Once upon a time, I woke up to the worst sore throat I’ve ever had. It was extremely painful and on top of that I had a discussion and a lecture to attend. Eeeek. In high school, one could easily just tell mom and dad that you weren’t feeling too well so they could call the attendance office and you could spend a couple days resting and getting better. In college, things work a little differently. Most students have very busy schedules and commitments that can not be broken. I didn’t really know what to do so I thought I would sleep it off and hoped I would feel better when I woke up. I definitely slept but I didn’t feel any better when I woke up. I actually felt worse.

I finally broke down and made an appointment at the lovely Ashe Center. The Arthur Ashe Center Student Health and Wellness Center is located in Bruin Plaza and is right next to the John Wooden Center. It was very convenient since they take same day appointments and I was able to get in and out before I had to go to class. Thank goodness I live on The Hill.

If you’ve never been inside the Ashe Center it’s actually an amazing facility (like many other UCLA buildings) and has a welcoming non-intimidating atmosphere. After completing a quick health survey and spending a few moments in the waiting room, I was up for my appointment. Once the doctor arrived, everything was pretty quick. I answered some health questions and took a strep throat test. (Thankfully I did not have strep throat!) I was out within 45 minutes. The great thing is that the Ashe Center is available to UCLA students. Even if it’s just a cold or sore throat, it’s comforting to know that there is a place to go (conveniently located in bruin plaza) if you ever get sick or feel a little under the weather.