{"id":8275,"date":"2010-06-14T07:59:55","date_gmt":"2010-06-14T11:59:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=8275"},"modified":"2015-12-31T07:45:18","modified_gmt":"2015-12-31T12:45:18","slug":"lindseys-guide-to-surviving-college-with-the-big-d-the-schedules-and-connections-edition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=8275","title":{"rendered":"Lindsey\u2019s Guide to Surviving College with the Big D, The Schedules and Connections Edition"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n

You will probably never be more challenged in your diabetes management than when you are a college student (well, maybe parenthood is the most challenging but I haven\u2019t crossed that bridge yet so I am going with what I know). Junior high and high school can be hard with changing hormones, but you still have the balance of a daily consistent schedule and your family\u2019s help. College is like nothing you have ever experienced in your diabetes management.<\/p>\n

It is difficult and exasperating to balance ideal diabetes management with a college lifestyle. Sometimes these two will not mesh at all, while at other times \u2013 with hard work and some luck – you will forget that there was ever a problem between the two spectrums.\u00a0\u00a0 Here are some things to consider as you plan for surviving college and diabetes at the same time.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. First, be sure to know the best schedule for you<\/em>. Diabetes can affect each of us in a different way. For me, other health conditions made mornings unbearable, so I always tried to schedule my classes in the late afternoon or at night.\u00a0 (And\u2026hey, what college kid really wants an 8am anyway?).\u00a0 One semester I had a set of classes back to back that went straight through lunch, but made my breakfast too early. Even after an entire semester, insulin and snack changes couldn\u2019t prevent my body from doing what it wanted to do at that time\u2026drop low. Other diabetic friends did better with 8am to noon classes which left their breakfasts and lunches consistently at the same time.<\/li>\n
  2. Work around whatever college throws at you. If you can get a schedule that works with your insulin regimen, you\u2019ve been blessed. So try for that, but don\u2019t be afraid to change things if you can\u2019t get the right schedule. I moved my Lantus many times because of my class hours. Sometimes the adjustment was hard and meant setting alarms to remind me that I needed the Lantus injection, but other times I found that it was actually easier to change things.\u00a0 If you\u2019re on an insulin pump, it\u2019s definitely a lot easier to manage for class times, but it\u2019s also not the ultimate problem solver. Only you, your advisors, and your schedule can really determine that.<\/li>\n
  3. Don\u2019t bite off more than you can reasonably chew. Diabetes is time consuming. You have regular and routine management with finger sticks and insulin injections. Then you have the usual doctor\u2019s appointments. And all of the other issues that go along with this disease. So limit yourself to what you can handle. I do not advocate skipping basic care with your diabetes, but I do understand that we have to make time for our school and life priorities, which sometimes means that diabetes gets put in the backseat.\u00a0 And other times, it’s a paper that becomes more rushed because of a trip to see the endo.<\/li>\n
  4. Get a roommate. Or a dog or cat who can smell when you\u2019re low.<\/li>\n
  5. Live in the dorms if you can, or apartment complexes that function like dorms. When you aren\u2019t doing your own cooking and cleaning, you have a lot less stress in your life. Grocery shopping takes time and energy. Cooking takes planning. Cleaning is just plain annoying. Let someone else be in charge of those things if you can.<\/li>\n
  6. If you live in the dorms or those apartment complexes, you still need to watch your food! Fast food and dorm food are full of carbs and calories.\u00a0 Don\u2019t be afraid to ask for nutritional facts for everything because you never know when something you think has 40 grams of carb, actually contains 80, or has a heavy mix of protein and fat which means a completely different bolus than normal.<\/li>\n
  7. Make friends with<\/em> the gym.\u00a0 And make friends at<\/em> the gym. I really enjoy working out, especially cardio intensive exercise. But I always had trouble keeping my blood sugar up, especially while I was on the insulin pump. So I only let myself work out with a buddy who was aware of my situation. When my buddy got too busy, I started working out alone and was continually scared that I would drop low on the treadmill.\u00a0 Get familiar with the trainers and the staff there. Let them know what\u2019s going on. And be sure to carry fast acting sugar and wear your medical alert tag.<\/li>\n
  8. Keep in touch with your parents. Be honest with them about how you are feeling, but don\u2019t be too<\/em> honest. Parents worry.\u00a0 Always let them know what\u2019s necessary, but don\u2019t create needless fear. Know that you can handle it on your own, but also know that they are there to fall back on.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    You will find that class schedules, exam schedules, and football schedules rule your college life at times. In between all that, there is still the schedule that diabetes needs you to keep. Connecting in college is vital, too. You\u2019ll meet some of your best friends during these years.\u00a0 You will connect with all sorts of people: professors, advisors, classmates, colleagues, random strangers, even the campus mascot. Keep those connections alive and strong.\u00a0 Lean on those people when it\u2019s necessary, when you just can\u2019t handle it anymore. When it\u2019s all said and done, know that you are the strength behind this disease. You can handle it, and you can thrive with it.<\/p>\n

