Since last Wednesday, I haven’t walked more than a mile combined. How do I get away with being so lazy? Mononucleosis. Mono. The Kissing Disease. Whatever you want to call it, it’s not fun. When I went to the doctors office last Monday, they asked me if I was feeling tired. I responded with, “I’m in college- I’m always tired.” After the test results came back, however, I was told that if I kept pushing myself my spleen could erupt and I could bleed out- so I decided to avoid that and came home to recover. It is now Wednesday night, one week since the diagnosis, and I am bored out of my mind. And the best news is? I get another month of this, “this” meaning no physical activity and extreme fatigue after doing any minor event; I’ll probably nap for an hour after writing this.
Anyway, in order to help others infected with mono and to avoid the boredom that usually accompanies it, I’ve compiled a list of activities that I have personally done over the past week to help pass the time.
Before I started feeling better, I could do nothing but watch television and sleep. Once sleep got boring, I decided to catch up on all of my shows I’ve missed over the semester. I’m a big crime show junkie, so Castle was the one I started with. Crime author Richard Castle accompanies NYPD detective Kate Beckett on work calls to get inspiration for his books. Throughout the course of the seasons, he proves vital to solving many of the cases, and falls for Detective Beckett along the way. As of right now, they’re engaged to be married, and I’m mad that I’ll be recovered soon because now I’m not going to be able to see what happens until I have free time- so, basically winter break. I’ve also been watching a lot of Friends; I’m up to about the fifth Holiday Special.
This is the perfect time to look up anything random you have not had time to this past semester. I personally cannot allow myself to type anything into the Google search bar that is not school related, otherwise I lose tons of hours by following one link after another.
Just as a little experiment I looked back at my history to see the last five things Googled. They are :
1) “Resume examples:” Since I’m sitting here doing nothing but school work and sleeping, I figured it’s a pretty good time to clean up my resume so I can start applying for internships and jobs this summer.
2) “How long after having mono can I kiss my boyfriend?:” Hey, a girl needs to know these things.
3) “Couple Halloween costumes:” I figured I’d get a head start on next year’s costume since this year for Halloween I’m, you know, a couch potato.
4) “Saving money techniques:” Christmas is right around the corner, and apparently I’m getting too old to just add my name to the end of every present given to family members by my parents.
5) “Decorating college apartments for Christmas:” I’m in my first apartment this year, so I’m excited to decorate for every holiday- but I’m especially excited for Christmas!
It is imperative not to fall behind on your school work. Email all of your professors and see what you are missing in class, and see if there is any work you can do at home so you are not overwhelmed when you return to class. Also, on a different note, keep in mind that you will be on your butt for a month, maybe more. It would not be a bad idea to look up some healthy eating tips. I think we all know how easy it is to gain the weight- losing it, on the other hand, takes quite a bit more work. If you usually drive to class, walk instead, and make sure you leave early enough to walk nice and slow. If okayed by your doctor, start lightly jogging or using the treadmill a few weeks into your recovery.
Good luck with not getting mono, and may the odds be ever in your favor.
Ashley Cantasano is a second-year student majoring in Communication Studies. She can be reached at AC784683@wcupa.edu.
Wed. Apr 24th, 2024
