College and Arthritis.
Last updated Thursday, December 30, 2004
Getting the most out of collegeWhat are some strategies for success in college? It's easy to suffer academic overload in college. Taking on too much
could result in exhaustion or even bring on an arthritis flare.
Following these steps could make your life easier.
Preregistration
Some schools may allow you to register early or grant you priority
registration for courses. This enables you to select classes at
locations and times of the day that accommodate your needs.
Class selection
Allow some time for rest. If classes are scheduled one after
another, plan a break after the second one. Or try to avoid scheduling
classes back to back, especially if they are not in nearby classrooms.
Schedule classes later in the day if morning joint stiffness is a
problem.
Reduced course load
Try to take only as many courses as you can handle without stress
each semester/quarter. If you do need to cut back, check in advance
whether this could affect your financial aid and health insurance.
Since your financial aid may require that you maintain a certain number
of credit hours, you may need to make special arrangements for it to be
continued. If you are carried on your parent's health insurance as a
dependent full-time student, you may risk being dropped if your course
load falls beneath a certain number of hours.
Communicating with instructors
Talking with your instructors or teaching assistants before classes
begin is highly recommended. Let them know how arthritis or sudden
flares could affect your work or ability to complete some assignments
or tests on time.
Special accommodations
You may be allowed to use a note taker, tape recorder or lap-top
computer, or other equipment if you have difficulty writing because of
your arthritis. Special seating can also be arranged.
Exam modifications
You may request extended time for test taking, an afternoon test
time, an oral instead of written exam, or other needed modifications. What are the important issues to consider when choosing living accomodations in college? Choosing a place to live while at college is a very important
decision. As a freshman, you may be required to live in a dorm on
campus. Even so, you will have choices to make. Some guidelines to help
you are offered here.
Know your choices
The most important aspect of choosing a place to live is to actually
see what you are choosing. Be sure to make an appointment to see your
room options and to test the room for your specific needs.
Get to know your room
Once you have been assigned a room, make an appointment to go
through and see what specific changes you may need. Some schools will
make changes for you. If not, they will usually agree to let you make
the necessary changes.
Explore attendant and roommate choices
For many new college students, independence is the most important
aspect of going to college. Do not, however, be afraid to consider
having an attendant or roommate to help. Doing laundry, shopping,
cleaning, and other things on top of school could very easily overwhelm
you both physically and emotionally. It is a good idea to have an
attendant at least for the first quarter/semester of college, until you
become accustomed to the routine.
This person should be flexible. What he/she will be asked to do
often depends on your energy and physical level. It is very important
for you to be honest with your attendant, and to do what you can. On
the other hand, your attendant must understand that this is a job and
that you depend on him/her.
Start your search for an attendant early. Try your school's disabled
student services office, local health agencies, and ads in the school's
student newspaper. The best option, however, may be an ad posted in the
hall you live in while the previous year's students are still in the
hall. Just showing up and asking your floormates to help can lead to
bad feelings.
Be very cautious about asking a good friend to be your attendant. In
some cases, this can strengthen a friendship. However, since your
attendant will be your employee, this can be a touchy situation between
friends.
Payment will greatly increase your chances of attracting an
attendant. Most schools' residential life programs offer some sort of
compensation; some give attendants free room. Some federal programs
like vocational rehabilitation also pay for attendant care.
Get to know your resident advisor
Contact your resident advisor (RA) as soon as possible. Let them
know if you have any special emergency needs, what to do, and whom to
contact. Let your RA know if you are having problems adjusting to dorm
or college life. Your RA is also an excellent resource for campus
activities, organizations, and events.
Don't be afraid to participate
Because accessible rooms tend to be constructed differently, they
may be a little out of the way of other rooms. Try to let people know
you're on the floor, and don't hide out in your room. With your RA's
assistance, take part in programs and activities that are put on by
residence halls or individual floors.
Be honest
If you think people are treating you poorly or differently, call
them on it. If you don't feel comfortable doing this alone, call in
your RA. Your floor/hall is a community, and you have a right to be an
equal member of it.
After a year or two, you may think about living off-campus. A dorm
provides housing, food, companionship, and security, but it may be
restrictive. On the other hand, the independence of living off-campus
has to be balanced against the loss of these support services. What are special issues for people with arthritis to consider when faced with the choice of taking drugs or alcohol? In college, people you know may pressure you to drink or try illegal drugs.
You may be tempted to go along with them. However, as a person with
arthritis, you should be very careful about drinking and illegal drugs.
They can produce dangerous reactions when combined with the drugs you
take for medical reasons. You also risk falling and other accidents
that could damage your joints.
How useful was this page or article?
|
|