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Published Nov 22, 2016

#88 College with Type 1 on Day One

Amanda, a new college student, candidly shares her journey of balancing type 1 diabetes with the challenges of college life, offering insights into social interactions, diabetes management, and academic demands while providing strategies for managing health and relationships.
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Episode Highlights

  • Routine & Balance

    Amanda shares her experience of adapting to college life with type 1 diabetes, emphasizing the importance of structure in managing her condition. She describes her daily routine, which includes waking up early to ensure she has time for meals and classes, and how this structure helps maintain her blood sugar levels. Amanda notes the challenge of balancing her schedule with diabetes management, especially on days with back-to-back classes.

    I pretty much have a schedule set up. I'm up every morning around, normally around 8:30 or eight. All my classes are pretty spread out through the day, so I can eat a good solid three meals throughout the day and it keeps everything nice and level.

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    Despite the challenges, she finds the structured environment of college beneficial for her diabetes management 1 2.

       

    Roommate Dynamics

    Amanda discusses the anxiety of disclosing her diabetes to her roommates and the relief she felt when they reacted positively. She was initially terrified that her roommates might not be comfortable with her condition, fearing they might ask her to switch rooms. Amanda chose to disclose her diabetes in person to help her roommates understand the reality of her condition and the tools she uses, like glucagon.

    I was terrified that they were going to want me to switch rooms. Like they weren't going to be comfortable with it. That was my biggest fear.

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    Her roommates' understanding and curiosity about her diabetes management tools, such as the Dexcom, eased her concerns and helped foster a supportive living environment 3 4 5.

       

    Parental Concerns

    Amanda reflects on her mother's anxiety about her managing diabetes independently while away at college. Her mother, a nurse, is particularly concerned about Amanda needing hospital care far from home. Despite the distance, Amanda's parents remain involved by monitoring her blood sugar levels through the Dexcom app, which provides them peace of mind.

    Her largest fear is me having to go to the hospital for some reason of diabetes down here.

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    Amanda appreciates their involvement and has set up a system to keep them informed, which helps alleviate some of their worries 6 7.

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