It’s officially finals season, AKA hell. But you know what’s even worse than just the regular hell of 3-hour exams? Dealing with all of that nonsense with a cold. And the worst place to be if you’re trying to avoid getting sick is a college campus. Here are some tips to help you avoid getting sick before heading home for the holidays.

1. Wash your hands.
I know, I know, it seems obvious. But think of all the things you touch in a day! And how germy they are! Door handles, your student ID, computers in the library, desks! At some schools you need to provide a handprint on a scanner to get into the dining hall. Every single student with a meal plan has touched that thing! And now you’re eating with those hands!! Yikes!!

2. Sleep. Seriously.
Again, I get it. The temptation to pull an all-nighter before your calc exam is too real, and may feel like the only thing separating you from turning a C into a B. But studies show that this isn’t good for your health or your exam grades.

3. Kick your Redbull addiction.
I’m sure by now I sound like the least fun person in the world, but caffeine is an immunosuppressant, meaning that the more you drink it, the less your body can fight all of the diseases your college campus/germ breeding ground is throwing at you. If you can’t cut it out, at least try and cut back– you shouldn’t need that much as you aren’t going to be pulling all-nighters anyway!

4. Eat a salad.
It’s tempting to have a pizza delivered directly to your spot in the library so that you don’t lose your table. But if you’ve got to order takeout, at least try ordering a vegetable, or, you know, literally anything that wouldn’t make your high school health teacher pass out. Eating the right foods will not only keep you from getting sick, it will also give you sustained energy so you can study more effectively for longer periods of time.

5. Drink water.
I’ve saved the best and most obvious advice for last. Please, please remember your eight glasses a day. Water is required for basically all of your body’s functions, and dehydration can lead to headaches, fatigue, and dizziness, none of which you want to deal with when you’re trying to study.

We all know that finals are the worst — don’t make them harder by getting yourself sick! Take a deep breath, study hard and take care of yourself.