When most people smell peanut butter, they think of lunches at summer camp or candy or feeding their dog a treat. They smell peanut butter, sigh, and think of happy times. But to me, the smell of peanut butter is poignant, and every time I get a whiff of it, red lights go off in my brain screaming danger. At age three, I ate a hazelnut doughnut, which caused massive red hives to break out onto my cheeks. I got tested, and then diagnosed with a peanut and tree nut allergy. Ever since I’ve carried two Epi-pens and Benadryl in my purse at all times. I’ve also had to become familiar with saying at every restaurant “I have a nut allergy. Does this dish have nuts in it?” As someone who loves to eat and loves to try new restaurants, my allergy has always felt like a hindrance, especially when I get told “I’m sorry. There is no way we can guarantee nut-free.” In other words, find somewhere else to eat. But in my 21 years of living with a nut allergy, I’ve discovered how to navigate some of its difficulties.
College, for instance, is a whole other headache for someone with an allergy, and it can be confusing and frustrating to figure out the best way to live on campus safely. Fortunately, for all the new college students out there with allergies, I have some tips and tricks to help make this transition smoother.
Do Your Research
Some of the best advice for all walks of life is to be prepared, and college is no different. It is important to know what you are getting yourself into, especially when it comes to your food allergy in college. Most colleges have an extensive website with information about the school, including food policies.
For instance, my school, Emerson College, has an article detailing services at the dining hall. It explains what food will normally be at each station. One of the stations, the bowls station, which mostly has fresh fruit and vegetables, is an obvious safe choice for me because it guarantees that the food will have no nuts. Emerson College also has an Oasis station where the food is prepared without the use of the nine most common allergens. This was a gold mine for me. I knew that this station would always be safe for me to eat. I advise looking at this information on your school’s website to determine what stations are safe for you.
On this page with information about the food stations, there was also a “contact us” link that led to the dining hall’s email. I would recommend emailing your school’s dining hall before even stepping on campus to get an understanding of how your specific school deals with food allergies and to ask any questions you may have about navigating your food allergy at your college.
Ask, Ask, & Then, Ask Again
If you have an allergy, I’m sure you’ve heard this advice over and over again: if you’re unsure, ask. I’m sure hearing this advice so much has made you annoyed with it (I know I’ve felt that way), but it’s true. Asking is critical.
A couple of weeks before starting at Emerson, I emailed the general manager of the dining hall. It was a pretty straightforward email. I asked for her recommendation as to how I should maneuver eating safely with a nut allergy on campus. She didn’t respond, which was very frustrating, to be honest, but ideally, at your school, they would respond and help you figure out the best way to eat safely at school.
Since no one responded to my emails, I decided to talk to them in person. At my dining hall, there is a little table area with workers who are in the dining hall just to answer questions about food. I asked about my nut allergy, and I was provided with great information. For the most part, there was only one station that I had to avoid, which was good news for me. The rest of the stations, I was told, would always be nut-free.
I was so relieved after talking to the staff. I was worried that every day at the dining hall, I would have to worry about what food to eat and feel anxious about the possibility of a stray peanut landing in my food and causing my throat to close. But after talking to the staff and hearing how they prepared the food, I realized I didn’t need to worry at all.
I know that not every school has a designated area for people to ask questions in the dining hall, and if your school happens to not have this, I would recommend you ask one of the workers at your dining hall, and they should direct you to someone that has answers for you. And I’m sure after speaking with someone, you’ll feel relieved just like I was. Colleges deal with a lot of people who have allergies, and as such, a lot of them are prepared and ready to accommodate their students.
Know Your Comfort Zone
Outside of the dining hall, another stressor is the dorm room. At most colleges, you will have a roommate. I made the rookie mistake of not letting my roommate know about my allergy. You should definitely tell your roommate before arriving at campus about your allergy.
In the room, know your boundaries, and do whatever makes you feel comfortable. If you don’t want to have any food in the room that you’re allergic to, express that to your roommate. You can make the rules, and your roommate should do whatever you feel comfortable with.
College should be fun, but it should also be safe. So my advice is to set up an environment in which you feel safe, comfortable, and healthy, and then enjoy life and good food!