Student Blog: Battling Through the Winter

As we roll into our assessment week for the winter, stakes are high as well as illnesses. I’m writing this in the discomfort of my bedroom with a whooping cough and freshly recovered fever chills. There has been a wave of illnesses going about in the UK from an article I just read but, in my case, it could be the fact that I am not built for the winter. Having come from a tropical country with no seasons but the heat and haze, the cold tends to send my body into a shock which leaves me with a nasty cold.

However, it doesn’t stop me from being productive. In this blog, I’ll be taking you through a day of recovery and productivity.

I have my Swing Project assessment and dress rehearsal for my Spring musical coming straight at me this Friday and while it is important for me to take care of myself, I try to do as much as I can during my recovery process.

I always make sure that I have a decent supply of medicine and vitamins for any sort of sickness. A cold, fever, perhaps both, a chesty cough- You name it. I have my parents to thank for being so thoroughly prepared for these unfortunate events. I’ll have them sat in a little basket by my bedside for when my alarm goes off for my next dosage so that I don’t have to trouble myself with getting out of bed. I tend to be prepared with a lot more things at my bedside which include some food like biscuits or bread, my tea infuser mug along with a flask of hot water for refills and extra layers of clothes. I do my best to eat well because I know my body needs the energy for a speedier recovery.

One thing I love having on hand for the chills is Vicks Vaporub. It saved me from the most dreadful shivers when the fever first began and I found I could sleep so much better after rubbing a good amount on my chest and on the soles of my feet. Fluffy socks on top of that complete everything.

As a performer, there’s nothing more terrifying to me than losing my voice or being completely immobile as two important events draw close. But, the process of our Swing Project has taught me how to conduct my own self-practice if I cannot be in the rehearsal room. If you haven’t read my previous blog, on there I have displayed a few methods of practice which spans from grid mapping to Minecraft servers. It’s really during times like these when I’m most grateful for the resources we have in our modern day. I have access to folders that have all the material that I need from blocking to harmonies in the form of videos and voice recordings, which is plentiful to learn from. It is such a luxury that I take advantage of any time and any day.

 For content that I might have missed if I’m unable to attend class, my classmates are only a message away on several different platforms. I really don’t have an excuse to be unproductive unless my condition proves otherwise, and I know I cannot say the say for everyone, but everyone will work at a different pace when they are ill. I will admit, I was idle for the first two days of my illness because of my inability to get out of bed but now that I can manage several journeys up and down the stairs, I can say with much confidence that I am now in better shape to get to work.

I do apologize for how scattered this blog is as I juggle between sipping my tea, surviving coughing fits and trying to remember what it was I wanted to say before I sneezed the thought away.

Regardless, my message for you is to be kind to yourself if you end up falling ill. The best thing to do is to recover and come back stronger because you will pick yourself back up from there.

(Extra: I hope you like that skyline of home from my parents. I miss it so very much.)

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