Let's blame it on the flu

Who is this air-headed girl and what has she done with Jonna? (and what's with the hat?!) 

Yesterday morning I woke up feeling everything but flash: feverish, pounding head, thick, sore throat and heavy eyes. Decided straight away to stay in bed.

That worked for about 20 minutes until I woke up again, and decided to get up. I was in no condition to attend my classes or even try to get on with my must-dos, so I simply parked myself in front of the TV and did something I rarely do: watched TV for 6 hours straight.

Like every other person on this planet (I assume) I hate being sick. I hate not having the energy to do stuff, to not be able to study, read or function like a normal, healthy person… but most of all, I hate not being able to exercise. Also, when I am sick my appetite becomes all weird. Suddenly nothing but chocolate tastes good (I think it is a girl thing?!).

So the day went as predicted: me, parked in front of the TV with a huge chocolate bar as my only company. Just when I was about to hit my 7th hour of useless TV watching, I looked at my mobile phone that showed “5th of May, 2pm” and for some reason, the date made me a bit thoughtful… Suddenly I was sure that there was something special about this date… something that I had promised myself not to forget. Something that I really, really had to do….

I thought and thought about it until it finally hit me.

Last day to sign up for June’s HSK exam. Today. Fifth of May.

Panic arrived in an instant. Last time there was an HSK opportunity I missed the sign up date with 2 weeks (!) and the office people almost shoved me out of their door when I came in (2 weeks after the final date), begging for them to still let me sign up for the exam. I couldn’t let the same thing happen this time.

I had a quick shower and felt a pang of guilt when I almost slipped on the chocolate bar wrap that I had gracefully thrown on the floor (is it only me who turns into a lazy, couch-potato-I-don’t-care-about-anything-anymore when I am sick? I strongly dislike this ‘sick’ character but I don’t know how to get rid of her?) So, as I put on some clothes, I decided that I might as well… walk to the university. Yup. Walk. Normally I ride my bike and that takes me around 10-15 minutes. Walking takes about 30 minutes (one way). But for some reason I convinced myself that a ‘little walk’ was just what I needed in order to feel better after such an un-productive day.

So off I went. I probably scared the sh** out of fellow pedestrians with my coughing, sneezing and panting… they were looking at me as if I was a carrier of the swine flu. But once I had started striding nothing could stop me, and within 30 minutes I had reached the university office.

-Hi, I panted when I came in, sweat running down my face. I would like to register for the HSK exam in June!

The Chinese woman typing at her computer flinched a bit when she looked up at me.

-Eh… I’m afraid that’s not possible today.

-What? Why not!? Oh no, don’t tell me? Am I too late?!

-Late?! Ehh…. No no. Well, the sign up date isn’t until May 18!

I looked at the woman. Was she joking? May 18? It couldn’t be? I mean, my brain had been so convinced that it was on May 5? Why would my brain just believe that? Why would I just get so hung up on a date unless it was somehow important?

-Like… listen. I know it is today! The last day to sign up is today, May 5! Please let me sign up! I tried.

The woman gave me a long look. I’m not sure I want to know what went through her head while she was looking at me: Red, watery eyes. Runny nose. Sweaty. Slightly swollen face. Greasy hair and un-made up face. Actually, as I was standing there trying to convince an office lady to let me sign up 2 weeks prior to the sign up date it hit me that I actually might come across as a bit of a freak. Whoops.

-The sign up date is on May 18, she said with a firm voice. So you can come back then!

I felt like a total idiot. Why on earth had my brain somehow thought it was today? Was the fever that high?!

-Like.. I was so sure it was on May 5th… is there something else important on today? I tried, partly to save some of my lost face.

-Eh… nothing that I know of… although… are you OK? She asked. You don’t look very… well.

-A flu… and then I walked here… I mumbled.

-Good exercise! She pointed out.

Yup. Sure was.

I walked all the way back home too where I finished another chocolate bar, feeling like one of the Biggest Idiots on Earth, constantly looking at the date on my phone and trying to remember what was so special about May 5.

Turns out, there wasn’t anything special. Or, if there was, I never remembered it. Today it is May 6 and I woke up feeling much better than yesterday (still got a cold but the throat is better and the fever seems to be gone). So say what you want about my little brain-less power walk, and my air-headed office stunt, but at least it kicked some of my flu!

Now I just have to make sure I kick the rumor of me being the HSK lunatic girl.