Putting Together Your “College Survival Kit”
Photo provided by Megan Silva, with permission from Cowell Wellness Center.
Things you might have forgotten to bring to campus.
We have finally reached the end of Fall semester. Leaves are starting to fall, the weather is finally starting to cool down, and at least one person in every single one of your classes is coughing. There are so many things to remember when packing for college, we don’t always plan for being sick or injured. The following are some things you may have forgotten to bring with you to campus, but can easily be purchased on campus or at a pharmacy nearby.
Bug Spray (and Off! Bite and Itch Relief Sticks):
One of the things I enjoyed the most during my first year on campus was spending the evening hours outside in the hammocks looking up at the beautiful trees and architecture. One of the things I enjoyed the least was getting absolutely mauled by mosquitos. Bug spray is a must when spending time outside at Pacific. I am a lifelong Stockton resident and have no idea why, but it seems like the mosquitos here are more vicious than anywhere else in the city. If you do get bit, Off! Bite and Itch Relief Sticks stop itching (due to active ingredients benzocaine and camphor, which work as topical antipruritic and analgesic agents), and prevents infection (due to active ingredient Phenol, which is an antiseptic). Off! Bite sticks can be found at Target and most other pharmacies.
AZO Urinary Pain Relief:
If you have a body that was assigned female at birth, you probably know that urinary tract infections love to show up in the middle of the night when your urgent care or physician’s office is closed. AZO does not cure a urinary tract infection, but it can reduce your symptoms to a manageable level while you wait to see a healthcare provider. Urinary tract infections can be fatal if untreated, so please do not ignore it. AZO is a pill that contains a dye that acts as a topical pain reliever once it enters the urinary tract (the active ingredient is Phenazopyridine Hcl, and since it is a dye it will turn your urine bright orange). Currently, it can be found in Target and most other pharmacies, but when I visited Cowell Wellness Center to conduct research for this article, I did request that they carry it in their over-the-counter medicine cabinet.
Cold Medicine From Cowell Wellness Center:
On the subject of the Cowell Wellness Center, did you know that you can get over-the-counter cold medicine from there? Their prices are about the same as any local pharmacy, and not having to drive off campus is a great convenience. See the picture at the top of this article for information on their selection of products. In addition to cold medicine, they offer antidiarrheal medicine, tissue, and emergency contraceptive pills.
Allergy Medicine:
University of the Pacific is home to some of the oldest buildings in Stockton, and some trees that do not naturally grow in Stockton. Because of this, allergy season is year-round, especially for students who are joining us from an area outside of the Central Valley. The agriculture-based environment surrounding Pacific means that we have a lot more dust and pollen in the air than in other parts of the state and country. Occasionally, I have seen Claritin offered on-campus in the Grove, but if you cannot find it there, Save Mart and Target are the closest places to campus that have allergy medicine.
Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored story, The Pacifican does not receive funding from or endorse any of the above products. For medical advice, contact the helpline at Cowell Wellness Center at 209-946-231 or send a confidential message via the Medical Portal.