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Hey,

So, I've always struggled with education environments. Like, school, for example. My brother and I both had 'school refusal' down on our records because the both of us only just got diagnosed ASD (i mean, c'mon. I get that I may've been missed because it's rare that girls get diagnosed in an instant, but my brother is 24!).

 

Anyway, I'm in my second year at college now, which is a struggle but i do love it regardless. I'm staying for a third year because I want to achieve the same A-level grades as everyone else - (i did only 2 igcses and was homeschooled for 2 years before college so im a bit behind)

After that, I'd really love to go to University, but im really worried about the issues i might face with it all - work load, responsibility, independence, and mostly - being away from home. of course, I can go to a (fairly) local (kind of) college, but its still a case of being sure I dont have an episode - that i dont waste my money because I have a meltdown and end up having crappy attendance!

 

So, I guess, what im wondering is,

 

Any Aspies been to Uni? What are/were your experiences?

or, alternatively, are there any Universities speciffically for people on the spectrum?

 

I know there's a school near where I live that is specially for girls with autism (the school from itv's 'Girls with Autism' Documentary - I went to a 'hospital school' with a girl who goes/went to it) - but i'd already finished school and become out of the age range by the time I knew about it - and by the time i knew i was autistic, even.

 

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im really worried about the issues i might face with it all - work load, responsibility, independence, and mostly - being away from home. of course.

 

So was I, and although highly intelligent and original, I never followed the academic route simply because I knew I wouldn't be able to cope with any of those worries that you list. (I'm virtually self-taught, and have a unquenchable love of learning for its own sake). Although I eventually left home, I still relied upon my parents throughout their lives. This is quite common for Aspies. I'm sorry, but I can't give you any advice, but I do think there's a real need for an Aspie-friendly university. It's sad that so many of us have talents that are wasted.

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Hey,

So, I've always struggled with education environments. Like, school, for example. My brother and I both had 'school refusal' down on our records because the both of us only just got diagnosed ASD (i mean, c'mon. I get that I may've been missed because it's rare that girls get diagnosed in an instant, but my brother is 24!).

 

Anyway, I'm in my second year at college now, which is a struggle but i do love it regardless. I'm staying for a third year because I want to achieve the same A-level grades as everyone else - (i did only 2 igcses and was homeschooled for 2 years before college so im a bit behind)

After that, I'd really love to go to University, but im really worried about the issues i might face with it all - work load, responsibility, independence, and mostly - being away from home. of course, I can go to a (fairly) local (kind of) college, but its still a case of being sure I dont have an episode - that i dont waste my money because I have a meltdown and end up having crappy attendance!

 

So, I guess, what im wondering is,

 

Any Aspies been to Uni? What are/were your experiences?

or, alternatively, are there any Universities speciffically for people on the spectrum?

 

I know there's a school near where I live that is specially for girls with autism (the school from itv's 'Girls with Autism' Documentary - I went to a 'hospital school' with a girl who goes/went to it) - but i'd already finished school and become out of the age range by the time I knew about it - and by the time i knew i was autistic, even.

 

 

hi, I went to uni.

 

before I became aware of my condition I might add

 

for me it was a way out of homelessness at the time but I got on with it quite well

 

it is about self learning and if you go to do your subject of interest you shouldn't find the workload hard at all

 

you can wait till your moments of clarity and genius and do the work then, and if/when you have a meltdown the student union is always open and people are always drinking.

 

at my uni there was a mainstream bar/club for the norm-ski's and there was a smaller bar for the 'alternate' people. such as goths, skater's, geeks, foreigners and as it turned out, at least one aspie. people seemed to be less judgemental of 'alternate' behaviours

 

sometimes I had sensory overload issues, although I didn't know the term back then. I know drink and drugs are not exactly recommended but I did ok until the end

 

my understanding of the coursework was fine but my issues with dyslexia brought my average down at the final exams as I was stuck in a room I didn't know at the town hall with pen and paper and failed most of the finals due to that. im fine with computers but pena and paper is like 'double dutch' to me and got 1's and 4's out of 15 when my coursework was all 9-12 out of 15

 

I thought my only issue was dyslexia and was too foolish and didn't go for the assessmen for laptop assistance in the finals when I could have scored a 2:1 quite easily

 

my advice to you is KNOW your strengths and weaknesses, and ASK for help where you are weaker. NEVER be too proud or scared or foolish to not seek help. make the most of the money you spend to garuantee a stable worklife when you finish. Also, if you have family and friends, make the most of them too. I feel if I had family support I might have got the laptop I needed to do my finals and wouldn't have been homeless again after uni!

 

forget about sociality, concentrate on your chosen subject and never let anything beat you ever! help show the world that we are not 'disabled' just 'different'! :-)

 

peace and blessings ally

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im really worried about the issues i might face with it all - work load, responsibility, independence, and mostly - being away from home. of course.

