I commuted to school from home 2 to 3 times a week my junior year (Tu/Th. 9am – 6pm classes w/ 30 min. lunch break, + every other Monday appts. w/ thesis adviser) but moved back to campus for my senior year. Halfway through fall of my senior year, I was too weak and in pain to sit through classes; however, I wasn’t alone, my classmates were in misery too--upper div courses were no party. I typically would take the bart (train) home every weekend but now my dad was picking me up every Friday from my apartment door because by the end of the week I literally couldn't walk two blocks to the station.
---
My advice to kids with IBD in college:
1. Talk to a college counselor and explain what is going on. Get in touch with the campus Disability office. I had no idea about the options I had that would have been useful, including distance learning (online courses), taking the less than required units per semester, special accommodation for exams, priority for afternoon classes, private dorm studios, etc.
2. Dorm food is generally good for no one, much less those with IBD! My friends who had no health issues suffered from stomach problems after a year of that dorm food (some with vague default diagnoses of IBS), so talk to the dining and campus staff if you have dietary restrictions, try to make prudent choices, or cook for yourself – although it is easier said than done.
3. Live at home and commute to college, if possible.
4. Educate yourself. Once you are in college, your health is truly your responsibility and no one else's. So learn more about IBD, what people do to cope, alternative treatment options, etc. Trust me, you will definitely learn something that will help.
5. If you are out of commission 2/3rds of the time, that just means you have to live up the other 1/3rd 3 times overJ For me, grad school ended up being that elusive toga party that I missed out on in college:)
1. Talk to a college counselor and explain what is going on. Get in touch with the campus Disability office. I had no idea about the options I had that would have been useful, including distance learning (online courses), taking the less than required units per semester, special accommodation for exams, priority for afternoon classes, private dorm studios, etc.
2. Dorm food is generally good for no one, much less those with IBD! My friends who had no health issues suffered from stomach problems after a year of that dorm food (some with vague default diagnoses of IBS), so talk to the dining and campus staff if you have dietary restrictions, try to make prudent choices, or cook for yourself – although it is easier said than done.
3. Live at home and commute to college, if possible.
4. Educate yourself. Once you are in college, your health is truly your responsibility and no one else's. So learn more about IBD, what people do to cope, alternative treatment options, etc. Trust me, you will definitely learn something that will help.
5. If you are out of commission 2/3rds of the time, that just means you have to live up the other 1/3rd 3 times overJ For me, grad school ended up being that elusive toga party that I missed out on in college:)