People should recognize unusual but valid allergies

There are many different kinds of allergies people suffer from in this world. Mine happens to be to chocolate.

Some days, if I even smell it, I get sick. It’s bad, and sometimes, it seems like the university doesn’t even care. There aren’t really any food options for someone with allergies like mine.

It is hard to go anywhere in the MUC without that subtle hint of chocolate following you everywhere. There are few dessert options that don’t include chocolate, and even if there are, it isn’t much. The most that I’ve seen is Jello and peanut butter cookies.

If you have a nut and chocolate allergy, your options are limited.

Not only are there limited options for people with my kind of allergy, but when you tell someone about it, they don’t believe you. I found that out almost a month ago when I went to eat at the Commons where there was ice cream being served.

There is a vanilla option for those that don’t like chocolate. I asked for that option and the person dishing out the ice cream used the same scoop that was used for the chocolate even after I told them that I was allergic. I asked if they could use a new scoop because I am deathly allergic.

He still didn’t listen.

He got a different scoop, but didn’t clean out where he scooped with the chocolate scoop. I took the new bowl, but there was some chocolate in it. I started to break out and, not thinking, licked my fingers.

I ate chocolate and I still had one more class that day. Within five minutes of that, I had a migraine. That is the first step of my reaction. I am lucky to still be alive.

If the person scooping the ice cream would have taken me seriously, that would have never happened.

Having limited options isn’t that bad when you get used to it, but there is one thing that needs to change. When someone tells you they have an allergy that is less common, you need to believe them.

Why would anyone lie about something like that? The answer is they wouldn’t. It would be great if everyone working with food at the university would believe someone when they say they have an allergy.

Yes, I can’t have chocolate, and it may sound weird, but not everyone is the same. The next time you hear someone say they are allergic to something, believe them because they aren’t joking.