Heading off to college is incredibly exciting! You’re getting dorm room decorations, picking your classes for the semester and adding your roommate on Facebook. And, like any major life change, there are lots of unknowns that can cause anxiety. If you’re a hearing aid user, you have a few extra things on your plate as you plan for this next school year. Here are some things to remember and do before the semester starts to ensure a successful start to the year.
Get in Contact with the School About Your Hearing Loss
The Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, provides that all colleges and universities must provide equal access to postsecondary education for students with disabilities. This means that your school of choice should have plenty of resources available for students with hearing loss. Check in with your school’s disability office (or equivalent) to ensure you get the accommodations you need to succeed. This could include live-action captioning services, ASL interpretation, assistive listening devices, classroom aids and more. The disability office may need information from you, so submit it to them early. You’ll also be able to make requests from them based on what worked for you last school year.
Connect with Your Professors
Once you have your class schedule, find your professors’ email addresses and email them beforehand, introducing yourself and explaining your hearing loss. Provide any specific accommodation requests you may need for their classroom (you will have different needs in a chemistry lab with 20 people than you would in a philosophy lecture with 150 people). A few common requests include wearing a lapel mic, providing written lecture outlines before class, and frequent pauses during speaking. If the class is online, that may bring some benefits and also extra challenges. Ensure that closed captioning is available for online courses.
Connect with Your Roommate
You’ll be spending a lot of time with your roommate this year; touch base early on about your hearing loss and let your roommate know what types of communication styles and strategies you prefer. Will you wear your hearing aids in the room? Is it okay if they tap you on the shoulder if they think you can’t hear them? Will you need help with any alarm systems or public communications?
Stock Up
When packing to move into your dorm, make sure you bring everything you need for your hearing aids: hearing aid case, extra batteries or the charger, any other assistive listening devices you prefer, extra wax guards, cleaning materials and a dehumidifier.
Get an Updated Audiogram
It’s a good idea to get your hearing information updated and your hearing aids checked before heading off to college. This is a great time to get them reprogrammed or refit if necessary. Addressing any potential changes to your hearing since your last audiogram will give you a head start to the school year. Call Hearing Services of Santa Barbara to make an appointment.
Have a Great School Year!
College is a daunting new chapter, but hearing loss does not have to make it any harder. Self-advocate and get involved on campus, and we know you’ll have a happy, successful school year.