The struggle is real, my friends: being unable to eat dairy is tough. According to Genetics Home Reference, "approximately 65 percent of the human population has a reduced ability to digest lactose after infancy." So, here is what this 65% wants you to know.

1. Still invite us to pizza parties – we’ll just have to do things differently.

There are definitely options for us lactose intolerant folk to get our pizza fix. At many pizza places, you have the option of customizing your pizza toppings. Especially if you are ordering ahead, it’s really easy to order cheese-less pizzas. Domino’s Pizza (the go-to on my campus) gives you an extra free topping when you get a pizza without cheese.

The pizza can still be really good without cheese, you just have to load it up with a generous amount of toppings. Also, for those who are not severely lactose intolerant, they can swipe the cheese off of the pizza and place the toppings back on. When I first found out that I was lactose intolerant, I did this often. Some toppings are more difficult to do this with, like pepperoni and onions. The easiest ones, in my experience, are olives and mushrooms. Some fancy places have soy-cheese options too. Boom, I just wrote you 151 words about lactose-free pizza options.

2. You earn major points with us if you check the menu beforehand to see if we have options at ice cream, fro-yo, or coffee places.

“This ice cream shop has dairy-free sorbets,” or, “we can just go to Target and grab Ben & Jerry’s almond milk ice cream,” means so much more to us than you would think.

3. Don’t try to school us on what does and doesn’t have dairy. Seriously, don’t.

This is actually so infuriating. Yes, person who tells me that they have a lactose intolerant third cousin once removed, I am aware that there is milk in that. We have to pay extra attention to literally everything that we eat or drink. It sucks, but, we are used to it. We do our research and we know our stuff. We’ve been around the block, we know that Oreo’s are vegan, therefore dairy-free. Try me.

4. Not everybody who is lactose intolerant is born with it.

While some people are born without the ability to process lactose, some of us were diagnosed in our late childhood, some in our teens, some as adults. I was diagnosed when I was 17, so I have lived many years enjoying pizza, mac ‘n cheese, and chocolate chip cookies. I feel like it’s almost worst when you’re diagnosed later in life because you know exactly what you’re missing out on. Also, if you are diagnosed later in life, you have to give something up. If you are diagnosed from the start, you don’t know what foods with dairy taste like, so you don’t know what it is that you are missing because you’ve never been able to try. So, it isn’t cute to try to get us to try your milkshake. Some of us know what they taste like, and those who don’t shouldn’t (there will be ugly consequences to this experiment, trust me).

5. Don’t police my food choices unless you’re my mom or my doctor.

My mom is my mom, so she's the only person I let boss me around, and it's my doctor's job to keep me healthy. Nobody else gets to police my food choices. If I am having a bad day and my comfort food is chocolate chip cookies – I can choose to have one. I can choose to eat one after taking lactase pills (lactase is the enzyme that breaks down lactose in your digestive system. The lack of lactase in the body is what causes lactose intolerance). I can also choose to eat one without pills and deal with the consequences (highly discourage you from doing this, but to each their own). It’s my choice what I put in my body. Don’t tell me what to do. Also, if I decide I want ranch with my food at a restaurant and I pull out my lactase pills, don’t give me the “omg she’s popping pills” bug eyes. I know that people are staring at me – a young person taking pills before eating – but the judgment from strangers is mine to deal with, and I do not need judgment from people who know me and know the circumstance.

6. A stomach ache is a valid reason to cancel plans.

When you’re lactose intolerant, it isn’t just a stomach ache. You only know the excruciating pain that you deal with when the barista forgets that you said almond milk if you’re one of us. If for some reason (intentional or not), you had dairy and you feel ill, you really can’t go out and do things like normal. If you want me to keep dinner plans when I’m sick, you’ll be sitting there by yourself while I make friends with the restaurant’s toilet. Let’s not do that to both of us.

7. Even if we are usually super understanding about waiters/chefs/baristas making a mistake with our food, we have the right to go back and ask them to fix it if we find it has dairy.

We have a dietary restriction, this isn’t a preference issue. It isn’t that we are trying to be snobs, it’s that this little mistake will make us physically ill and can force us to be acquainted with the nearest toilet for hours. Of course, both parties should be polite, courteous, and considerate during this exchange. However, lactose intolerant people have to understand that mistakes happen, and waiters/chefs/baristas have to understand that a small (seemingly harmless) mistake can really affect a customer with dietary restrictions.

8. Leonard Hofstadter from “The Big Bang Theory” is by default one of our favorite TV characters.

He knows the struggle too well, Y'all.

9. As annoying as her character’s appearance was, Jill Green on “Friends” made a very valid point that we deeply relate to.

Amen, sister.