Surviving college with diabetes

Managing diabetes in college can be done!

Diabetes is hard. College is hard.

My name is Caitlin and, as a recent college grad living with type 1 diabetes, I can tell you that combining both can be very overwhelming.

After I moved away from home to attend college, I often struggled with my diabetes. I had to overcome challenges to make my transition easier.

I celebrated my 16th diaversary my freshman year, yet adjusting to the college atmosphere — especially with my 24/7 disease — was incredibly challenging, even with the years of experience I had. Anyone with this chronic disease is bound to face individualized challenges as you begin or go through college, no matter how long you have had the disease, but this just shows that people with diabetes are incredible human beings who are resilient, strong, and brave.

Let me share tips that I learned to help balance college and diabetes by utilizing the resources around you in the college environment!

You’ve got this, and remember that you are always a #MedtronicChampion!
 

Snacks for lows are important
 

If you experience hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), then you’ll want to eat or drink something quick. So, I always say: low snacks are your best friend! Here’s how you can set yourself up for success:

• Carry glucose tabs or emergency snacks in the car. I like to keep mine in a bag that is designated for my car so that I am always prepared! It can be easy to forget when packing up to go home. You can find diabetes bags and cases on Diabetes.shop.
   
• Be sure to have extra snacks on hand for class — even if you think you won’t need them. You probably will at some point! Keep them in your backpack at all times. I once had to leave a class early because I was low and ran out of low treatments in my bag!
  
  
• The dining hall can be a great place to get snacks or sodas that you can use to stock up in your dorm to treat lows. Most dorms have a vending machine in the building which can be used as well.
   

Use available resources for diabetes support

Having a support circle is vital to diabetes management, but it’s up to you to reach out. They won’t know you need something unless you ask.

Communicate with your school and professors

Let your professors know that you have diabetes and may need some allowances. This can be from needing to miss class due to hypo- or hyperglycemia or asking for a different testing time if your blood sugars are off during your exam time.

It can also help to contact the school’s accessibility center because they can help with resources to protect your rights while on campus. For instance, mine helped to create a form that I gave to all my professors that allowed me to have extra time on exams (in case I needed to stop and check my blood sugar). Professors will work with you if you work with them!

Family can help, even from afar

Don’t be afraid to reach out to family for help! Just because you’re away in college doesn’t mean your family can’t still support you. I would bounce ideas off my mom to see if she agreed or had any other insights for changing carb ratios or insulin sensitivity factors.

You can also utilize the Medtronic CareLink™ Connect app with your family or close friends so they can see your sugar levels any time. It never hurts to have someone checking on you even if you are no longer living at home!

Track your carbs and sugar trends

If you notice certain trends in your sugars when eating at the dining hall, write them down. Dining hall food always led to ups and downs in my sugars. Listening to how your body reacts to different foods can help.

You can also look for the nutrition facts labels on the school’s website or contact the dietitian on campus. They can be a great resource for carb counting. I often found that foods were way higher in carbs than I would have expected them to be.

Diabetes is tough, but you are tougher!

Don’t be too hard on yourself. College is an adjustment and tough as it is, let alone with a chronic disease. You may not have everything figured out the first couple of weeks, but you will eventually.

Remember: You are doing great! Allow time for your blood sugars to adjust to a completely different schedule and foods that are available to you.

Be upfront with friends. It can be easy to want to hide that you have diabetes when meeting new people, but it’s also a time to build a community around yourself when you need it!

Embrace the college experience

So, whether you are beginning college yourself, are a friend of someone who has diabetes, or are a parent or guardian sending your child away to school, know that it will take time to figure everything out.

It truly takes a village (mine was my close friends, doctors, fellow friends living with diabetes, and family) to help with the college transition! For myself, college was a time of substantial growth, especially in my ability to care for my diabetes and listen to my body.

I encourage you to keep this in mind: do what works for you.

Every day may not be the same, whether it’s because of your stress level, schedule, or just the way food interacts with your blood sugar on different days.

You are not only embarking on a journey of learning, growth, and independence, but are doing it WITH diabetes. Yes, diabetes and college are both hard, but before you know it, you’ll be thriving then walking across the stage and looking back at all you accomplished in college!

Guest writer: Caitlin Meyer, #MedtronicChampion