Aticcersguidetouni
‘University-the best years of my life’
When I told people I was going to uni the amount of responses (usually from middle-aged people) who would tell me 'University is the best years of your life, you'll have a great time' It sets an expectation.
You hear about the drinking culture of uni and the arguments about bins, but that's about it. I didn't ever really hear from a disabled student or from people telling me about accessing lectures; finding housing, finances and all that jazz- No one gives you a guide to uni- so I thought I'd make a little series of posts of things that might've helped me. After all, you’re there to have fun (oh and to get a degree) so sometimes a little guidance helps particularly if you're a disabled student living away from home!
What are freshers?
Freshers are first-year students, Freshers week is a two-week period where new students settle into their universities and get to know one another. It’s chaos for two weeks & for some is the most memorable few weeks of their university experience. For others, it’s incredibly anxiety- provoking.
I over-did freshers massively!
I went out every day for two weeks and my body then spent the next few months trying to catch up! Looking back I had the most amazing two weeks but my body definitely struggled afterwards.
After now completing my degree and chatting with friends (Side note- you don't have to be friends with the people you meet during freshers) Lots of my friends only went out once or twice and had a great time- others wished they went out more or less.
10 things to remember as a Disabled Student during Freshers :
Master how to pace, manage your energy levels well- save energy where you can, for example, your housemates or friends may get the bus or walk to places if that takes up too many of your spoons (which it does mine!) suggest driving or getting an Uber or Taxi. Chances are everyone would be happy to chip in a few pounds to do so if it gets you out of the cold & saves your legs!
Get to know your flat online before you move in so you know a small amount about each other and have conversation topics. Also leaving your door propped open can be a great way to spark conversation when people move in.
Mum one- Remember alcohol consumption plus medication isn’t always the greatest of ideas, (not saying I didn't do it- my body just didn't like me- please be careful with how much you drink!
Avoid a flare up- don’t do anything you really don’t want to do or would cause a detrimental effect on your mental or physical health.
Know you may have a flare-up with your health during the early weeks of uni and have support in place as a precautionary measure. What with moving house, starting a new course, meeting new people and staying in a different bed, it’s no wonder you may be feeling rough. Stick it out and ask for help! Sometimes a little bit of fun is worth feeling a bit poorly but don’t make yourself ill to ‘fit in’. Having an emergency plan for the first few weeks is a good idea.
Know that many people don’t enjoy freshers week or freshers fortnight and that’s okay too! You might just be there to get your degree!
Have a list of accessible places- do some research before
You may want to meet with the disability team before you arrive and have a personal tour before you move in.
Being honest and open about your disability helps.
Go to Freshers fair- you get free stuff (including food)
Uni Doctors:
Moving to a new town for university can call for big changes in all aspects of life, finding the right GP took a little while for me.
It’s likely you’ll visit your GP with more complex needs and much more frequently than some of your housemates hey!
Moving doctors and consultants to your new town may not be the best idea for a couple of months. Your friends may sign up tothe Uni GP just because that’s what all the students do but definitely don’t feel obliged to do the same and take time to pick a good ‘chronically ill aware’ or ‘well-reviewed GP’.
Perhaps wait a few months until you’re settled as a transition period to your new town before moving your doctors.
Chat to your doctors about your move to university and how you may be with the workload.
Perhaps speaking to the university on advice on finding a good local GP, some universities have a list of recommended GP surgery’s.
Medical and Care Support at Uni
Having good medical support as a disabled student is vital to ensure you thrive at university.
If you need care support outside of your studies, it would be a great idea to talk to your university and the council to see what support can be put in place. You absolutely want to make sure this is all in place before you arrive, the process can take a very long time to find yourself in a comfortable position knowing you have the correct support. Adult social care can provide direct payments from the council to support you with any care needs.
You may want to transfer specialist doctors and consultants to your new town or you may like to wait a few months until you are settled to do this. Finding a good GP in the area at the very least is incredibly important for ALL students, particularly those with more complex health needs.
As a disabled graduate, I know just how overwhelming juggling your health alongside managing your studies, home life & university life can be. I hope this post helps you to understand accessing support in managing finances at university. As always this is an infinite topic so feel free to pop me a message with any questions.
Meds and Alcohol:
Remember alcohol / drug consumption plus medication isn’t a great idea, whatever you choose to do, please stay safe and know your limits, remember being on medication and drinking is like mixing drink & drugs- if you take any recreational drugs - which ALOT of people do at uni- please please please do it safely - know your sources and what you’re taking and remember you’re already on prescription medication (essentially already on drugs). Similarly keep your prescription medication in a safe secure place.
Freshers is only a snippet of uni
So most importantly - Have fun. Make the most of your time. You want to look back on your experience and smile!
Lauren (& Trish) x
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