Coughing, sneezing and the overwhelming desire to stay at home and cuddle your pillow or, if you’re lucky, with your significant other, seems to be everywhere these days. With the flu season currently reaching its peak, most people prefer to stay in bed and sleep all day. However, what happens if you already getting sick of being sick? Here’s a short guide what you can do whilst you’re stuck at home but don’t want to stay in bed.

Number 1: How about learning to bake? It’s Pancake Day after all and your cooking skills should be on point before lent. Not only will your flatmates appreciate the constant smell of freshly baked pancakes in the flat but also you can look forward to having a great dessert. Throw in your favourite treats and you’re ready to go. Plus, it will definitely distract you from Netflix and this boring teenage film, which you've seen more than once and can even recite the script.

Number 2: Since most student accommodations are known for their dull, cell-like appearance, why not just redecorate your room? Add some candles (if you’re allowed to) to cover that stuffy smell caused by you existing in solely one room. It might even help your nose and yourself to feel a bit better. Another idea would be to put photographs into frames and put them on your bedside table. Remembering great memories will hopefully make you look forward to a time when you're well enough to leave the house again.

The long and short is: get creative, not bored - make your student hovel a home so it's a nice environment to be in. One of the disadvantages of being a student is definitely the fact that your mum can’t chaperon you.

Number 3: Read one of those heart-breaking and heart-warming John Green (or any other great author, whoever you prefer) books. If you have a throbbing headache, you’re obviously excused from this step. However, with a nice cup of tea, some fluffy socks and some comfy clothes, a good book can make time fly and this is what we all need when we have a cold or even the flu.

Get well soon!