The Worst Thing About College & Ulcerative Colitis: Shared Bathrooms

I have two words for you to describe the worst thing about college and ulcerative colitis: Shared Bathrooms. It was one of the worst experiences of my life, and you know what I'm talking about if you live in or are planning to live in a dorm. During my undergraduate years, I lived in a dorm with a roommate and two suitemates, which meant that one toilet was split between the four of us. I had ulcerative colitis, though I didn't know it yet, and one of my suitemates felt that the bathroom was his own personal territory.

It isn't common for men to share the bathroom at the same time in college. One guy's in the shower while another's on the toilet and yet another is brushing his teeth. We didn't think about it much back then -- unless you were me. There was no way I could share the bathroom during one of my UC flare-ups, and I couldn't handle the prospect of someone walking in while I was on the john.

If you have ulcerative colitis and are planning to attend college, you should know that there are a few uncomfortable situations facing you. Dorms are just the tip of the iceberg; you'll also have to worry about those extra-long classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and professors who take it personally when you exit their classes in the middle of a lecture. Even worse are the days when you have terrible cramps and diarrhea during exams or labs because bathroom breaks are rarely allowed.

Unfortunately, college is different from other levels of education and even from work. Your professors don't care about your individual problems, and roommates can be as cruel as fifth-grade schoolyard bullies. Any reason you give for behavior that is out of the ordinary is considered an excuse, even when your medical situation requires that you be given special privileges. As you well know, the world just doesn't work that way.

First, I learned to organize my schedule with mostly morning classes. Since my suitemates preferred to sleep until noon, I usually had the bathroom to myself as I prepared for school. Later, I could use the restrooms on campus near my classes where individual stalls gave me necessary privacy, and I was always in bed before everyone else. Evenings I spent in my dorm while everyone else was out partying, and this gave me additional privacy for those nights when the pain is terrible and the bouts of diarrhea long.

If you wind up staying with your roommates for several years, you'll start to open up. Part of college is learning how to connect with people and how to understand differences, and by the end of my second semester Freshman year, everyone knew I had bowel problems. I didn't know what to call it because I had not been diagnosed, but my roommates had matured sufficiently to give me the privacy I needed in the bathroom. We stuck it out through junior year, when I finally got an apartment.

For students whose college experiences will be effectively ruined by ulcerative colitis, it might be a good idea to start out in an apartment rather than a dorm. At many schools, the housing prices are nearly as high as those for local apartment complexes, and many management companies give discounts to attending students in college towns. This will give your the student the privacy he needs to enjoy his college experience, without worrying about finding a bathroom that isn't already occupied.

As far as classes go, college students must work hard to make sure their ulcerative colitis doesn't interfere with lectures. There are a few over-the-counter medications that can help control the pain caused by flare-ups, ulcers and diarrhea. Strangely enough, my stomach was often soothed by two teaspoons of Pepto Bismal. Now my doctor doesn't recommend it, but it always worked for me. The store brands are cheaper at grocery stores, and it helps to try several medications to see which works for you.