One might ask what the worst possible kind of school day is. Some say MCAS days, the first days, test days, or just those days. I would say those are nothing compared to a true sick day.
Unlike many others, I hate sick days. I dislike them with a passion, and I dread even the thought of them. Most will see sick days as an opportunity to rest up, maybe watch Netflix, chill out, sleep, or do whatever you please. While playing video games is fun on a sick day, it’s only a distraction that always fails to take my mind off just how awful the day is.
Missing work is something I never do. I take pride in getting my work done on time when it’s needed. I just so happen to take a lot of classes where you need to be in class so you can understand and actually get the homework. I conveniently get sick on those days, so I end up missing work for a hot minute. In other words, I can’t relax and sit idly by while I miss out on work.
Another thing I don’t like about the emails is the awkward, “Hey teach! Guess who’s sick today?” It makes me very uninspired to reach out. When I reach out, I get ready to play the waiting game.
I am not a very patient person (I am working on my patience skills over time). Thinking it’s a perfect world I usually expect teachers to get back to me like the wind. In reality, this does not happen. Usually, I’d watch the clock and see what period I’d be in school at that moment. But instead of getting the work I impatiently waited for, refreshing my Gmail tab, my teacher responded and said I needed to be in class that day to get the work.
I’ve tried to enjoy sick days. I truly have. But I just cannot relax. My body is sick. I am stressed out with the schoolwork I’m missing, and I know I’ll have to wait for the day I can go to school to get the work done. If I got sick there’s a good chance I’ll be doing the same thing the next day. Sick days make me feel like Sisyphus, rolling the boulder up the hill with sending emails and checking Google Classroom (getting my hopes up), and watching the boulder roll right back down for the 10th time when I’m told I have to wait to make it up as soon as I get to class (my hope gets shattered like a windshield in a Safelite commercial).
Though I’ve been trashing sick days this entire piece, there are some good things about them. I can play on my PC and not have to worry about getting others sick. If I have the ingredients I also get to make myself a mean plate of Nachos and drink plenty of tea.
On a side note, tea is way over coffee. Sick or not I will always drink tea and avoid coffee. Caffeine usually makes me feel worse when I am sick, whereas tea’s simple ingredients do not. Chai tea especially is really underrated. Sick or not you should try it.
Entirely, sick days blow for the most part. Some nice conveniences come with them, but they are overall a roadblock in my day. Missing work and waiting for emails weigh sick days down pretty heavily. Maybe I’ll learn how to enjoy them. Maybe someday.
But until then, I hate sick days.
