<p>I’m going to the University of Alabama this upcoming Fall and I DO NOT want to live in a dorm, but they require the first year you live in a dorm. I have no desire to do this as all of my friends that are going are really big into partying and/or drugs and what not and I do not want to have to put up with that (also, they just really get on my nerves and I don’t want living with them make me hate them). And I do not want to have a random roommate and possible get someone extremely weird and creepy or someone else into drugs and all that. But I do also have medical conditions that really do concern me. I have a horrible digestive system and suffer from numerous digestive problems, such as: intense heart burn and acid reflux, lactose intolerance, a gluten allergy, and the most extreme is Irritably Bowel Syndrome. It really does affect my daily life and having to share a room and bathroom would be extremely awful. When I have episodes they can last anywhere from 10 minutes to 2 hours and there is no telling when it will hit and it is not fun at all having to hold it in, if you know what I mean. If I got put into a situation where a roommate was using the bathroom and I had an episode I do not know what I would do. Would this be considered in their medical special accommodation? If not, what medical conditions are? I could not find anything. Here’s a link to their page</p>
<p><strong>I do not want the medical single</strong> My parents have offered to lease an apartment for me if I can get this worked out. There is a housing exemption form, but will I qualify?</p>
<p>You need to contact disability services at your school.</p>
<p>But by looking at it, it seems you should be able to get an apartment on campus should you need to.</p>
<p>Normally things like major food allergys (gluten is the one that would defenently fall under this) will get you your own (or should, i haven’t heard it any other way). In that way you can do what you need to (food wise or other wise).</p>
<p>I know the feeling. I’ve had pretty much the same semptoms for years. Going off on a random note, have you had your gallbladder checked? I know once i got mine out (it was dead so said the surgeon that was assisting), most of my severe IBS issues cleared up ( i would have attacks like you would). Just some food for thought (if i can help another person out with the same issues i had, i am more than willing to do so:)). I still suffer from GERD though.</p>
<p>Thanks a bunch man. I was hoping the allergy would help out. I have not gotten my gallbladder checked, although I’ve had every other test in the book done, haha. I think I’ll look into that. Thanks again!</p>
<p>You’re probably not going to get anything because of digestive issues. They’ll probably tell you to get a community bathroom so that won’t be an issue (if they have community bathrooms). At my U, you don’t get special consideration for food allergies, either- according to a few of my friends who have severe allergies to nuts. </p>
<p>BTW- who cares if your friends party? Just because your roommate parties (and you don’t know if they will), doesn’t mean you have to or that you’re confined to only being friends with them. Just find people on campus who don’t party to hang out with. The easiest way to make friends is to live on campus and you really should do it for the first year. There’s a reason they want freshmen to live on campus.</p>
<p>Obviously you don’t get it. Having my own place will be beneficial medically and educationally. It will provide me with a better studying environment to get my work done in peace and quiet, as apposed to my roommates being loud and staying up all night (and yes I know they will party, I will too, just not a lot at all).</p>
<p>a gluten allergy is just as bad as if not worse than a peanut one. Anything wheat, rye, barley, and a few minor grains can set a person off, even if its just a crumb. Likewise, i doubt you could easily eat in the dinning halls either :/</p>
<p>@ cheesemonger: No, you can’t know that they will party without having met them at all. Not everyone going into college is into the party scene. As an example, my roommate is the partying type, but my suitemates and I aren’t at all. Whenever my roommate is off partying, my suitemates and I stay back in our dorm and do our own thing since we’re not into partying (though since my roommate is taking a quarter off for medical purposes, our dorm is now quiet). Despite our differences, I still tolerate my roommate.</p>
<p>You really can’t go in with an attitude like this without knowing anything about your roommate. They could be extremely antisocial and spend most of the semester curled up on their bed, watching Netflix…or they could be super outgoing and never be in the room.</p>
<p>And I’m with romani- you probably won’t be able to get special housing exceptions for food allergies. Not to mention, if you need a quiet place to study, there’s always the library. At a big school like UA, there’s always going to be somewhere to hole up and hit the books.</p>
<p>I don’t understand why they wouldn’t allow me to have special housing if I say exactly what I’ve said here, I put up a pretty convincing argument, as long as I’m not taking one of the medical singles. I would be paying for my own apartment. And I am definitely NOT going to get a random roommate. I refuse to do that. The only other thing I would do is room with my friends, which I would rather not do. I like to keep to myself and be alone a lot of the time, but I also like going out on the occasion. I used to be a really big partier, but stopped because I had a really near death experience. I just want my own apartment where I cannot be bothered.</p>
<p>It depends on the school. So far I see no reason why they would let you out of the requirement to live on campus instead of giving you a medical single room (with a private bath if available), but the single should be doable with the right medical documentation and if you fill out the proper forms/talk to the right people by whatever the deadline at your school is. It is kind of skeevy of you to try and take advantage of your medical conditions to manipulate the system into giving you what you want versus what you actually need (a medical single, or nothing). That’s not what the ADA is for and that’s what you’re talking about here.</p>
<p>Bear in mind there are no RAs in apartments to tell noisy partiers to shut up like there are in the dorms. Dorms can be loud but student apartments arent known for being much better. They vary just like dorms do. Maybe there’s a “quiet dorm” at your school worth considering.</p>
<p>Hahahaha. You think an apartment is going to stop you from being bothered? Oh dear. Just oh dear.</p>
<p>ETA: As Ema said, you shouldn’t be using your conditions in this way. I have UC so I understand how bad these things suck- but don’t use them as excuses. Just makes you look bad and it gives those of us who legitimately do need accomodations a bad name.</p>
<p>My daughter has Crohn’s. Her college gave her special housing and has made any accommodations she has needed. The first thing you should do is contact the office of disability as well as the head of housing.</p>
<p>Could really see this going either way. If living alone is that important to you (since it sounds like even if you didn’t have any medical issues you would still want to), why didn’t you choose a school that would more easily allow it?</p>
<p>Honestly, if you don’t like the “all first years live on campus” rule, then you should not have applied to/accepted to go to that school.</p>
<p>Roommates can be your worst nightmare…or become your best friend. You can never know what they will be like. Does that school send out questionnaires before setting you up with roommates? A lot of colleges will ask your study/activity/sleep habits to try to set you up with people a little more like you. For example, if you’re a night owl, they might set you up with someone else who is, or if you study all of the time and prefer a quiet dorm, they’ll match you up with someone like that, too. Of course, this system isn’t perfect and people can change in college, but it might help a little.</p>
<p>If not, just be honest with your roommate from the start about some of your difficulties. If it turns out they do drugs or drink or party, ask that they do not do it in your dorm room. It can be hard to room with someone who does something you morally object to, but certainly everyone does not drink or do drugs.</p>
<p>I don’t think there’s a lot we can help you with here-- contact the school and see if they will let you live in the apartment your parents plan on leasing for you. Just wondering, why wouldn’t you live in one of the medical singles? You could also try ■■■■■■■■ to find a studious, non-partying roommate (the survey makes it easy to do this), and choose a dorm with a communal bathroom.</p>
<p>I question the wisdom of a communal bathroom for digestive issues… I have severe IBS and community bathrooms are why I got a medical single w/ private bath my second year. Sitting on the floor in a communal bathroom all night during a flare up trying not to fall asleep with your face on the public toilet seat, or sitting on a toilet all night in a public restroom trying not to fall asleep and fall on the floor or think about how far away the sink is for a drink of water, is REALLY not conducive to making it to class in the morning… Just saying. Don’t most dorms have public restrooms somewhere in the building even if they have suite style or private baths?</p>