the first week,” she says.
All of this juggling act makes students much more susceptible to serious illness for much longer. Dr. Stamataki warns that symptoms may linger longer than anticipated: “Sometimes you think you’ve gotten away with it. And you haven’t.” This fatigue can have serious implications on academic performance, mental health and quality of life.
For students who are continuing with long-term symptoms or relapsing following a short period of recovery, Prof. Cruickshank again recommends attending medical care. If your symptoms persist for an extended period, or if you start to feel well only to become ill again, seek medical advice. Most of all, don’t be afraid to get checked out,” she advises.
