Changing Schools
When it was time to choose high schools, I had a very difficult decision to make. Either I went to the school that had an established allergy policy and plan, or I went to the school I have always wanted to – one with a great drama and honor society.
I was torn. Which way to go? Eventually I went with my second choice, the school I have always wanted to attend. I wasn’t going to let my allergies get in the way of my life. But now I had a challenge ahead of me: how was I going to feel safe and comfortable in a place where they had honestly said they had no experience with food allergies?
Well, the first step we took was to talk to the nurse. We made a plan with her about how she would keep an epinephrine auto-injector, and I could carry mine around at school. The next step was lunch. I had wanted to remain in the cafeteria with my new classmates, but they did not see how that would be an option. I would have to sit in a separate room. I wasn’t too happy about this, but it ended up working fine in the end. The last step was informing my teachers about my allergies so they knew they couldn’t give out snacks and such. This was partly my mom’s job, she wrote letters to them, and partly mine, as I had to talk to them after class.
Then it was time for school. Surprisingly, it all worked out. While some of my classmates ignored my condition, the vast majority were very accepting, even cautious, making announcements for me at after-school activities and buying safe snacks for sleepovers and get-togethers. Overall, my freshman year was great – new friends, new experiences, and overall, new challenges successfully won.
