What It’s Like To Have A Deadly Allergy In College

While my freshman roommate’s biggest fear was getting lost on campus and being late to the math building, mine was having a severe allergic reaction in the cafeteria in front of everyone. 

For most people, allergic reactions can range from mild symptoms like a rash or itching to something much more severe. I experience anaphylaxis, which can cause my throat to swell and make breathing difficult. 

The story of how my peanut allergy started is actually pretty funny. I must have been a little genius as a kid because I always refused peanut butter and jelly sandwiches — not because I knew I was allergic, but because I was super picky and the smell of peanut butter just didn’t appeal to me. My parents kept trying to get me to try it (no one in our family had nut allergies), but I stood my ground. My downfall came when I couldn’t resist a free almond ice cream sample at Whole Foods Market. What kid would turn down ice cream, right? Little did I know, that would be the start of my peanut allergy saga.

Fast forward to college, and now I’m navigating independent living — which also means managing my allergy on my own. Every morning, my obnoxious alarm blares at 7 a.m., pulling me out of bed. As a student-athlete, I have weights before class, so I’m always juggling gym clothes, school supplies, and, despite my early-morning grogginess, making sure my EpiPen is packed in my backpack — because trust me, I learned the hard way that forgetting it is not an option.

After classes, it’s time to hit the dining hall — my least favorite, yet most crucial part of the day. For breakfast, I always steer clear of the yogurt bar. Granola can be so unpredictable when it comes to nuts, so my go-to breakfast is usually eggs and cereal. Not the most exciting, but it’s safe. Lunch is a bit easier. The deli is a solid choice — any sandwich (as long as it’s not peanut butter and jelly) is fair game for me. I usually pair it with a side salad from the salad bar and a bag of Doritos. Dinner, though, is where things get a bit more complicated. I have to carefully read the labels of the hot plate options, but thankfully, the college dining hall uses nut symbols to help identify allergens. My dinner choices usually revolve around pasta, chicken, and rice, or a hotdog — whenever they’re serving them.

In the evenings, if I go out with my friends or watch a movie with my guy crush *I am keeping that name a secret*, I always have to keep an eye on the snacks, especially baked goods. As a freshman, most of my friends didn’t know about my allergy yet, and one time, I accidentally ate a peanut butter cookie because I thought it was a Snickerdoodle! That day, my friend got a crash course on how to use an EpiPen, and I learned a valuable lesson: always ask before taking a bite.

Having a nut allergy is honestly exhausting. I’m always thinking before I eat, which can really take the fun out of things — like charcuterie night. Instead of just enjoying the spread, I’m busy checking the cheese or making sure the grapes aren’t hanging out with any stray almonds. It definitely adds a layer of stress to what should be a relaxing and fun night with the girls. Sometimes, the thinking before I eat isn’t even enough. I once grabbed a protein shake from the store that was labeled nut-free but made in a facility that handles nuts. Normally, I don’t react to these kinds of products, but of course, this time I did — right in the middle of class. Luckily, it was a minor reaction since the shake didn’t have actual nuts, but I still excused myself to the restroom to take care of it properly. If I didn’t have my epipen, my recovery would have been prolonged. 

But hey, we’ve got this! Navigating life with a nut allergy can feel like a never-ending obstacle course, but it’s definitely manageable in college. So, let’s keep bringing our safe snacks, reading labels like the detectives we are, and savoring every nut-free moment with our friends. We’ve got our EpiPens, our quick thinking, and our sense of humor — what more do we need?

<p>The post What It’s Like To Have A Deadly Allergy In College first appeared on Spoon University.</p>