Soon approaching are the days your child will spend the first sickness of his life without your homemade chicken noodle soup by his side and the comfort of a call in sick to school. Although we all wish it did, for some reason, calling in sick doesn’t work in college. It’s hard to think about, but students are on their own now.

But don’t worry, McKinley Health Center on Lincoln Avenue (east of the Quad) has them in good hands. Because of the Health Service Fee, the simple swipe of an i-card gets students an appointment with a primary care doctor. Students can also transfer existing or new prescriptions to the McKinley pharmacy, which are filled for a $5 co-pay. McKinley offers many other services such as a staffed nutritionist, who can help students keep off the “freshman 15” or guide them on how to survive dietary restrictions such as being vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free in the dining halls. After I decided to try out vegetarianism a few weeks into my first semester on campus, a visit to the nutritionist left me with a 20-page book on every bean, vegetable and vitamin to consume through dining hall eating. How is that even possible, you ask? Yeah, that was my first question, too. This is where the relationship between McKinley and the University comes in handy. EatSmart, an online dining hall menu program allows students to check off any dietary restrictions such as food allergies, vegetarian, vegan, Ramadan or kosher options and see which dining hall can cater to those needs. Between its two locations, on Lincoln Avenue and at the Illini Union, McKinley also offers students free condoms, pregnancy tests and cold packs. 

Transitioning to college life can be difficult for incoming students, especially during their first finals week. For me, the stress-relief packs from McKinley’s Stress Management Program, filled with pamphlets on relaxation techniques, coupons, snacks and games helped me take a load off and made me feel like someone cared. Being away from home for the first time can be hard without mom and dad to make doctors appointments, call in personal health days or cook healthy meals, but trust and believe McKinley is there to ease that transition and keep your child as healthy as ever.

Corinne is a junior in Media. She can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @corrinesusan.