Fat-Friendly Campuses?

[stereopticons]

10 minutes ago, Asymptoticallyconfused said:

You could always just eat like 300-400 calories less per day if it's such an issue for you.

Seriously? What an awful thing to say. 

[iDance]

Not gonna lie, this got way too tl;dr for most of the pages. I feel for the OP because it's true that many campuses are not friendly to people with disabilities (overall). One of the activities for the PT students at my undergrad was to go around and point out all the ADA barely-compliant things on-campus. It was so bad, and we had people with disabilities on-campus regularly for research. This is a relevant discussion that should happen for all-level students and all disabilities--it shouldn't be where does have it, but why doesn't everyone have an option? (PS: please don't focus on this sentence. This was a rhetorical question. I really don't want to get into this, and I probably won't check any notifications if this is quoted after I've said my next little bit.)

Now for the PT part (and this one's for everybody)--being active has been linked to better brain function (and then sometimes it hasn't been, yes, but the better studies seem to present decent correlations right now). I'm not saying lose weight--honestly, you do you. From a clinical standpoint I wouldn't say that, but this isn't the clinic and no one here asked for that advice (unless they did on the 4-or-so pages I didn't read). Finding a way to get active that you like will help your studying and your performance scholastically. Personally, I'd rather remove my own toenail with a spoon than run, especially on a treadmill. So I dance, do yoga, and, occasionally, when I feel like it, I lift. I enjoy doing those things and they're great ways for me to get a break when I feel like my brain is fried. Find something you like to do that will give your mind a break and allow you to get refreshed--Tai Chi is an awesome way for people of many activity levels to get out there, and you can even find youtube videos if you don't want to go to or can't get to a gym that provides it. Don't worry about doing it "right" unless you're planning to educate others or you want to for yourself. Getting up and moving is great in any form. Can't stay on your feet for whatever reason? Try chair yoga! That one's even good at your desk during breaks. Find something that works for you and work it into your routine--your brain will thank you. 

[stereopticons]

@iDance Exercise is great. I lift, I spin, I walk. I don't run. But I do a lot of active stuff. It makes me feel better and is good stress relief. I'm still fat. And so people assume I'm lazy and sit on my ass all day and do nothing but eat. Which is why comments like the one I quoted above piss me the F off. 

[guest56436]

This is masterful trolling.

[Neist]

4 minutes ago, stereopticons said:

@iDance Exercise is great. I lift, I spin, I walk. I don't run. But I do a lot of active stuff. It makes me feel better and is good stress relief. I'm still fat. And so people assume I'm lazy and sit on my ass all day and do nothing but eat. Which is why comments like the one I quoted above piss me the F off. 

 

I watched a short documentary many, many years ago about a relatively heavy man who ran triathlons. Was very interesting. He never lost any weight, despite being incredibly active.

Can't seem to find a version of it online.  

[BeeKayCee]

On 3/15/2014 at 8:05 PM, m-ttl said:

 

That's a really upbeat view of how disability is approached in schools. I have a friend transferring from a CC to a 4 yr college and she frequently needs to use a wheelchair. She texted me yesterday that the college she was looking at had little to nothing in the way of a DRC for physical disabilities and that the tour group left behind her and her father while they were trying to navigate with her chair. 

 

For those whom walking is not easy, you can't simply just say, "I'm sure they'll be accommodating!" because they may, in fact, be the opposite of that. 

I was on an undergrad (IVY) college tour and this girl's mother was in a wheelchair, the tour guide completely ignored her and my dad had to help them LIFT the wheelchair once or twice over a couple small stairs in order to stay with the group. When we got to a large flight of stairs it was pointed out to the guide that she couldn't go up the stairs and he just waved to the right and said "you can probably find a ramp or something over that way" and kept leading the tour up the stairs. My family left with her family to go find a ramp, and when we got to the top of the stairs five minutes later the tour was gone. 

TLDR: look up any schools DRC AND google reviews of it.

 

*EDIT: Just realized this was a resurrected thread and your comment was ages ago, I should really learn to check dates*

Edited February 27, 2017 by BeeKayCee

[AuntieGrandma]

And welcome to the new Trumped America where it is perfectly ok to be cruel and insensitive. 

[Le Chat]

A few suggestions for accomodations (from someone with a disability who uses services:)

-Locate a campus map and find all of the elevators, ramps, shortcuts, and convenient parking and highlight it. Plan your walking route accordingly. Think of it like Mario and you're trying the fastest route to the tunnel without getting eaten by plants. (That could happen in real life...)

-A handicap parking placard can definitely help with accessibility, especially in high volume areas. Or any other parking tag that lets you park in closer (sometimes graduate students can use faculty parking.) 

-Purchasing an assistive device to aid with walking may help you, and planning the easiest route to use it. I use crutches periodically, and had to change my route to avoid hills, large cracks, etc... 

-Finally, the student accessibility/disability office may or may not be helpful but is worth a shot. They often assist with locating services on  campus, including transportation (like is there a shuttle service available.) Many universities have accessible seating that you can request! You could also work out any other accomodations you might need. 

 

I hope that helps! There are certainly some cultures that are more discriminatory than others, but a great way to screen the campus culture is to look at their accessibility office. If they have a ton of information and resources on hand, hopefully you will have any easier time at that school.