Back to College with Migraine: How to Plan, What to Expect, and Where to Find Support
College is a major life transition. Whether you’re an incoming freshman or outgoing senior, starting a new academic year in college can be overwhelming — especially with migraine. In fact, up to 19% of university students, and rising, were found to have migraine.1 There’s a lot to consider for any young student, like whether you can still see your provider across state lines, what accommodations you might need, or what types of treatments you should stock up on.
Your First Attack Away from Home
The most important thing to remember in these situations is not to panic. Being away from home for the first time is scary enough on its own. Adding migraine to the mix can be a lot for someone to handle. Lean on your support systems and the campus health office. If you feel nervous, give your parents, siblings, friends, or anyone else you rely on a call. You could even bring comfort items from your childhood to help ease nerves in your dorm, if that helps you.
Back-to-College Essentials
Dr. Shivang Joshi, MD, MPH, PRh, FAHS, a board-certified neurologist and headache specialist, and the Vice President of the Association of Migraine Disorders, recommends stocking up on your essentials weeks to months before your semester starts or your move-in date.
What to Do Before & When You Get to Campus
- Find your school’s office of student success or accessibility, and request accommodations for your classes or housing
- Scout out the campus health center, and schedule an intake appointment with a provider
- Find the closest pharmacy to you, send your medications there, and stock up on your essentials
- Discuss with your professors what you need from your classes, and if they are able to provide that for you
- Find a group of friends that understands — everybody is doing all of this for the first time, too, so do it together
Foods
Make sure you know which migraine-safe foods work best for you, and do a grocery run before classes start. Avoid foods and drinks that are known to cause symptoms — common offenders include artificial sweeteners, alcohol, and some cheeses. You can view AMD’s guide on Migraine Safe Foods here.
Treating Migraine at College
It is important for you to have one or more acute treatments on hand to use when you have an attack. This may include over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen, naproxen sodium, ibuprofen, or combination medications with acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine; triptans; and gepants. But, taking certain acute medications too often runs the risk of medication adaptation headache. Non-drug options & alternative therapies include cold compresses or heating pads, essential oils, mindfulness programs, and neuromodulation devices.
If your attacks become more frequent or severe, you may need preventive treatment, a treatment used regularly, if you’re not taking one already. Dr. Joshi often recommends a consistent regimen of vitamins and supplements for preventive use, including magnesium and vitamin B2 (riboflavin). Other options include gepants, neuromodulation devices, CGRP monoclonal antibodies, or non-specific migraine medications.
The College Lifestyle
While college can be a lot of fun, certain lifestyle choices can aggravate your migraine symptoms or attacks. To combat this, Dr. Joshi suggests the following:
- Do not skip meals, and if you have to, make sure you have a snack
- Work out regularly, such as low-impact activities like weight-lifting, walking, or yoga
- Always get a full night’s sleep consistently, even on weekends or breaks
- If you are sensitive to odors, reduce strongly-scented items in your dorm, like candles
- Minimize your consumption of alcohol
Balancing Studying and Migraine
Depending on your major, you might spend many hours per week at a computer screen. Take frequent breaks, consider grazing on protein-rich snacks while you study, and make sure you’re not compromising your health in order to make a deadline. Starting projects early, with the goal of finishing well before the deadline, allows time for self-care in the event you have a migraine that keeps you from getting work done. Take time for yourself and get adequate rest to keep your stress levels healthy.
The 20/20/20 Rule
Computer eye strain is real, and extra impactful on those with migraine. Combat this by implementing the 20/20/20 rule, where you take a 20-second break to view something 20 feet away every 20 minutes.2 Wearing migraine glasses can also help reduce light sensitivity and ease eye strain during frequent screen use.
Prescriptions and Providers
Dr. Joshi recommends searching well in advance for a provider with experience treating migraine, especially if you attend school outside your home state. Because of federal and state regulations, as well as insurance and licensure rules, your provider from home may not be able to see you if you’re located in another state. Your school’s in-house health center can be a helpful resource as well, either providing treatment or helping you find a specialist who can treat your migraine on a deeper level.
Neura Health, an online neurology clinic, can be a helpful resource because it offers telehealth services for various neurological conditions across multiple states with a monthly subscription. If you do choose Neura Health, take $15 off the first month with code AMD15.
Accommodations
Migraine is a complex disease that can require lots of planning. You may want to consider submitting a request for accommodations in your classes or your housing and creating a personalized action plan for when symptoms occur. For example, Dr. Joshi suggests requesting a single room in a dorm so you can rest when needed and better control scents and noise. Some other accommodations you may want to consider include:
- Attendance flexibility
- Extended time on exams or alternate testing locations
- Permission to use medication/headphones in class
- Recorded lectures, access to notetakers, and adjusted due dates for assignments
This article was supported in part by 
References
Author
A native of Bangor, Maine, Jessika is a nonprofit communications professional specializing in youth-led communications with a background in journalism and television. She holds a B.A. in Media Arts Production from Emerson College, with concentrations in single- and multi-camera TV directing, marketing and communications, and digital media and culture.
Diagnosed with chronic migraine when she was fifteen, she dedicates her professional and personal lives to helping other newly-diagnosed young women who may not know where to start looking for help. Before working at AMD, Jessika was a Community Leader during the 2025 Shades for Migraine cycle.
