Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.
For some reason, even though I had learning accommodations in high school, it took until I was a sophomore in college — about to flunk all my classes — for me to seek out accommodations from the Student Disability Center.
I wasn’t flunking my classes for the reason you’re assuming from reading this; I was flunking due to a terrible case of social anxiety disorder. I felt defeated. I couldn’t go in public without feeling intense sensations of anxiety throughout my body, and this made attending class impossible.
This made me feel like a complete failure as my grades dropped and the fridge stopped having food in it.
I reached out to Student Case Management thinking this fell more under their jurisdiction, and while SCM was helpful and kind, the life-saving intervention I eventually received came from the SDC. Like most of my friends, I was surprised to find out that the SDC could give accommodations to me for more than just my learning disabilities.
After listening to my experiences, the SDC immediately intervened in all of my classes, communicating with all of my professors. Suddenly, a burden I was carrying all by myself was lifted off my shoulders; I had the support of most professors, my accommodations specialist and the lovely people at The Collegian.
“If you are at a disadvantage compared to everyone else, you probably have a much harder time succeeding — and that’s what accommodations are for.”
With this intervention and support, I finished up the semester slaying — both academically and mentally. Now with my accommodations, school is so much more manageable, and I feel like I am able to be on the same level as my peers for the first time since getting here.
If you are reading this, this is your sign to make an appointment with the SDC — or maybe not. The thing most students hear about the SDC is their notoriously long waitlist for appointments. This was part of the reason it took me so long to see the SDC; every time I would make an appointment, it was too far into the semester at that point and therefore deemed useless to me.
While we should be mindful of keeping the SDC’s appointments open for students who need them, I think every student should consider whether it’s time to make an appointment for themselves.
A lot of students in college experience mental health challenges, but you can do a lot more for yourself than look into therapy and medication. If classes are overwhelming you to the point of you not being able to take care of your basic needs, you’re at a clear disadvantage compared to everyone else. Period. If you are at a disadvantage compared to everyone else, you probably have a much harder time succeeding — and that’s what accommodations are for.
I know the process of advocating for yourself is not as simple as I am making it sound. But I promise you, ask your cool professor, resident assistant, adviser or the folks at the resource centers, and they’ll probably help guide you through the entire process and get you the help you need.
People at this university — maybe not the university itself, but the people here — truly do care.
And this is the end of my manifesto. The SDC is not one size fits all or black and white. Disability truly is a spectrum, and the intersectionality with mental health is vast. I guarantee you that if you need it, the SDC has it.
Be kind to yourself.
Reach Caden Proulx at letters@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.
