Wake up, get dressed, brush your teeth, eat breakfast, grab your coffee, and run out the door.
That’s how the morning looks for the average college student heading off to campus (or moving to their couch) to attend classes. My days begin fairly similarly, but my morning routine does involve a few extra steps. It looks a little like this:
Wake up, check my blood sugar, get dressed, brush my teeth, take insulin, eat breakfast, grab my coffee and insulin, and run out the door.
The reason why I have to check my blood sugar and take insulin is that my pancreas gave up on doing its job when I was 13, so I had to take over. I have an auto-immune disease called type one diabetes, which means my body destroys the beta cells that produce insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. The difference between this and type two diabetes, the more common kind, is that patients with type two still produce their own insulin. However, they have a condition known as insulin resistance, in which their bodies respond poorly to it. Only 5-10% of people with diabetes have type one and, as of now, there’s no known cause or cure (but we’re going to keep praying for one).
Since my body makes very little to no insulin, my life depends on daily injections and constant blood sugar monitoring, which can be tricky to stay on top of in addition to work, classes, and assignments. I recently started using a device called a Dexcom, which utilizes Bluetooth to send real-time blood sugar readings to my phone through a little sensor needle under my skin. Now, my phone will alert me when my sugar levels are high or low- although I have to say, I’m not a fan of being disrupted from my beauty sleep by an alarm at 4 in the morning.
Diabetes is an invisible illness, but it’s important that the people around you know that you have it and understand the effects it may have on you. If a diabetic takes too much insulin or their blood sugar drops too low (known as hypoglycemia), they could faint or end up in a coma. I always know I’m hypoglycemic when my brain feels very foggy and disoriented, when my hands are shaky, and when I feel dizzy or light-headed. In situations like those, I can truly say that a packet of sugar or a juice box has saved my life. Knowing the signs of low blood sugar is important- not only for the diabetic patient themselves, but for the people who spend time with them.
Some of the times I have to check my blood sugar include:
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When I wake up and go to bed
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Whenever I eat or drink anything (no, really- anything but water)
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Two hours after I eat or drink anything
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Whenever I feel ill, lightheaded, or any way out of the norm
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Before and after I exercise
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Before I go to work or attend class
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Before I start driving
The number of times I check my sugar levels depends on a million different things, from what I’m doing that day to how I’m feeling. Back when I was pricking my finger, I’d say I would check about eight to ten times a day. However, now that all I have to do is check an app on my phone, it’s probably closer to 20 times.
So why is diabetes extra hard to manage for college students? Well, mainly it’s because we already have so much on our plate. College is a time of great transition in our lives as we all attempt to balance schoolwork, part-time jobs, internships, and social lives while simultaneously preparing for what we’re going to do when the four years are up (which happens SO much faster than we all imagined!).
Here are three specific struggles of type one diabetics in college:
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Managing sugar levels during class. Dozens of times, I’ve felt shaky or off during class and have had to leave the room (or pause the zoom call) to check my sugar levels, grab a snack, or run to the bathroom to take an insulin injection. Once you consume sugar, it takes about fifteen minutes for your blood sugar to rise, meaning that’s how long I often had to wait until I could go back to class and be able to focus. If I need to step out of a lecture to test my sugars or take insulin, I will, and I should never feel guilty for doing so. Your health should ALWAYS come first, which is something I’ve especially learned throughout my time in college.
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Having enough energy/brain space. This isn’t college-specific, but as I’ve already mentioned, the course load in college can feel overwhelming on top of the daily stressors of life. Being diabetic means constantly being aware of your body and your blood sugar, and being a student means constantly being aware of assignments, class meetings, and due dates. It can be exhausting to focus on so many things at once, which is why it’s important that diabetics are surrounded by a community of friends and family who can help them stay grounded and prioritize their health. The diabetic “burn-out” as they call it, is SO real.
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The social scene. When people hear the word “college,” they immediately connect it to the party scene. College students are often right around the drinking age, and parties or nights out aren’t an uncommon weekend activity for the average student. While I’m more of a homebody, I’ve certainly indulged in some adult beverages with friends, which can have a direct effect on blood sugar. If I drink, I have to be constantly monitoring my levels, since alcoholic drinks can often raise your blood sugar initially, only to spiral it downward hours later when perhaps you’re asleep. To stay safe, it’s crucial that your roommates and the friends you’re with know you have diabetes and keep an eye on you throughout the night if you do decide to drink as a diabetic.
Although it’s been hard to manage my type one diabetes while succeeding in my college career, dealing with the disease has only made me more grateful to be alive and able to experience all that I do. It’s shown me to be more appreciative of my health and has taught me patience, responsibility, and most importantly, self-love. Caring for your own body and health is one of the most essential parts of living a fulfilling life and thriving in college and beyond.