Too sick or not too sick: that is the question

Despite the unseasonable warmth, coughing in lecture halls is getting louder and louder.

Even in light of upcoming midterms, students are debating whether they should go to Student Health Services for their symptoms.

SHS director Evelyn Wiener observed that although this cold season "doesn't seem to be inordinately different" from previous years, many students are still sick.

Whether or not students come to Student Health immediately depends on situational factors that may increase their susceptibility to serious conditions.

Some students come within a few days of feeling sick if they have friends with contagious conditions such as strep throat, Wiener explained.

"[Others] wait until they are absolutely incapacitated," she said.

The prime factors for most students in deciding whether to arrange an appointment seem to be knowing what condition they may have and whether it is treatable.

Many students background check symptoms through the Internet when deciding whether to schedule an appointment. If the e-verdict is a cold, students tend to max out on tissues and get bed rest the old fashioned way.

"I don't like going to the doctor's office if I don't think it's necessary," said Wharton sophomore Randy Barr, who resorts to cough medicine, soup and a lot of sleep.

In addition, students presenting regular cold symptoms might not find much solace at Student Health. The kits distributed to cold-sufferers include medicated cough drops, disposable thermometers and pain killers, which provide limited relief.

Still, SHS can be an essential resource for treating conditions with symptoms similar to those of colds, such as mononucleosis and sinus infections, said Wiener.

Regardless, for some students the benefits of seeing a doctor are outweighed by the cost of heading down to Penn Tower, where SHS is located.

College freshman Hannah MacAyeal, who was sick during finals last semester, said that since studying was a priority, "it would've been a hassle at that time to go [to Student Health]."

Wright added she prefers consulting her doctor back home, who knows her full medical history.

Aside from the physical walk and time required to visit Student Health - many students find the current location inconvenient - other deterrents include uncertainty about insurance policies and the lack of a call-back service for students hoping to get earlier appointments.

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