 

So was I, and although highly intelligent and original, I never followed the academic route simply because I knew I wouldn't be able to cope with any of those worries that you list. (I'm virtually self-taught, and have a unquenchable love of learning for its own sake). Although I eventually left home, I still relied upon my parents throughout their lives. This is quite common for Aspies. I'm sorry, but I can't give you any advice, but I do think there's a real need for an Aspie-friendly university. It's sad that so many of us have talents that are wasted.

 

I have found an aspie friendly FE college that does things related to my special interests

 

im hoping my diagnosis will help me onto this course and I will be able to correct my mistake in not asking for the laptop assistance and for other support in regards to sensory overloads and the meltdown scenario which I suffer often in the workplace.

 

I am excellent at building and fixing machinery but fail when melting down when co-workers tell me to slow down im making everybody else look bad! I don't get that, and end up falling out with people for being lazy! all I want is a job so I work my best obviously and teams of NT's don't think the same obviously!

 

cant believe I got sacked for being too good, they always say 'the face don't fit'

 

hopefully I will find a scenario where I can be excellent at fixing things and not upset lower IQ NT's around me

 

the course I want to do is 'land based engineering' so one day I can fix tractors, in the countryside open air, on my own with farmer giles happy that im getting him working again, and not making him look bad!

 

for that I need my diagnosis so I can get support. this time I will not let worry about meltdowns stop me. even if its not aspie friendly uni there are still nurses and medical staff who you can go to, they might be able to de-escalate?

 

I foten missed lectures because of meltdowns but if I am luck enough to go back I will make sure I have plans set out

 

also, I would guess that having a friend who knows might help

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im really worried about the issues i might face with it all - work load, responsibility, independence, and mostly - being away from home. of course.

 

So was I, and although highly intelligent and original, I never followed the academic route simply because I knew I wouldn't be able to cope with any of those worries that you list. (I'm virtually self-taught, and have a unquenchable love of learning for its own sake). Although I eventually left home, I still relied upon my parents throughout their lives. This is quite common for Aspies. I'm sorry, but I can't give you any advice, but I do think there's a real need for an Aspie-friendly university. It's sad that so many of us have talents that are wasted.

That sounds exactly like me! at least I know there are people i can relate to, thank you so much x

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hi, I went to uni.

 

before I became aware of my condition I might add

 

for me it was a way out of homelessness at the time but I got on with it quite well

 

it is about self learning and if you go to do your subject of interest you shouldn't find the workload hard at all

 

you can wait till your moments of clarity and genius and do the work then, and if/when you have a meltdown the student union is always open and people are always drinking.

 

at my uni there was a mainstream bar/club for the norm-ski's and there was a smaller bar for the 'alternate' people. such as goths, skater's, geeks, foreigners and as it turned out, at least one aspie. people seemed to be less judgemental of 'alternate' behaviours

 

sometimes I had sensory overload issues, although I didn't know the term back then. I know drink and drugs are not exactly recommended but I did ok until the end

 

my understanding of the coursework was fine but my issues with dyslexia brought my average down at the final exams as I was stuck in a room I didn't know at the town hall with pen and paper and failed most of the finals due to that. im fine with computers but pena and paper is like 'double dutch' to me and got 1's and 4's out of 15 when my coursework was all 9-12 out of 15

 

I thought my only issue was dyslexia and was too foolish and didn't go for the assessmen for laptop assistance in the finals when I could have scored a 2:1 quite easily

 

my advice to you is KNOW your strengths and weaknesses, and ASK for help where you are weaker. NEVER be too proud or scared or foolish to not seek help. make the most of the money you spend to garuantee a stable worklife when you finish. Also, if you have family and friends, make the most of them too. I feel if I had family support I might have got the laptop I needed to do my finals and wouldn't have been homeless again after uni!

 

forget about sociality, concentrate on your chosen subject and never let anything beat you ever! help show the world that we are not 'disabled' just 'different'! :-)

 

peace and blessings ally

you've got the idea completely spot on, however, I absolutely love the subjects ive chosen for college - adore them, yet i'm still stuck in a meltdown. As much as i love the concept of learning, i'm stuck in a phase of not wanting to go regardless, but not understanding why...i feel the situation will be the same for uni, but worse because i'll be away from home. My family are so so supportive and so are my college, but yet, everything still feels so difficukt to face..and you likely know, its not just a case of 'pushing yourself'. its never that easy. not for me, anyway.

I hope things go well for you in the future, well done on accomplishing uni! Thats a huge achievement for anyone, and especially huge for you, with the struggles you face! <3

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I'm currently at university and have been there off and on for the past 10 years. I've found ways to get something out of my university experience whether that be trying the experience of moving out, joining a society or getting some mental health support.

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