Most college students have experienced that panicked feeling of missing an alarm or two … or ten. But most can just jump out of bed with minutes to spare and still make it to class on time. This is not always the case for students on crutches. They need plenty of extra time to make it to class, and they cannot afford to push that snooze button.

Kelly Fritz, freshman in Media, is one of those students who has had to struggle with the adjustment to such a large campus on crutches, but she has come far and her legs keep getting stronger.

Fritz preferred to remain vague about the surgery on the bones of her legs that caused her to be on crutches for some of her high school time and now on campus. In simple terms, the surgery left her legs very weak, and walking — a seemingly simple task — became more difficult. Her legs could not support long distances. As a result, Fritz depended on the crutches and help of the Division of Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES)and her friends.

DRES offers services for qualified students with temporary or permanent disabilities.

Maureen Lynn Gilbert, coordinator of campus life for DRES, explained that most students on crutches do not need the full services offered by DRES, but most often opt for the bus service that is provided.

“If students can’t bear the weight of traveling around on campus on crutches, or are walking to opposite ends of campus, they can use the bus. When they register, students are afforded the same opportunities as other students using the program,” Gilbert said.

The DRES bus picks Fritz up about half an hour before class starts.

She has found that the bus service is very convenient, and she’s glad to have it available to her. Fritz would find it hard to make it around campus on crutches alone.

“Sometimes the things I can do on campus are limited, but my friends understand my slower pace and are willing to help out too,” Fritz said.

Fritz’s friend Daina Kiela, freshman in LAS, accompanies her to the mall or around campus if they want to hang out.

Some of the struggles that Fritz has encountered have been worries about weather and a harder time getting food in the dining hall.

“The stairs of Foellinger are difficult when it’s raining because they get slippery, and I have to worry about making it up okay,” Fritz said.

The dining hall is also a place where normal activities have proved more challenging. At the beginning, it was hard for Fritz to hold her plate of food, as Bromley Hall does not provide trays.

One day, Johnathon Nelson, sophomore in FAA, saw Fritz struggling with her plate and was surprised that no one was helping her out.

He went up to her to offer his assistance and there began a friendship full of support.

“I remember being so relieved that someone was willing to help me out. I was really glad for John,” Fritz said.

Since then, Nelson has seen Fritz improve in her walking and daily routines, and he could not be more proud of her. At the beginning, he made it a point to make it back to Bromley on time to help her during meal times or with anything else that she needed. A breakthrough came after winter break, when Nelson and his group of friends saw that Fritz was becoming more self-sufficient.

“It was a heartwarming moment for our group to see that Kelly could carry her plate and move around easier on her own. We’re really proud of how far she’s come,” Nelson said.

Kiela is also proud of the accomplishments that Fritz has reached.

“It’s a matter of people taking walking and stuff for granted. I think it sort of makes you a better person when you can see everyday life from different points of view,” Kiela said on the time she spends with Fritz.

Nelson and Fritz think that there could be a few more accommodations available to students with disabilities, but overall Fritz has adapted.

She recommends to other students on crutches to avoid shoving the crutches in their armpits to reduce bruising, allow for extra travel time and surround themselves with helpful and kind people.

“Until you can’t do daily things, you don’t realize how great it is for someone to be able to do them,” Nelson said. “It’s really the little things that matter.”