Adjusting to life at LSE with a disability

If you are a disabled student at LSE, you aren’t alone. I am an MSc Criminal Justice Policy student living in Lilian Knowles House and I have a chronic illness and neurological visual impairment. 

Apply for adjustments

Not sure if you have a disability that qualifies for adjustments? Contact the Student Wellbeing Service. Physical disabilities (including migraines) or mental health conditions can possibly qualify for adjustments. You will be asked to submit a form about your condition and have your GP (primary care doctor) fill out a supporting document. (The wellbeing office provides you with the form, that then you must upload it to the portal. So request that your physician sends it directly back to you). It doesn’t hurt to find out what resources are available to you, even if you don’t end up using them. 

For example, my adjustments give me access to a quiet room on campus in case I get a migraine. I have been paired with a Library Buddy that can assist me with accessing LSE library resources (like obtaining pdf copies of books so I can read them digitally). I also have access to a locker in the library where I can leave anything that I don’t want to carry around campus. I can use assistive technology that allows me to enlarge and project what I am reading onto a screen. There are also lockers and desks in the LSE library designed for people with dexterity and mobility impairments. I had no idea about these options until I applied for adjustments. Contact the Student Wellbeing Service to find out what adjustments can help make your life as an LSE student easier.

Be kind to yourself

Remember: if you find adjusting to life in a new place all the more complicated and difficult due to a disability, you aren’t alone. I was incredibly critical of myself during my first few weeks in London. The strategies that I had previously developed weren’t quite right for my life at LSE. But that’s okay! (And probably inevitable). It takes a while to adjust your coping skills, your routine, and your strategies for managing a chronic illness, mental health condition, or disability in a new place. Every hiccup will get added to the “I will remember not to do this next time” list until the weeks get easier and easier. In the meantime, be kind to yourself. 

It takes time to build friendships, community, and hobbies in a new place. Invest in what makes you happy. Have a limited amount of energy (or “spoons”) left for the week? Remember to spend some on you! And your friendships, hobbies, and what brings you joy.