Being a diabetic is hard, and so is adjusting to college life. Putting the two together is even harder. While I know this article won’t apply to everyone, for any diabetic reading this is for you! Here are some tips and tricks i’ve learned throughout my first two years in college that make the whole process a lot smoother.
Make sure to tell your roommate you’re a diabetic
Even if you and your roommate don’t end up being the best of friends, you should still let them know you are a diabetic and give them a little crash course on what to do with low and high blood sugars. If something happens in the middle of the night you’re roommate is going to be the one there with you.
Tell you professors
In high school my teachers would all have a meeting at the beginning of the year letting them know I was a diabetic and that if needed I could leave class or stop during a test if my sugar went low. In college it’s up to you to let your professors know. Also if you have a low in class or during a test don’t feel weird about leaving for a few minutes to take care of it. Your health should always come first in a situation like this.
Don’t freak out if your sugar fluctuates a lot when you first move in
When you first get to college you will have a lot of adjusting to do. The dining hall food is different than what you typically eat, so you will have some trial and error getting the carbs right for that. Your schedule will also be different every day and not so as routine as high school, so you will always have to be aware and monitoring your sugar for the first few weeks.
Let your parents know you will be fine
Show your parents that you know how to handle your diabetes before leaving for college. You can’t blame them for being anxious, especially if you’re their first child going to college. Just always take extra care of your diabetes and show them it is a top priority for you, trust me it will make them feel a lot more comfortable about you leaving home and taking care of your diabetes on your own.
Know where your health services is on campus
Most schools will have some type of health service office on campus. You may never have a problem your four years at school, but at least know where the office is; just in case.
Know how to go out
It’s college, so there will most likely be times when you consume alcohol. If you choose to participate in that make sure you are always aware of what your sugar is before drinking, and what alcohol does to your sugar. Always make sure to have a small snack before going to bed as well, without insulin, because if not your sugar will most likely go low in the morning.
Don’t be ashamed of being a diabetic
There is no reason to hide the fact that you are diabetic. You would be surprised to know how interested people are once you start talking about it. So don’t be shy, reach out and see if there are other diabetics on campus. This one connection can start a new friendship, or just have someone there to talk to who understands exactly what you could be going through when it comes to managing your diabetes.