Sophomore year of high school is supposed to be about making memories, starting to think about colleges and where you want to go after this journey. The end of my sophomore year, though, was spent with my family running in and out of doctors offices and ER facilities.
After three months of back and forth testing, we found out that I had celiac disease, which nowadays is more common than one might think. This is not just your Pinterest kind of a gluten-free diet though; I was told that if I were to continue consuming wheat, I would constantly be sick. So, my lifestyle had to change, and it changed drastically.
We all go into restaurants wondering what to order, well while a majority of the population has the whole menu available to them, I walk in and ask for a gluten-free menu that maybe has four to five things on it that I could eat. It gets frustrating. I was trying to make these adjustments, but I was ready to give up. Through the tears and stress, I had to learn to adjust and I had to learn fast.
Now, though this time was hard, I had to start thinking about my future. College and everything that proceeded.
After high school, I moved away from home. I don't just mean a couple hours away, I mean more like two states away. Luckily, I was moving in with family so it was not as difficult as some may face, but moving in with those who loved me, who have not had to make the lifestyle changes that I had, was difficult.
As I started classes, I learned that my diet was going to control what I could and couldn't do around campus. When you are missing all the carbs in your diet you start to eat more often and when you get on a schedule, if you don't follow it, you get irritable, frustrated and tired.
Here and there, I was able to find accommodations at functions or conferences that I participated in. This is when I realized how many resources I had readily available to me without even realizing it.
Colleges these days are so much more aware of allergies and how to handle them, which makes student life so much easier for those with dietary restrictions. They are able to make accommodations, so make sure to use your resources.
It may be frustrating at first but ask questions, speak with the chefs in the cafes or any of the food locations you may have on campus. It may take some time to figure everything out, but colleges are going to be willing to work with you on figuring out your needs.
Don't be afraid to ask questions.
Don't let the frustrations bring you down. No matter how hard it is, trust me I wanted to put things on the back burner a lot, we have to keep pursuing our dreams. It takes time but we can all do it.
