Dealing with EDS in College: A Personal Account

Hi! I know the feeling. My knees started dislocating in high school, and my ankles started giving out. I was fainting a lot and had serious solar urticaria. My freshman year of college, I started with a chronic migraine that has gotten worse over time. Even so, I'm in my third year as an applied math major at university that's ranked nationally! If you go to a 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 college, they would be accommodating of your needs. I have accommodations to type exams, be late/miss class, get extensions on homework, and much more. There are also accommodations to have an electric scooter for those with mobility needs, so if I feel my condition has gotten bad enough, I wouldn't even need to walk or bus to get to class. I have priority scheduling because of my disabilities, so I'm able to pick classes with an understanding professor or at times when my symptoms aren't as bad. I am also allowed to underload for psychological reasons and still maintain my full ride because I have severe depression (which can be linked to chronic illness). I also take classes in the summer when I'm well enough, so I'm still on track to graduate on time with a major AND two minors. Being sick DOESN'T mean you can't be successful in college, especially if you go to a well-funded school that has resources and staff who can support you. I'd suggest scheduling an appointment with your intended school's accessibility/disability resource/services office before you start your school semester so you can figure out what documents you need and what accommodations could be helpful before the semester starts. It also helps if you already have accommodations in high school or have ideas about what accommodations could help you. If you want to talk about it in more detail, feel free to send me a direct message.