Academic success is not an
easy endeavor. I will be graduating from
Loyola University Chicago in a couple of days and I can only reflect on the
hard work I put into achieving this goal.
Students with learning disabilities must work even harder to reach the
same level of performance as their healthy same-aged companions. Bipolar
disorder (BPD) is a psychological condition that affects more than an
individual’s learning ability. In a
study[i]
involving the collaboration of University of Michigan Medical School, Jesse
Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and the University of Illinois at
Chicago, it was demonstrated that BPD affects cognitive functioning, processing
speed, and executive functioning skills (Weisenbach, 2014). These affected domains lead to deficits in
attention, memory, inhibition skills, and even social and emotional abilities –
all of utmost important in education.
Furthermore, this study states that aging acts as a double-burden for
individuals suffering from BPD, since the effects of normal aging affect verbal
memory and executive functioning abilities that include inhibition skills
regardless of disease status. Since
living with BPD poses great challenges, it is important for these individuals
to find support early on in order to succeed academically and in life.
Director of Counseling and Psychological Services at the
University of Virginia, Russ Federmann PhD says, “Bipolar diagnosis isn’t a
sentence, it’s a factor [young adults] have to accept and adapt to, but don’t
we all have that in one form or another (Forbes, 2014)?”[ii] It is during this time of life that bipolar
disorder is most likely to surface either in form of a depressive or manic
stage. The episode is most likely
triggered by the stressors surrounding the academic life of a college student
combined with lack of sleep – it is during this time that individuals with BPD
need most support. The number of
individuals with BPD going to college is increasing and, fortunately, universities
are now more capable than ever to provide outstanding services for students
with learning disabilities.
I do not have BPD, however, I hope that the following advice
may be of value to the reader:
Students
with BPD, or any other condition affecting learning, should embrace their disability
and be confident that success is more than possible. Visiting the office of students with
disabilities and becoming aware of the kinds of services they provide can make
an enormous difference. It is important,
once again, to be confident of your abilities.
Federmann says most students are intelligent people. “If they’ve made it through high school and
they value the education, then you go the extra mile and you do what you have
to do (Forbes, 2014).
Second,
finding a support system is very important, not just for students with learning
disabilities, but everyone can have a bad week, or a bad semester, yet our
support groups keep us going.
Finally,
figure out what activities decreases your stress. Whether it’s doing yoga, playing basketball,
or an instrument, allowing yourself some time to relax is an important part of
your academic life. Fridays, for
example, were my no-study days – at least I would try to make them so. I would study every single day of the week,
sleeping late and waking early, but Fridays were my days to relax. Yes, sometimes my work would pile up and I
would have to sacrifice my Friday if I wanted to stay on top of everything, but
it is important to set aside some time for yourself, at least once a week. It was during these days that I would go out
for a walk, enjoy a movie, or go downtown.
Energies restored, the studying would continue the next day.
Along
with many challenges, the life of a college student is filled with
opportunities to succeed. It is
important for everyone to be aware and take advantage of the resources
available to us. Love and support form
our peers can truly impact the way we experience our academic life and
finishing triumphant is the much more rewarding when you stand next to those
who battled together with you from the beginning.
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