Anyone attending a university on here?

I went to a community college the last three years since being diagnosed in 2013. But this year I have moved cities and to a huge university. I'm curious if anyone else has an experience similar to this? I'm struggling a lot with feeling isolated and like the only person going through what I have over here. I don't know of anyone else here with my condition and dealing with a recent flare, on top of schoolwork, my job, and trying to have a social life feels like all too much to handle lately. I'm curious what you guys do to handle things like this? Support groups? Therapy? Feeling very lost lately.

Thanks for reading.

I know there are some for sure. The user dikid comes to mind and i know there are a number of others.

I teach at a university and can only encourage you to take advantage of the counseling center at your school as well as making sure that you have registered your IBD with school as well. It helps your professors to know that you have a chronic illness, I have never been given specifics from school, but have had some students come out and tell me what they deal with. Hang in there!

Hey everyone! Thank you for your replies. I will definitely look into counseling and support groups at my school, I'm not sure if there is one for IBD but I will look. Being more vocal of my condition is something I need to work on a little more, I've found that most people just don't know what I am going through at all, so there is no understanding for them.

And Jan12, I'd love to have your email and have a chat about your experience with going to college and having UC as well. Thank you!

Hi Richid,

I too am a 3rd year mechanical engineering student at university and totally understand what you are going through.

What i would say is that firstly, i found my university wasnt great with toilet facilities (especially in the campus that i study at) and therefore i wrote the student services a quite blunt e-mail explaining my situation. They soon took action and i can gladly say that the facilities have been improved!

Secondly, i found that when i started uni, i was shy and embarrased to talk to anyone about my condition, until i decided i had enough and spoke to my closest friends on my course! They were/and are still very supportive of my condition and strangely enough, another student on my course too suffers from colitis. If theres ever a case where i have missed any lecutres/materials, the other students know why and are good enough to get me the copies of the materials i have missed. So what i would say is dont be embarrased and let them know!

In terms of going out/social life, i found that going out with friends and enjoying myself can be achieved without alcohol. If i am on treatment, then i tend to stay at home and my friends dont mind and sometimes join me!

If you really are struggling with the condition, i would say speak to your student services department, they can do a lot to help you out including giving you extra time in exams etc. I hope your situation soon improves and you start to enjoy your time at university because let me tell you, it can be some of the best years of your life, even if you suffer from colitis! Try make the most of it, i know its easy for me to say, but dont let colitis take control of your life! I certainly refuse to let it.

Let us know how you get on.