It's Flu Season. Do You Know Where Your Brain Is At?

Years ago, there was a television announcement that asked, “It's 11 o'clock. Do you know where your children are?”

Well, it's flu season, and I'd like to know where my brain is.

Because wherever it's gone, it certainly hasn't taken me along.

I've been battling what appears to be the flu, and my brain has apparently decided to take an unscheduled vacation. Without permission, without notice, and, most annoyingly, without leaving a forwarding address.

I begin a task, forget what I was doing, and occasionally forget that I was doing anything at all.

Now, at sixty, I've earned the right to forget a few things. But I would appreciate being consulted before my brain decides which things those will be.

And while I'm sitting here wondering whether I came into the kitchen for tea, toast, or a conversation with the refrigerator, I've been thinking about this time of year.

It's flu season.

It's also the season of final papers, examinations, deadlines, and students trying desperately to remember everything they've spent the semester learning.

What a combination!

When Your Brain Has Other Plans

Having been a student myself, I remember how easily the ordinary business of living can get lost somewhere between lectures, readings, assignments, and examinations.

You forget to eat.

You forget to bathe.

You forget to telephone someone who actually cares about you.

Not because you've suddenly become incapable of looking after yourself, but because there are only so many hours in a day, and somebody keeps assigning another three hundred pages of reading.

By the time you remember you're hungry, the cafeteria is closed, the grocery store seems impossibly far away, and the crackers beside your laptop have become a food group.

Add the flu to that arrangement and things become even more interesting.

Your body wants sleep. Your brain wants absolutely nothing to do with academic excellence. And your calendar, apparently unaware that you're human, continues announcing deadlines.

There is something almost comical about trying to retain information when you can't remember where you put your glasses.

Especially when you're wearing them.

But underneath the comedy is something deserving of a little tenderness.

Away From Home, Away From Familiar Comforts

For students away from home for the first time, becoming ill can be a particularly lonely experience.

There may be no familiar face checking whether you've eaten, no one asking whether you need another blanket, and nobody arriving uninvited with a pot of soup.

For international students, home may be thousands of kilometres away.

And navigating an unfamiliar city or healthcare system while you're unwell isn't necessarily easy.

Where is the nearest walk-in clinic? Will your insurance cover the visit? How do you explain your symptoms if English isn't your first language?

And what if the person you're trying to speak with isn't particularly patient or welcoming?

Sometimes, finding care can feel like another assignment you haven't studied for.

Even the journey to get help can be unpleasant.

Have you been on public transportation lately?

The coughing. The sneezing. The crowds.

Some passengers seem determined to share absolutely everything, including whatever respiratory infection they've brought along for the ride.

Personal space has apparently become an elective course.

For students dependent on public transportation, there isn't always the luxury of avoiding those crowded environments.

And when you're exhausted, even an ordinary commute can become an adventure you never intended to have.

The Backpack That Continued Without Its Owner

Recently, my granddaughter fell asleep on the train and lost her backpack.

Fortunately, someone found it and turned it in.

Thank goodness for decent people.

But I couldn't help thinking about the students who aren't so fortunate.

Imagine waking up on a train only to discover that your belongings have apparently decided to continue their journey without you.

Your laptop. Your identification. Your keys. Perhaps the very assignment you've been losing sleep over.

And if you're far from home, unfamiliar with the city, and don't have family or friends nearby, who do you call?

My granddaughter had a fortunate ending to her story. Not everybody does.

Exhaustion can catch up with any of us. Sometimes it arrives while we're sitting quietly on public transportation, minding our own business.

And sometimes it takes our backpacks hostage.

A Little Kindness Goes a Long Way

This season can be demanding even when we're feeling perfectly healthy.

There are exams to prepare for, assignments to complete, bills to pay, groceries to buy, and families wondering why they haven't heard from us.

Now add a fever, a cough, a little homesickness, and a brain that seems to have misplaced its operating instructions.

It's quite a lot.

And while illness can make us forgetful, irritable, anxious, or emotionally overwhelmed, it doesn't mean we've suddenly lost our intelligence or our ability to cope.

Sometimes we're simply sick.

Sometimes we're tired.

And sometimes we need someone to remind us to eat something that didn't come out of a vending machine.

I think that's something worth remembering, particularly during a season when so many students are working hard to finish what they started.

A little consideration can make an enormous difference.

A friend checking in. A classmate sharing notes. Someone offering to pick up groceries. A telephone call home, even if all you have to say is, “I'm tired, I'm sick, and I could really use a familiar voice.”

And if you're the person receiving that call, perhaps you don't need to solve everything.

Sometimes listening is enough.

Sometimes showing up with soup is even better.

Grandma's Little Flu Season Survival Kit

Now, I wouldn't be much of a grandmother if I spent all this time talking about being sick without leaving you with something useful.

So, here are a few things worth keeping handy. Preferably before your brain decides to take its own holiday.

First, Know Who to Call

If you're in Ontario and you're unsure whether your symptoms need medical attention, Health811 can connect you with a registered nurse at any hour. Call 811. You don't need an Ontario health card to ask for advice.

If you're a post-secondary student feeling lonely, anxious, or overwhelmed, Good2Talk offers free, confidential support around the clock. Call 1-866-925-5454.

And if you need help locating food programs or community services, 211 Ontario can point you toward resources in your area, including assistance in many languages.

If you have serious symptoms such as difficulty breathing, persistent chest pain, or new confusion, seek emergency medical care rather than waiting for a clinic appointment.

And don't overlook your campus health centre or student support office. You may be surprised by what's available once you ask.

Second, Feed the Person Doing All That Studying

Grandma's Five-Minute-ish Soup. If you can spend three hours analyzing somebody else's theory, you can surely find a few minutes to feed the person doing the analyzing.

You'll need:

- Two cups of chicken or vegetable broth

- A handful of frozen vegetables

- A little rice or some quick-cooking noodles

- Ginger or garlic, if you have it

- A squeeze of lemon, if you fancy yourself a chef

Put everything except the lemon into a saucepan and simmer until the vegetables and noodles are properly cooked. If using rice, make sure it's already cooked before adding it. Finish with the lemon.

Have a bowl, drink some water, and rest.

And if all you have is tinned soup, heat it up.

Nobody is awarding Michelin stars in the middle of flu season.

Third, Remember That You're a Person, Not an Assignment

Eat something.

Have a shower when you're able.

Get some sleep.

Check in with someone who cares about you.

If you're too ill to manage your coursework, contact your instructor or student support office and ask what arrangements are available.

And if you're worried about your health, ask for medical advice rather than trying to diagnose yourself between study sessions.

You may be surprised how much better a little rest and nourishment can make you feel.

Not every problem can be solved with soup, of course.

But I have yet to hear anyone complain that being cared for made a difficult day worse.

Before Grandma Goes Back to Bed...

If you're a student approaching your final assignments and examinations, I'm wishing you well.

If you're away from home for the first time, I hope you're finding your way and discovering some good people along the journey.

And if you're sick, tired, overwhelmed, or missing someone who would ordinarily take care of you, I hope you find a little comfort in knowing that somebody understands.

Perhaps send a message to someone you haven't spoken to in a while.

Perhaps check on a classmate who seems unusually quiet.

Or perhaps just make yourself something warm, put your feet up, and give yourself permission to rest.

As for me, I'm going to make another cup of tea.

Assuming I remember where I've put the kettle.

And if anyone happens to come across my brain, kindly tell it that its vacation is over.

I have things to do.

Take care of yourselves, and don't forget to take care of one another.

With love,

Grandma