I’m Baaaaacccck!

Guess who’s back! Back again. Matt is back! Tell a friend. Hello everyone! It has been such a long time since I last updated this blog. There has been an incredible amount that has taken place in my life since I last posted on here. I would like to apologize in advance for going so long without updating this marvelous blog. It is going to take me some time to think of everything that has taken place in my life since I last posted.

I have had many epic adventures and blessings that have taken place in the last three years. At the same time, I have gone through my fair share of trials and tribulations. I have learned that you can never take anything for granted in life. I have learned many important lessons in the last couple of years that have ultimately shaped my character and resilience.

The best news I can tell you all about right now is that I just completed my Associates Degree. This is such an improbable and amazing accomplishment for me in my life. I have had to literally fight for this degree. Working hard to overcome my deficiencies in math and working to manage my learning disability was certainly quite a challenge. I went through years of stress and anxiety trying to get through this portion of my college career.

I will now will be transferring to Florida Atlantic University where I will be majoring in Special Education. I am extremely excited about entering this new chapter in my life! It is going to be a fantastic educational journey for me. I have so much hope and optimism for the future. The future is going to be so bright that I will need sunglasses!!

Anyways I will be posting on a regular basis with the goal of inspiring young adults who have autism related disorders. I also want to provide hope for parents, teachers, mental health advocates and professionals along with others who want to help someone they know who has been diagnosed with autism.

Talk to you all later

Matt Blue

Study Strategies for College Students with Learning Disabilities

I came up with a list of study strategies that i think are very effective. These strategies will help you to remember the information that you study and I  guarantee you will get a good grade on any test or quiz. Studying is so vital and imperative if you want to achieve successs in any college level class.

The Following is a list of 2o preparation strategies that can help any college student with any kind of learning disability. I know they have worked very well for me. Hopefully you will find these steps to be helpful and beneficial.

 
1. Study ahead of time and give yourself plenty of time to study please dont cram or procrastinate. It is a good idea to study the material days ahead of time. If you put it off until the last minute, you will suffer the consequences.
2. Study one hour in the morning, one hour during the day and one hour at night. Spread the amount of time you spend studying. If you try to study for hours at a time, you will only tire yourself out mentally. If you have multiple classes to study for spend an hour each on one class at a time. Make sure you take plenty of breaks in between because when you return to studyng you will have more mental energy.
3. Rewrite your notes- Rewriting your notes will help you to memorize the information. Mentally you are able to remember facts terms and definitions that you write on paper. Studies have been done to support the writing memorization theory. Also my secret weapon for memorization is to repeat what i am trying to memorize out loud to myself. Believe me, this works extremely well.
4. Read the chapter. Reading the chapter will help you to truly understand the material.
5. Work in a study group and have your friends or classmates quiz you.
6. Have a positive attitude and make studying a positive experience.
7. Relax and have fun- This happens to be very important because if you are too stressed out or nervous, i gurantee that you wont do well. All you have to do is visualize yourself getting a good grade and you must believe in yourself.
8. Don’t be afraid to ask for help – I encourage you to ask for help. Go to your Professor’s office hours, ask a classmate or someone who has taken the course, and you can go to the resources center for help.
9. Create Powerpoints and Excel Spreadsheets- This is an excellent way to document the information you need to study. If you are a visual learner this is can be a helpful way to study.
10. Get plenty of sleep and eat a healthy breakfast
11. Watch tutorials and videos on the particular subject matter.
12 Make sure you take good notes in class
13. Simplify the information and think of tricks and hints which will help you to retain the information you are studying. For example, try to make some type of connection which will help you to easily remember something.
14. Take advantage of the study guide if a Professor gives you one. Let me let you in on a little secret. Most of the time all of the information that is on the study guide covers everything that you will see on the test. As a result a study guide is a cause for celebration. If you get a study guide, then that means you have a very nice Professor.
15. Find a quiet place to study- Therefore, you will be able to reach your peak concentration.
16.Prioritize your assignments- When studying, get yourself in the habit of studying for your most difficult subject first. Therefore, you will have plenty of energy to spend time and concentrate on your strong and enjoyable subjects.
17. Create a to do list and keep a planner
18. Organize your notes
19. test yourself

 
20.Repeat the term and definition back to yourself- This is an excellent study strategy that can really help you memorizes the information your studying. Repeating the term and the definition to yourself again and again may seem a little tedious and tiring. However I can guarantee you that it is extremely effective. It will increase your memorization and understanding for the material.

Tutoring Help From TRIO Grant Program

I feel very privileged to have such an outstanding math tutor. She has a tremendous amount of knowledge about all of the different algebraic concepts. The Trio tutoring program is a great program for students with disabilities. It is so nice to have such a knowledgeable one-on-one tutor free of charge. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is for students with disabilities to have the opportunity to get the necessary tutoring help they need. My tutor has been very patient so far and she is very caring and understanding as well. She is in the Nova Southeastern University Medical Program and has a passion for math. Currently, I am doing some extra pre-algebra practice, which will help prepare me for the class I will be taking next semester. My tutor is very dedicated towards helping me achieve my goals.

The TRIO Grant Program

I have some great news! I have been selected to participate in the Office of Disability Services TRIO Grant Program. The Trio Grant program is a federally funded program designed to assist students with disabilities in being successful at Broward College. This program can help you get you’re A.A degree within two years. The goal of the program is to get you into a four-year college or university. I am honored to be one of fifty students selected for this program. The TRIO Grant offers one-on-one specialized tutoring, technology support, mentoring, tracking services that support your academic success, Specialized Career Awareness Assessments and Financial Aid assistance.

This program should help me out tremendously in my pursuit towards my academic goals. I am looking forward to the tutoring help that I will be receiving. This appears to be a very good program.

Navigating College with Autism: The Importance of Advocating for Yourself

I cannot even begin to tell you how imperative it is to advocate for yourself in college, especially for students with disabilities. College is not like High School where teachers and support facilitators are constantly checking up on how you’re doing. In college you are completely on your own. Basically I saved myself just very recently by advocating for myself.

I was academically misplaced into the wrong math class. I knew something was up because the material was extremely difficult for me, right from the get-go. I was placed into Elementary Algebra when really I was supposed to be in a class called MAT002, which is a prerequisite to Elementary Algebra. I went directly to my disability services specialist and I told her that I was really struggling and falling behind in that class. She promptly looked up my test scores and realized that they placed me into a higher level class. If I had not scheduled an appointment to talk with her about my struggles in this course, the consequences could have been big. By speaking up for myself, I got switched into the correct class for next semester. In conclusion, people are always willing to help you in college as long as you are willing to speak up for yourself.

 

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