Nothing puts tension on your friendship with your roommate like a cough that disrupts valuable hours of sleep. Chances are your first response to a sick roommate is more focused on you than on him or her. Let’s face it – it’s almost natural to want to make sure you don’t get sick. If you want to keep having a good year with your roommate (and have an easier time when you get sick later on) here are a few things to help:

Ask if you can help. You don’t have to necessarily do laundry for them, but it can really help if you offer to pick up some Tylenol, drop off a homework assignment, or make an extra sandwich when you visit the cafeteria.

Be sure to let your roommate rest. Trust me on this one; if your roommate does not get all the rest they need, that horrible cough at three in the morning is going to last a lot longer than previously predicted.

If your sick roommate is trying to sleep, keep your headphones on, turn the TV off, or meet your friends somewhere other than your dorm room.

Do not be afraid to make your own requests. You have been the ideal roommate, you bring food, keep the noise to a minimum, you even bought more tissues with your own money. Now is the time when you are perfectly entitled to ask your roommate for something in return. Whether it’s the cough that is driving you crazy or the lack of covering that sneeze, now you can ask your roommate (nicely) to do something about it. Cough drops can work wonders.

Keep track of your hands. They are, as you have most likely heard, one of the most common places to pick up germs. Keep your hands away from your face, especially your eyes, mouth, and nose. To lower your chance of letting those germs in, it is also important to wash your hands frequently with soap, especially after you touch anything you share in the room.

Srengthen your immune system by resisting the urge to pull an all-nighter, and eat all that junk food. When your immune system is working properly, you will feel your best.

Happy roommates are healthy roommates. Do what you can for your roommate, and in the end, they will probably do what they can for you. Try to keep your sick days down to a minimum, because after all, this is college — being stuck in your dorm is the last place you want to be.