How to “Get Sick” to Stay Home From School (& Avoid a Trip to the Doctor)

How to “Get Sick” to Stay Home from School

Maybe you have a large project due or a midterm exam you'd rather avoid - whatever the reason, there are times when you may want to fake being sick to stay home from school.

If you decide to take this route, remember you should only be faking a minor illness - if you're concerned about your health or feel like something more serious is going on, skip this advice and visit the doctor.

Instructions

1. Stay up the night before. Staying up late prevents you from feeling as refreshed and healthy as you normally would the next day.
2. When you wake up, don't stretch or stretch minimally. This will help you look and feel more tired and unwell.
3. Drink water instead of coffee or tea. Coffee and tea can give you a jolt of energy that can make it harder to pretend to be sick.
4. Create symptoms. Take cold medicine or inhalers to produce a runny or clogged nose, or chew some ice sitting in your bed to make yourself shiver. You can also take some ibuprofen to give yourself a low-grade fever.
5. Change your voice. Speak slowly and weakly, as if you've lost some energy. You can also whisper to make it sound like you're too ill to speak normally.
6. Coat your forehead with menthol or camphor-based balms. These can create the illusion of a fever.
7. Keep clear of physical activities at school. If you're having a hard time pretending to be sick, keep your distance and avoid any activities or tasks that require physical energy, such as gym class or sports practice, that could give you away.

Faking being sick to get out of school can be a tempting prospect, but always remember that your health comes first. If you don't feel well, if you're concerned something more serious may be going on, or if you feel like your symptoms are too transparent to be realistic, don't hesitate to visit the doctor instead.