It happened for the first time in my college experience.
I was sick all on my own. No mom, no dad, no family who would drop everything for me. It was just me, myself, and I. And the initial realization was the worst, just knowing it was coming, nausea and a heavy headache. Those ten minutes were the longest, just laying in bed, accepting it.
Processing it, I have some conclusions. What hurts the most is that you do have friends, but they just aren't and couldn't ever be like your mom. They will help you, eventually, but they won't run to get you what you need or change their plans to stay home with you. They will get you a bagel when you ask for it, stop by for a bit, and text you to check-in.
They do exactly what you'd do for them, and you love them and you appreciate it, but a part of you just grows up, because as soon as they leave, you're all alone in your dorm room (if you don't have a roommate like myself). And it's a lot to just be sick on your own, there are not many distractions or comfort.
I am a little dramatic, I just had stomach poisoning.
But I've grown up a bit more, like a cherry on top of this semester, skipping some of my last classes this semester, in bed sick. And my final conclusion was, that after those 10 minutes, you get used to even that. And even though those 10 minutes sucked, that's how fast a human can adapt and accept a new phase in life.
Trust me, I now consider myself grown-up for the first time ever,
