Daily Routine of a Chronically Ill College Student

This week I have been watching a lot of "A Day in the Life" YouTube videos, and they inspired me to write about my daily routine. However, my routine could not be more different from the YouTubers I watch. While they wake up at six in the morning to work out, eat a gluten free vegan breakfast, and follow a strict schedule throughout the day, my schedule is controlled by pain, fatigue, anxiety, and just pure laziness. And now that school is online, my routine is even more boring.

So without further adieu, let's get right into it.

Anytime Between 8 to 10 AM

Depending on the day, I either have my first lecture at 9 or 10 in the morning. Regardless of the day, I wake up from very unfulfilling sleep, and because of this, it's a miracle if I attend that 9 am lecture. Usually, I end up missing it and choose to sleep some more(I already come across as a great student, don't I?) . I wake up around 9:50, exactly 10 minutes before my 10 AM lecture and usually attend it sitting in bed.

11 AM-12 PM

This is when I usually eat brunch. Before I eat brunch though, I drink a glass of aloe vera juice to help with my GI issues. Depending on my mood, I lean more towards breakfast food or lunch food. In other words, I either make myself an egg with avocado toast or eat a banana and leftovers. After brunch, I take the supplements my doctor recommended and then run to the study to attend my next lecture that is about to start in two minutes.

12 PM- 8 PM

Usually my lectures end around 2 PM- 3:30 PM depending on the day. I am an Honors in Advanced Human Development and Family Sciences Major on a Pre-med track so I take a lot of Biology and Chemistry classes

After lecture, I attend any extracurricular activities I have and study and complete homework. Along with working for IWM, I am also an ambassador for my university's school of human ecology and the community events chair for an organization called Advocates for Cancer Awareness. I oftentimes have to attend meetings for these responsibilities after lectures as well. Since I am a sophomore, I also like to attend additional educational events to learn more about healthcare and continue to explore whether or not it's the best option for me.

Most of the YouTubers I watch have a dog that accompanies them while they do their work. Well I don't have a dog, but I do have fibromyalgia symptoms that like to accompany me and constantly remind me of their presence! Because I have to type a lot, my joints tend to hurt all the time, and my upper body and arms are ALWAYS aching. This oftentimes makes it really hard to concentrate. I think I also forgot to mention that somewhere between 12-6 PM, caffeine is consumed in the form of tea or coffee, because the fatigue makes it impossible for me to function without it.

Also, do not be fooled, I definitely do not work for 8 hours straight. I wish I had that great of focus, but I definitely take a lot of mini breaks in between studying.

8-11 PM

Around this time, I eat dinner and then take a walk outside for about an hour. My body doesn't always allow me to do vigorous exercise like running, but I always make sure to at least get in a walk. This is one of my favorite parts of the day because I get to breathe in some fresh air and listen to some catchy Bollywood music. I also like to watch Netflix during this time to relax.

11- 2 AM

After my dinner and walk break, I finish up any remaining work and studying I have. I also like to catch up with my friends and see how their day went as well since I no longer get to see them in person :( I'm going to be blatantly honest- most of my IWM blogs are written past 12 AM(It's currently 12:44 AM here in Austin!) Not because I like to put them off, but because I am the most creative and in the best space at the end of the day. I also love ending my day with writing- it's really good for the mind. Right before I sleep is when I take my medication and second dose of supplements.

As you can see, my routine is not the most interesting, but I am grateful for the things I get to learn and the work I get to do. I'd say the hardest part of being a college student with chronic conditions is managing the academic stress and the stress around taking care of my health. However, I think I am getting better and hopefully I continue to improve.