How I Managed Migraine in School: A Student’s Survival Guide

For as long as I can remember, back to school season has always felt magical✨ to me – fresh school supplies, new classes, and another grade higher! Each fall, I cherished that sense of newness. But behind the excitement, this also meant the return of a familiar struggle: managing my migraine at school.

Diagnosed with migraine at 7 years old, I figured out what did – and didn’t – work for me pretty early on. Even so, the constant balancing act between the demands of my schoolwork and health was an ongoing challenge. Fast forward, my high school years were a whirlwind of countless doctor’s appointments, emergency room visits, and missed classes due to migraine attacks. It wasn’t until junior year that I realized what was missing from my migraine management mindset. Hint: maybe after you read this, you will too 😉

While you can’t completely control your migraine disease or what’s happening around you, you can be prepared to handle it. My top tip is to start the school year with a plan in place.

• Look at your calendar and plan ahead!

• • • Any follow-up medical appointments coming up? Check your school calendar and aim to schedule them outside of class time. It’s already hard enough to catch up on missed work from migraine absences, so try to minimize other disruptions as much as possible.

• Do you know what sets off your migraine attacks?

• • • If not, it’s time to start a migraine journal to track your attacks and share these trends with your doctor.
  • Keep stress and anxiety in check.
    • If stress and migraine go hand-in-hand for you, be proactive about managing busy times during the school year.
    • Applying for college/university? This tends to be a particularly stressful and overwhelming endeavor (it definitely was for me). Prioritize self-care, stay on top of deadlines, and don’t leave your applications until the last minute. 
      • I learned this lesson the hard way…I was still filling out my University of Michigan application right up to the deadline. Big mistake! It was a total anxiety nightmare and threw off my sleep schedule for the next week.

• Ease into your school routine.

• • • My most intense migraine days often struck right after school breaks due to abrupt shifts in my sleep schedule. For me, these drastic sleep variations put me on the fast track to a migraine attack.

• Are you seeking accommodations?

• • Whether classroom accommodations through your school’s administration or for standardized testing with the College Board, the earlier this process is started, the better!
  • Here are some of the accommodations I requested:
    • A quiet testing location with comfortable lighting
    • Frequent breaks
    • Access to snacks and drinks throughout the day
    • Flexible assignment deadlines
• Create a migraine action plan.
  • What’s your plan if a migraine hits during school? Who is your emergency contact? What is your treatment protocol? Is there a designated space for you to rest in?
  • Work together with your parents/caregivers, neurologist, school nurse, and teachers to come up with a plan that works best for you.

• Keep migraine in mind while back-to-school shopping.

• • • If your migraine brain hates screens, opt for notebooks for note-taking rather than tablets or laptops. Consider wide-ruled notebooks for easier legibility.
    • Don’t forget to grab an insulated, reusable water bottle to stay hydrated from homeroom to homework.

• Assemble your migraine kit. 

• This kit should include all the essentials to treat and prevent your migraine attacks*. While each migraine kit is tailored to the individual, the key is to start acute treatment as soon as you feel a migraine creeping in. For migraine prevention, sticking to a regular treatment routine is crucial.

• • Take a look at what’s in my back-to-school migraine kit:
    • Tinted eyeglasses
    • Earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones
    • Migraine-friendly snacks (fruit salad is a personal favorite!)
    • My Nerivio REN wearable* for drug-free, discreet, non-disruptive use during class – no need to head to the nurse’s office
    • Prescription/over-the-counter medications*

*Reminder: Student medication policies vary between schools. Please consult with your school for proper accommodations. Because Nerivio is drug-free, there are no restrictions in class, but each school has its own rules for smartphone use during class time. You can ask your doctor for a letter explaining the need to use the smartphone in class, in order to treat attacks with Nerivio.

Disclaimer: The information provided here is reflective of personal experiences and should not be considered medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare provider about your personal migraine treatment plan and to see if Nerivio is right for you.

Bio: Courtney is a life-long learner and an incoming Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Michigan. She has lived with migraine since childhood and is a passionate advocate for disability justice.