How to Survive College With an Invisible Illness

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Having an invisible illness can be difficult, especially when you’re a college student. You have to work twice as hard as “normal” students to perform the same way as them. Whether you’re battling with a physical or mental illness, it is still difficult to be a student and it doesn’t help that no one understands you.

There’s always this fear of not being able to accomplish the day to day tasks required of you for your classes. Constantly worrying about inevitably getting sick can be very stressful and even daunting at times. It can cause you to lose focus on what’s really important. Although it may be harder for you to be a college student, it is definitely possible for you to survive college with an invisible illness.

It is very important that you become familiar with your school’s disability policy. Your university should have disability services that can help you with your disability needs. You should contact the school’s disability services to learn about the accommodations they have for you if they have any. Learning this information should put your mind at ease. This information should also be very beneficial to you while you are attending college and it should make your college experience much easier.

You should consider informing your academic advisor and your instructors of your illness so they will be aware of your condition. This helps to open the line of communication to them in case something happens that hinders you from getting your work done and turned in on time. In a classroom setting, it helps for your instructor to be educated about your condition in case they need to help you in some way in the event of an emergency. If you are an online student, it may be easier to complete your assignments. However, it is still a good idea to inform your instructors and academic advisor of your condition because you can still fall behind on your assignments if you become ill.

The most important thing you can do as a student with an illness is to figure out a way for you to perform to the best of your ability. Take advantage of any free time you have to get a head start on your assignments. Take advantage of the resources your school has for you. Don’t be afraid to communicate with your peers, instructors, and advisors. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Take care of yourself. Get the proper rest, nutrition, and treatment you need to maintain your illness. Lastly, don’t give up; everything you have to do to earn your degree will be worth it!