How to Manage Your Allergies in College

Allergies aren't fun for anyone, student or not. But with these helpful tips, you can avoid allergic reactions and have a great time at college with less hinderance.

While you may not be on campus right now due to the coronavirus, allergens can still find you while you’re stuck at home. Apply this advice to your daily at-home routine to help combat your allergies, and take it back to college with you when this is all over.

Millions of people all over the US are currently dealing with allergies, with 22% of college students having asthma, sinusitis, or a food allergy, according to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology. Moreover, some students appear to be risking their health, as only 3.5% have informed campus dining services about their allergies. Living with sensitivities to allergens can be inconvenient, but managing your allergies is the key to staying healthy while living on campus. Here’s a guide to help you cope with your allergies in college. 

Create a healthy dorm environment

If you know what triggers your allergies, then you likely know well enough to stay away from them. But if certain allergens can be found in your dorm room, it’s a good idea to get help in creating a healthy dorm environment. For instance, if your asthma or allergy gets triggered by the presence of pests such as cockroaches or rodents, you may want to inform dorm services to call a professional about dealing with the infestation.

The same goes if you’re allergic to mold—have your school call an expert to get rid of the problem, as doing it yourself may cause your allergies to flare up. Once your dorm room is free of pests or mold, maintain its cleanliness by sweeping the floors and keeping your room well ventilated regularly. You may also consider using a HEPA filter to improve your indoor air, which is especially useful for those with pollen, dust, or perfume allergies. 

Related: From Mold to Mice: How to Deal With Dorm Room Issues

Let your roommates know about your allergies

Some people may not want to disclose their health issues to others, but if you have allergies, it’s crucial to inform the people you live with about your health condition. Doing so enables them to be prepared in case you have an allergic reaction, and it may even save your life. Provide them with numbers to call in case of an emergency, and let them know where you keep your medication or EpiPen so they can act fast if you have an allergic reaction on campus. It also helps to have a written plan of action that details what your roommate should do in case something triggers your allergies. Consider even informing an authority figure like an RA about your allergies as an extra precaution, especially if your symptoms can be quite serious.

Related: How to Have Difficult Conversations With Your Roommate

Be vigilant

Students often neglect their health due to busy schedules, but those with allergies should live a healthy lifestyle and be vigilant in order to manage their symptoms. Apart from regular handwashing, proper disinfection of surfaces should also be done regularly to prevent the spread of allergens. If you have food allergies, remember to wipe your tray clean with a disinfectant wipe before putting any food items on it to prevent cross contamination.

Be sure to avoid smoking and areas where people smoke or vape, as it may exacerbate asthma or trigger allergies. And remember to eat a balanced diet, get enough sleep, and make time for exercise to boost your immune system, as doing so can help you control your allergy symptoms.

Related: Video: How to Stay Healthy in College

Dealing with allergies can be quite stressful when you’re on campus, but by being open with your roommates, keeping a clean environment, and staying vigilant, you can manage your symptoms and prevent allergic reactions. Try these tips to stay healthy and to prevent allergies from affecting your college life.

For more advice on living your best life on campus, check out our Student Life section!

Like what you’re reading?

Join the CollegeXpress community! Create a free account and we’ll notify you about new articles, scholarship deadlines, and more.

Join Now

Tags:
allergies campus life health and wellness student health student life

Join our community of
over 5 million students!

CollegeXpress has everything you need to simplify your college search, get connected to schools, and find your perfect fit.

Join CollegeXpress
Farrah Macci

Farrah Macci

High School Class of 2016

CollegeXpress has helped me in many ways. For one, online searches are more organized and refined by filtering scholarships through by my personal and academic interests. Due to this, it has made searching for colleges and scholarships significantly less stressful. As a student, life can already get stressful pretty quickly. For me, it’s been helpful to utilize CollegeXpress since it keeps all of my searches and likes together, so I don’t have to branch out on multiple websites just to explore scholarship options.

Heaven Johnson

Heaven Johnson

Back to School Scholarship Winner, High School Class of 2023

I’d like to thank everyone on the CollegeXpress team for their generosity. Not only have I been awarded this scholarship, but CollegeXpress makes it easier to apply and gives amazing tips for schools and scholarships. I am extremely grateful as this will help with my schooling and allow me to be able to enter into the field I’ve been dreaming of all my life. 

Alexandria

Alexandria

High School Class of 2021

For a long time, I've been searching everywhere to find the perfect website I can get scholarships and information from. Needless to say, I could never find the right one. That was, until I found CollegeXpress. Through my journey of finding the right scholarships for me, I was able to find articles about different things. They've all been helpful, especially in times like this! I was even able to connect with some of my favorite colleges! I love CollegeXpress. Thank you!

Keaun Brown

Keaun Brown

$2,000 Community Service Scholarship Winner, 2020

As I transition to furthering my education, I can say with certainty that it simply wouldn’t be possible without the help of generous organizations such as CollegeXpress. Those who initially founded CX had no idea their platform would give a plethora of information to a first-generation homeless kid native to the ghettos of over half a dozen states. Everyone at CX and Carnegie Dartlet gave me a chance at a future when the statistics said I had none. And for that, I thank them.

Courtney Smith

Courtney Smith

High School Class of 2022

CollegeXpress has been a huge help! The website is very organized with finding the right scholarship for anyone and anything. With CollegeXpress, I've been able to find many scholarship opportunities to apply for. Not only that, I'm also able to search for the colleges I have interest in and see what’s required and what scholarships they offer. I've learned a lot from CollegeXpress. They've helped me in many ways to achieve my goals!

College Matches
X

Colleges You May Be Interested In

Waynesburg University

Waynesburg, PA

Castleton University

Castleton, VT

University of Kansas

Lawrence, KS

Gardner-Webb University

Boiling Springs, NC