Germs are everywhere. Everyone knows it, most choose to ignore it. There are some however, than cannot. We "see" germs everywhere! Whether its sitting in your favorite chair at the library, or leaving your tooth brush on the sink, we know what is hidden from our eyes. The microorganisms that are ejected out of the toilet when you flush, to the stuff everyone leaves behind when they also sit in that chair, Germaphobes are painfully aware.

There are a lot of unknown factors when you go out into public. For example, the library, is a great place to hang out, right? Well consider these questions. Do the chairs get wiped down every night? Do they ever get cleaned? How often do the counters get washed. Who had that book before you? Where did they keep it? Have these thoughts ever crossed your mind?

If so, my friend this guide is for you. If not, then if you don't care to learn what might be lurking around on the table top you are now leaning against, then look away! Close your browser! I am warning you, ignorance is bliss, especially in the matter of trying to stay clean on a college campus.

This guide could take the route that tells you to avoid public locations are all costs. But that would be overly dramatic, very anti-social, and a little crazy. It simply is not possible. Classrooms are public places. You have to go to class to pass with decent grades, even if 90% of your classes are online. Below are some tips from a half crazy Germaphobe, who wants to give the normal people some tips on avoiding particularly large concentrations of germs.

Tips:

1. Keep your hands clean. Carry hand sanitizer and wear gloves. If you live in a climate that allows gloves year round, this is a great idea. Just make sure you take them off when you scratch your face or touch anything else you want to keep clean. Oh and be sure to wash your gloves each night as well.
2. Avoid touching things that you know other people touch with dirty hands. This is anything that is touched by three or more people each day. Bathroom door handles are the worst things to touch with your bare hand. Next time you are in a Men's Restroom, (or any restroom for that matter) take a head count of the people who leave the area without even rising their hands. Now take a look at how many use soap. I know, the percentage is scary.
3. Clean house! (Or dorm) You would be surprised at what even you (as careful as you are) bring into your own house. Cleaning regularly is a great way to cast a net for everything that gets past your initial attempts to stay clean and germ free.
   
4. Clean yourself regularly! This should be a no brainer, but people often make the mistake of not using body wash, or skipping body parts when washing. Keep in mind that whatever you don't clean, will soon spread to the rest of your body, by the simple and unthinking movements of your hands. Itching your face, after scratching the left side of your leg that you neglected to wash, can spread that germ that your dog shared with you, into your system. Now its like you didn't wash that part of your face.
5. This kind of falls under clean yourself, but it really deserves its own number. Shave your face and other parts of your body. Hair is terribly unclean, and can trap oils and other unwanted particles and organisms against your skin when you wash.
   
6. This also falls under cleanliness, (what in this guide really doesn't?) but make sure you wash articles of clothing that you wear or carry with you when you go to school. Watches, ties, backpacks, phones, iPods, all get very, very, dirty if you don't wipe them down! Even my laptop cord ends up getting shoved into all sorts of places that are especially dirty, and when I pick it up, I am spreading that dirt unto my hands. All articles should be washed regularly. (Water bottles are terrible places for germs)
   
7. Keep from touching dirty parts of your body. Do you know what part of your body is the dirtiest? (Not going to say it, you should be able to avoid touching it regularly) Now the second dirtiest? Your mouth. Now the third dirtiest? Your hair. Make sure your using mouthwash and cleaning your hair regularly, and thoroughly. After than, always sanitize after touching sensitive areas.
8. Eating in public places is somewhat of a dangerous proposition when talking about germs. First, you need to be sure that the cafeteria workers are safely handling the food, and then you need to find a place that is clean enough to eat off of. The plates they provide are usually well scrubbed, and washed, so that is fine, but what you need to worry about is the germs on the table. If that table isn't clean, and you set that plate on it, it could be contaminated. Also avoid touching your chair with your hands as you scoot in. A better idea is to pack a lunch, and then eat out of the lunch box. That way you know you are clean. (Make sure you wash up before hand)
   
9. Parties are gross places, but if you find yourself at one, remember a few things. Keep your drink. Don't share it, and don't partake of the communal beer bong. If you meet someone you like, ask them if they want to go out another time. Keep from kissing them and making-out to a minimal. Do not have "relations" at the party. Not only is it gross and almost guaranteed to get you a STD, you probably are looking for more of a serious relationship than that. Well, now there are too many assumptions in that last line, so just stay away from that activity, for the cleanliness factor.
10. The gym is another place to beware. Germs from sick people, then to spread more rapidly when their sweat covers the machine they are using. To add the the danger, gyms are usually humid, which allows germs to live longer. Tropical conditions are often home to the most dangerous diseases to humans, because it is such a great breeding ground for them. Make sure you wipe down the machine with sanitation before you use, as well as after.
    

