Attending a College

College might be about living on your own, but in many cases, it's equally about living with roommates. If you're used to having your own room and suddenly have to share, that can be a transition all of its own. Many universities are moving to apartment-style housing where three to six students share a suite with several bathrooms, a kitchen and common area. Although a suite means you're less likely to be sharing a bedroom, it also means you'll have more roommates in total.

Deciding Who to Tell

It's probably wise to tell your roommate, especially if you share a room. If you live with multiple roommates, you might want to tell everyone or decide to tell the one or two people to whom you've grown closest.

If you live in a dorm with a Resident Assistant (RA), you should tell your RA. If you have a seizure, chances are your dorm mates will call the RA and it's important that he or she knows what to do. If you feel comfortable, you can ask your RA to let you talk about epilepsy during a monthly floor or dorm gathering or you can ask to decorate a floor bulletin board with information on epilepsy.

How and What to Tell

How much information you give is up to you. You might just want to tell someone that you have epilepsy, describe your seizures and let them know the best first aid strategy. They may have more questions, especially if they're a pre-med or nursing major. If you feel comfortable answering their questions, feel free. If you don't feel comfortable, you might want to give them a brochure on epilepsy or show them this website and offer to talk about it later if they still have questions.

If you have auras or a distinct feeling before a seizure arrives, you may want to describe these feelings or actions to your roommates and RA. If they know the signs of an impending seizure, they can help to move you to a safe place before the seizure starts.

You'll also want to let people know when they should call 911, your doctor or your parents. You may ask them to call 911 if your seizure lasts more than 5 minutes or if you don't wake up afterwards.

Let people know that although you have epilepsy, you're not any more "breakable" than they are. Seizures look scary, but you've lived through them before. Try to acknowledge their concerns with positive reinforcements, but you can also let people know that epilepsy is just a small part of your life and it's not stopping you! You may want to ask people to "watch out, not watch over" you.

Finally, it's always a good idea to post first aid information on your dorm fridge. List contact numbers for your doctor and parents and specific instructions about when they or 911 should be called. It may be helpful to purchase a stopwatch with a magnet on the back (or attach one with superglue) and put that on the fridge too. If you live in a single room, hang first aid directions on your dorm room door and keep a stopwatch hanging on the door knob. People who have never seen a seizure before will think it lasts much longer than it actually did.