Spondylitis Association of America Forums General Discussion Young Adults - The 20-Something Club College and AS...

Hello all, I know that many 20 something year olds out there with AS are in College. And I currently am having a difficult time dealing with my classes, work, my social life, and my financial situation ect. So I was wondering what other college students do to live with their AS while dealing with what can be very rigorous scheduals? Also if anyone have had to change their career path due to AS?

Thank you

Hi Ken,

I wish I had words of encouragement for you, but to be honest, I'm in a very similar situation. AS changed my initial career path and even my back-up one. I originally wanted to be a Marine Biologist, out working in the field and saving animals... Over the last few years, things have gotten progressively worse with my AS and now I'm not working at all and I'm trying to get back to school on a part-time basis. It's rough, especially where most people don't know what we're dealing with. I went to a University for my Freshman year and it was very difficult for the other students to grasp why I couldn't go out for pizza at one in the morning or why I had to get back to my dorm at a certain time to take meds. I think that the college lifestyle for someone with AS may be difficult, but certainly not impossible. I think the most important thing may be for you to know and understand your limits. I happened to have a very bad flair while in school and that's what caused me to stop going full-time. I hope you're managing well!

Hi Ken,

I left college only a couple of years ago. I was undiagnosed at the time and was really hurting and tired all the time. They thought I had asthma but really didnt. Anyway.....Here is what I did....
It took me 6 years to get my degree. I took it slow. I took a low course load and worked part time. I lived at home with my parents to save money and went to the local college. Some semesters I didnt work at all due to the demand of course load. During those time budgets were really tight but I made it though. I learned from the first couple of years when I tried to work 30+ hours and take a full course load. I was miserable!! I really like my job and I am glad that I got the degree I did. However now I am considering going part time due to the activity of my AS and other conditions. I havent decided what to do yet. Any decision will be made in December.

Sorry for rambling. I hope this helps.

If you have any specific questions please feel free to ask!

Good luck in your studies.

i havent even had the chance to start applying to places, since most of my AS took place in those pivotal years of graduation and moving onto college/getting a job.

i got stuck with this disease at home. its really really depressing actually! I try and try to have a stronger more positive outlook on life but my environment makes it hard to.

i really want to go to school though and start working towards my goals! hopefully i do sometime this year. *fingers crossed*

I started on the nursing path before I began having any noticeable heath problems, and stopped because I married my husband who was in the Army at the time. We subsequently had 2 baby boys, now 1 and 2yrs old. I have gone back to nursing school and graduate soon, but I found an accredited online program through Chamberlain, where ALL of my classes are online, except labs and clinicals. The latter are at the most 2 days a week for 2hrs at a time. I feel like it's been a God send being in an online program. I can't imagine having to go to class 5 days a week for who knows how long just sitting in lectures. It's been great now that I have a family, but even more so now that I am dealing with AS. I have come to the realization that my specific career specialty in nursing may have to be altered due to AS, but not my career as a whole. It worries me to know end to have to be on pain meds and passing meds to patients. Or if I don't take the pain meds, but am in so much pain that I'm not thinking clearly. Take it as it comes I guess.

Consider working part time in your desired career field or exploring other career paths that you'd be more comfortable in (litterally) that you may like. Sorry I don't have any great words of wisdom.

I'm also taking the part time route with school now. I also work a desk job part time (24-32 hrs/week) and photograph a few portrait sessions or weddings per month. I'm busy, but I'm less exhausted than when I was doing 15 hrs of classes and working 20-30 hrs at Starbucks.

I really need to get set up with the disability office or whatever at school, but I only got my dx at the end of last semester and haven't made the time to do it yet. I do always let my profs know at the beginning of the semester that I have a gastrointestinal condition and an arthritis condition, so if I get up a lot during class, it's to use the restroom or because I hurt too badly to keep sitting. I don't want them to mistake it for rudeness/disinterest. I find the advanced notice also makes them more lenient toward absences/tardies so long as I keep them in the loop and don't abuse it, like if my GI stuff has me trapped at home. I make it clear that I'm not looking for special favors, but that there's the potential for unavoidable absences, etc.

I never had a chance to go to college because of my lack of mobility from the AS. Once I have had my hips replaced and my mobility hopefully restored I really want to go to college and study to become an art therapist. But I am worried if that will even be possible. I hope it will be, but only time will tell.

I wish I could go to school part time, but at the school I go to there are only two programs, and they are both very accelorated. In less then 3-1/2 hours I recieve my bachelors degree; and thats great that I get a degree so quickly, but that also means that I have to sit in class for sometimes 6 to 9 hours depending on the day. And I also have to work because I have a tremendous amount of student loans that I'm going to have to start paying for soon. So everyday it's a struggle for me, I just can't wait until this November when I finally graduate.

As for my career path, I feel I'm going to be forced to change. I have wanted to be a cook/chef since I was a little kid, but the kind of restaurants I want to work in will require me to work 12-17 hours a day, 6 days a week. And that seems impossible right now considering I can barely get through my class schedual right now.

I just don't know what to do

I went to college online so I could do my work at my own pace at home instead of trekking around campus from class to class. I know this isn't an option for everyone but it was really helpful to me.

I've been able to take one online class and I LOVED it. It was the perfect set-up for me. I wish my degree plan offered more online courses.