Best places to avoid Germs!

Your clean Dorm!

Your clean Car!

Any surface you just wiped down with portable sanitation wipes!

Outside! (Avoid enclosed places)

Worst places to encounter Germs!

Parties!

Public Study Areas, Libraries!

Hole in the wall cafes!

Public technology centers!

These are things that all Germaphobes should carry.

• Hand sanitizer

• Leather Gloves

• Table Top Wipes

• Water Bottle (Avoid Public Drinking Fountains)

While germs are everywhere, especially at college, your body does do a great job on its own of fighting them off. Your immune system has a full time task of keeping your body healthy.

If you are exposed to germs, and you do get sick, it actually works to your benefit. (For most people) Your immune system should grow stronger from the experience, and actually be better at fighting future germs.

College is a fun experience. You shouldn't let something like Germaphobia stand in the way of that.

With any sickness, there are some very easy steps to follow.

Eat healthier, sleep more, and drink tons of liquid. If symptoms get worse after several days, consult a doctor.

As far as certain types of sickness, here is a brief description, as well as specific ideas for helping you get over it.

Common Cold- Coughing, Sneezing, Generally very annoying dripping sickness.

Consume Orange Juice and other vitamin boosting drinks. Other people recommend quick fixes such as Airborne, which have varying side effects and work to varying degrees for people. I used this once, and my cold ended shortly afterward.

Strep Throat- Coughing, Sore Throat. White Spots covering the inside of the throat area.

Consult your doctor. These cases can spread very quickly, and can be very serious if not taken care of in the right way. Eating breads and other foods that scrape the back of the throat can help towards the end of the sickness. I always liked Popsicles when I had this sickness, helped cool down the throat. Ice water would do much the same. Gargle Listerine if it is bearable for you. Mustard also seems to help with a slight acidity, so if you eat something like a mustard sandwich, that might help.

Flu or More Recent, Swine Flu- Similar to cold, but accompanied with a bad fever, and vomiting.

Consult your doctor. Stay in bed, rest. Keep a bucket next to the bed, and make sure you carefully monitor your temperature. The body is very sensitive, and even a few degrees too warm can disrupt important chemical reactions. Follow the basic instructions for sickness, and keep an ice pack on the forehead if temperature starts to rise. Eat things, to keep yourself from vomiting up stomach acid.

Mono- Swollen lymph glands (neck), fever, sore throat, and head ache.

Consult your doctor. Follow basic sickness treatment. Gargle saltwater or Listerine. Take pain reliever for pain. (Make sure its not conflicting with any medicine doctor prescribes)

Nothing can replace washing your hands with a quality soap.

Most people think that if they use hand sanitizer, it will wipe out the Germs. While this is the case for most germs, every once in a while a "strong germ" will get on you. These germs are invulnerable to hand sanitizers, and really can only be cured from a good ole wash of your hands. For proper hand washing edict, sing row, row, row your boat while washing. Make sure your hands are scrubbing each other with soap the entire time.

There is a five second rule for things that have fallen on the floor.

It really depends on which floor the food falls on. A kitchen floor that has just been cleaned and disinfected, you could probably be safe eating off it. But studies have shown that it can take less than two seconds for very dangerous Germs to craw onto food.

Dogs are cleaner than Humans, because they evolved that way.

It wasn't until very recently that we learned staying clean improved our quality of life. While it is true that dogs have less germs in their mouths, that doesn't help you if they have parasites that can spread to you. Especially if they have a bad habit of eating brown "Poopsicles".

Its only one germ that makes people sick.

Germs often hide in the body, silently waiting until the right moment to attack. Once there are enough, they activate, and you get sick. So if you can prevent at least some of the Germs from getting inside you, you may prevent a sickness. Its all about making sure that perfect cocktail of germs doesn't end up inside of you.

Facts are taken from these sources:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22453814/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22463584/

http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/biology/b103/f97/projects97/Stevenson.html