Navigating College with Autism – So far, so good!

I have been doing very well in my English class, Computer Lit class and my total wellness class. The only class I am struggling in right now is algebra, since it is by far my toughest subject. I am good with words, not numbers! I am trying to put the extra time into studying my notes and I am doing the best I can to seek help. This is just one of those math courses where the goal for me is going to be just to get through it. My A’s and B’s will come in my other classes.

In contrast to my math class,  I am having no problem whatsoever in my English 1 class. We have been doing a grammar and punctuation review unit in order to get us prepared for the research papers and essays we are going to be writing all term. I have done an excellent job on the grammar review packets, and I have a feeling that I did a great job on the unit test we took on Wednesday. I grasped the grammatical concepts immediately, while most of the students in my class have been struggling.  English is a subject that tends to go very easy for me. I have a passion for writing, which is why I am very interested in eventually going into journalism.

My professors have been very reasonable and helpful so far. It’s very interesting how they all have very different teaching styles and philosophies. My learning disability is definitely a major player in math. I have always struggled tremendously in any kind of math class. It is very imperative for me to get the help I need. I will give you three career fields that you can automatically eliminate for me: rocket scientist, mathematician, and an engineer! Let’s be real here, right?

Socially speaking, I am still looking to make new friends and I want to be as active as possible. I am looking into clubs or organizations that spark my interest. I am into politics, sports, and most importantly helping people! I would love to do some volunteer charity work around the community.  I want to make a difference in other peoples’ lives.

It’s amazing because after the conclusion of my first month of college, I feel like I have enjoyed the college life much better than I did the high school life, and I belive my comfort level will increase as time goes on. Incredibly, this is after four long years of high school. High School just was not for me.

Photo by Nic’s events

College as an Autistic Student – My First Month

I have some very good news to share with you all:  My first month of college has gone extremely well overall.  I have officially transitioned into a college student psychologically and emotionally.

The first couple weeks is all about getting used to your classes and becoming familiar with what the campus has to offer. It’s the feeling-out stage. For example, you should use this time to get familiar with your classes and your professors’ teaching styles and philosophies, make sure you are organized, make sure you’re spending enough time outside of class studying, find out about clubs and organizations you can join, and manage your time wisely.

I cannot emphasize enough how important managing your time wisely is. There is no way you can get good grades in college without studying and putting the necessary time and effort into your work. The strategy I have implemented is to get all of my work and studying completed in the school library.  This works well for me because, once I get home,  I tend to get totally distracted by television, Facebook, you tube, fantasy football, music, desiring a good nap, etc. All of the energy is drained out of me as soon as I get home after a long day of classes.

Yes, I have a confession to make! I can be the ultimate procrastinator! I consider myself to be a highly motivated person, meaning of course I want to get good grades and do well; however, it is my nature to get very lackadaisical at home. I am so much more focused when I am at school! I highly recommend this strategy of getting as much done in the library as you can possibly get done. I guarantee you that you will feel better about yourself once you accomplish everything you need to get done, instead of procrastinating or putting your homework off till later.

photo by wohnai

Making the transition from high school to college as an autistic student

So far I am enjoying the college life much better than the high school life. It is such a relief to be around some mature individuals! As far as my major is concerned, for my first two years it is going to be Special Education. I am getting financial aid from Vocational Rehabilitation, a government agency that helps people who have disabilities get jobs. Voc Rehab advised me to pick a career major that I could realistically get a job in after two years of college.

Initially, my preferred major was journalism; however, the journalism industry is in transition, and the economic conditions in the journalism field are not so great. But depending on how things go, I may eventually change my major. On the other hand, I would like to do something that is emotionally rewarding and fulfilling, and working with students with learning disabilities might be just the thing as I would be able to relate personally.

I am also receiving accommodations for my learning disability through the Students with Disabilities department at the college. I will be given extra time for testing and algebra tutoring. This should help me out tremendously!

My plan is to transfer to a university after I conclude my first two years of college. I plan on being a very successful student by putting in the time and effort it takes to get good grades and grasp the material. I believe I can accomplish great things in college as long as I put my mind on ultimately accomplishing my goals and dreams!

Photo by Mouzzy

A college student with autism – My first day!

My first day of college went better then my wildest imaginations! Everything went very smoothly as a result of my positive attitude and new found appreciation for the college life! College is so much better then High School in many ways.

First of all, you can be your own independent person and you feel less obligated and pressured to make people accept you. As a result, you can just be yourself and concentrate on what is best for you. You do not have to worry about fitting in or getting accepted into groups and clicks! In college you are free to follow your dreams and passions!

The classes I am taking this semester include Elementary Algebra, English Composition, Computer Literacy and Total Wellness. English is by far one of my best subjects. On the other hand, Math is by far my worst subject! These are the required classes I have to take toward an Associates Degree. Eventually I will need these classes on my transcript in order to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. I came very close to getting into the Broward College Honors program, but unfortunately my math scores were not high enough. According to my High School Brace Advisor my reading and writing scores were off the charts!

I have a good first impression of all four of my professors. Hopefully, they will end up being quality professors. Most certainly, it is important for professors to be helpful, understanding, and personable! It appears that they are good speakers and they have personalities and sense of humors to go along with their respected teaching styles and philosophies!