    \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    If you can get a schedule that works with your insulin regimen, you\u2019ve been blessed. So try for that…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":107,"featured_media":41149,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1441,1430],"tags":[796,143],"yoast_head":"\nDiabetes in College: Lindsey's Survival Guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"...the Lantus injection, but other times I found that it was easier to change things. If you\u2019re on an insulin pump, it\u2019s a lot easier to manage for class times\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=8275\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Lindsey Guerin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=8275\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=8275\",\"name\":\"Diabetes in College: Lindsey's Survival Guide\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=8275#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=8275#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/iStock_College.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2010-06-14T11:59:55+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2015-12-31T12:45:18+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/#\/schema\/person\/8db5396c574316de64e81cf687f3b107\"},\"description\":\"...the Lantus injection, but other times I found that it was easier to change things. If you\u2019re on an insulin pump, it\u2019s a lot easier to manage for class times\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=8275#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=8275\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=8275#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/iStock_College.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/iStock_College.jpg\",\"width\":977,\"height\":491,\"caption\":\"Diabetes and College\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=8275#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Lindsey\u2019s Guide to Surviving College with the Big D, The Schedules and Connections Edition\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/\",\"name\":\"ASweetLife\",\"description\":\"The Diabetes Magazine\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/#\/schema\/person\/8db5396c574316de64e81cf687f3b107\",\"name\":\"Lindsey Guerin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3a083444cdf3f8ec4fc391e1cf04506a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3a083444cdf3f8ec4fc391e1cf04506a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Lindsey Guerin\"},\"description\":\"Lindsey Guerin was diagnosed with type 1 when she was 4 years old. She graduated from college last spring and will soon begin studying for a Master\u2019s in Social Work. She currently writes for Blogabetes on dLife and runs Diabetic Echoes, a global diabetic network.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?author=107\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Diabetes in College: Lindsey's Survival Guide","description":"...the Lantus injection, but other times I found that it was easier to change things. If you\u2019re on an insulin pump, it\u2019s a lot easier to manage for class times","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=8275","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Lindsey Guerin","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=8275","url":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=8275","name":"Diabetes in College: Lindsey's Survival Guide","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=8275#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=8275#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/iStock_College.jpg","datePublished":"2010-06-14T11:59:55+00:00","dateModified":"2015-12-31T12:45:18+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/#\/schema\/person\/8db5396c574316de64e81cf687f3b107"},"description":"...the Lantus injection, but other times I found that it was easier to change things. If you\u2019re on an insulin pump, it\u2019s a lot easier to manage for class times","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=8275#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=8275"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=8275#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/iStock_College.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/iStock_College.jpg","width":977,"height":491,"caption":"Diabetes and College"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=8275#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Lindsey\u2019s Guide to Surviving College with the Big D, The Schedules and Connections Edition"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/#website","url":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/","name":"ASweetLife","description":"The Diabetes Magazine","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/#\/schema\/person\/8db5396c574316de64e81cf687f3b107","name":"Lindsey Guerin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3a083444cdf3f8ec4fc391e1cf04506a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3a083444cdf3f8ec4fc391e1cf04506a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Lindsey Guerin"},"description":"Lindsey Guerin was diagnosed with type 1 when she was 4 years old. She graduated from college last spring and will soon begin studying for a Master\u2019s in Social Work. She currently writes for Blogabetes on dLife and runs Diabetic Echoes, a global diabetic network.","url":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?author=107"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8275"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/107"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8275"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8275\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/41149"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8275"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8275"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8275"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}