Dear College Students: Essential Tips to Avoid Getting Sick on Campus

The college experience is a whirlwind of late nights, crowded dorms and shared spaces — a perfect storm for germs.

Getting sick can get in the way of work and play and could hurt academic performance.

And with students living in close quarters, upper respiratory infections, mononucleosis (mono) and even bacterial meningitis tend to spread rapidly.

To keep students healthy, medical experts offering guidance in U.S. News & World Report recommend focusing on personal hygiene, proper rest and smart social habits.

Below, key strategies to boost your immunity and avoid campus illness:

Stay current on vaccines: Immunizations train your body to fight disease. Staying up-to-date with your school’s recommended shots, especially the COVID-19 vaccine and annual flu shots, is key. Isabel Valdez, a physician assistant at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston notes, “I primarily recommend those two because once you get the flu or COVID, you may be out for a week or two — just feeling under the weather.”

Wash your hands: The simplest defense can be the most effective. Germs live on high-touch surfaces like door handles, desks and keyboards. Wash your hands regularly with soap and water and use alcohol-based hand sanitizer when you’re on the go.

Prioritize sleep: Getting at least seven hours of sleep at night is vital for a strong immune system. Sleep helps the body produce necessary proteins called cytokines that help fight infection. Valdez warns that lack of sleep “really reduces that immune battery to fight infections.”

Practice kitchen hygiene: Space is tight in dorms, and some students resort to washing dishes in bathroom sinks, which are highly contaminated surfaces. This creates a serious risk for food poisoning from pathogens like E. coli or norovirus. Use a designated kitchen area to handle, store and clean food and utensils.

Disinfect after sweating: Gyms, locker rooms and contact sports are breeding grounds for staph infections, including the dangerous, antibiotic-resistant MRSA. These infections start on the skin but may spread deep within the body. To prevent this, it’s important to always shower right after a workout or practice, avoid sharing towels and use disinfectant spray to wipe down shared equipment before and after use. As Dr. William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, advises on skin infections, “Don’t play with it, don’t ignore it and have it inspected.”

Cover your feet: Athlete’s foot, plantar warts and MRSA can be picked up by walking barefoot in public areas. Always wear sandals, flip-flops or slippers in dorm showers, locker rooms and around pools.

Avoid sharing drinks and utensils: Though often called the “kissing disease,” mononucleosis (mono) also spreads easily by sharing cups, water bottles or eating utensils. Avoiding shared items also protects against strep throat, flu and COVID-19.

Be mindful of crowds and smoke: Bacterial meningitis — a serious brain and spinal cord inflammation — spreads through close contact, particularly in crowded settings. Schaffner points out that if “you’re standing within a foot or two of people, laughing and singing, that close contact will promote the spread of the bug.” Irritation inside the nose and throat from smoking can also make you more susceptible to bacteria growing there, according to the Meningitis Research Foundation.

Keep distance from sick friends: While impossible to avoid a sick roommate entirely, take precautions. If someone in your dorm is ill, wash your hands frequently, disinfect shared surfaces and consider wearing a mask for an extra barrier.

Practice safe sexual health: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) don’t always show symptoms. The best defense is consistent protection with condoms. The more partners you have, the greater your risk; getting regular checkups at the student clinic is crucial.

Eat a healthy diet and exercise: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends college students eat a nutritious diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, limit junk food and get at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week.

If you experience symptoms such as skin irritations, sore throat, fever or nausea, seek help at your student clinic.

More information

The Cleveland Clinic has more on how to prepare for flu season.

SOURCE: U.S. News & World Report, Oct. 6, 2025

Source: HealthDay