Advice to Parents of Autistic Children

 

That's me as a pumpkin for Halloween - Age 3

Back when I was very young (in the early 1990’s) there was not as much widespread support for Autism. Scientific research for Autism was just beginning. It was just beginning to get some publicity and it was just starting to get on the map. Many people did not completely understand this debilitating disorder. I was considered to be on the higher end of the spectrum by many doctors. However, the doctors and specialists who evaluated me did not give my mom much hope. They said that I would struggle with Autism for the rest of my life. They did not give me much of a chance to become a high-functioning adult. These professionals expected me to struggle emotionally, socially, and intellectually for the rest of my life.

 

Astoundingly, thanks to my hard work, persistence, and my determination to succeed, I have overcome most of my autistic issues. Many of my teachers and support facilitators consider me to be a major success story! My goal is to inspire parents with kids who have autism. I want to give parents hope — the kind of hope where they can believe their child can be high-functioning in the future; the kind of hope that can have parents believe their child will get good grades,  graduate high school,  and go to college. This is the kind of inspiration that parents who have kids with autism need to hear. I don’t want parents to ever give up believing their children can one day go on to live successful lives!

Parents, please do not give up hope! There is a tremendous amount of research going on as we speak, and revolutionary discoveries are being made every day regarding Autism. There is also a tremendous amount of support and therapy available to kids these days. Your child can be treated. I truly believe that one day a cure for Autism will be found. There is so much out there as far as professional services and rehabilitation is concerned.

Parents, you are so important to your autistic child! They need your help and support! I graduated high school, I was an honor roll student taking honors classes and I maintained a 3.0 GPA throughout high school. I am a freshman at Broward College now majoring in education. I one day hope to inspire and  be a tremendous influence on kids with Autism!

This blog will hopefully be a nice start for me. I will be keeping a journal of all of my day-to-day experiences, thoughts, emotions, feelings and accomplishments. I hope I can be a bright light during a dark time. Remember, just because your son or daughter is Autistic doesn’t mean he or she cannot overcome it or show immense improvement! Don’t let anyone tell you that your child has no future! Don’t you dare let anyone tell you that your child cannot be like other kids! Don’t be fooled by misconceptions and total lies! Your child is a blessing! Your child has a bright future ahead. Your child has gifts and characteristic qualities that could never be taken away! So please don’t ever stop believing and hoping that your child can one day be successful in life. What your child may lack in talent, grace, creativity, and intellect is made up for with heart! I guarantee that your child has the heart of a champion! Don’t ever underestimate your child’s ability to keep fighting! Your child will never give up. Autism doesn’t kill your spirit and your will to live! Parents only better days are ahead for your children!

Growing Up With Autism – My Story

Preschool Puppet Show (That's me on the left with the white shirt)

I was diagnosed with PDD (within the Autism spectrum disorder) at the age of 4. I am very thankful that my mom got me the help I needed at an early age. I remember having trouble socializing and struggling with my hand eye coordination at this age, which was during the time I was enrolled in a wonderful preschool. I say “wonderful” because the teachers were very caring and tried give me the help I needed. More about that in a future  blog…

 

I had trouble writing, drawing, and doing things with my hands. Socially and emotionally I didn’t know how to relate to other children. I had issues understanding other children’s feelings and emotions. Throughout preschool and early elementary school I struggled to find common ground with other students. Making friends did not come naturally to me and I was unsuccessful in developing connections. I felt completely apart from my peers. I felt like I was on another stratosphere or from another planet.

Academically and socially I was very far behind the “regular” students. But compared to many kids with autism I was higher functioning. I was actually the role model in my kindergarten class. Unlike many autistic children, I felt  compassion and showed many emotions such as happiness, gratitude, humor, concern and of course sadness. I gave eye contact and smiled at people. At first glance, I appeared to be a normal, happy little boy. However, deep down I was constantly struggling with all kinds of emotions. I felt very sad, depressed and lonely. I did not understand why kids didn’t like me. I did not understand myself by any stretch of the imagination. I had no idea what my strengths and weaknesses were.

As a young boy with autism, I was discovering myself. I was trying to figure out who I truly was. I had many obstacles in my way and many challenges. I had tremendous difficulty doing ordinary tasks such as tying my shoelaces, writing with a pencil, coloring, cutting with scissors, using glue. Any task that involved using my hands ended up being very troublesome. I had dramatic behavior problems. I used to have many temper tantrums, which resulted from my anger and frustration at not being able to do all of the things that other kids were doing effortlessly. Fortunately, I had a tremendous amount of help and support from my mom, teachers, therapists, etc.

More to come…

Introduction – A College Student with Autism

My name is Matt. I’m 18 years old and just starting college, which is wildly exciting considering my early childhood diagnosis of PDD (pervasive developmental delay within the autism spectrum).

This is the first of what I hope will be many interesting and insightful blog posts. My intention is to be as honest and forthcoming as I can in order to hopefully shed some light on what it is like to be an autistic college freshman. I’ll also be reminiscing about my preschool, elementary, middle and high school years in order to share what I went through,  how I got here and hopefully inspire other kids diagnosed with autism and encourage them to never give up.