Hello everybody. I tried to introduce myself earlier but I had an issue because too many people were posting around that same time. The site was too busy.
I was diagnosed with asperger's syndrome when I was a toddler. I can function quite well for an aspie but even though it doesn't feel like I'm making an effort all the time I know I am obviously not doing things the same way a NT would. I don't feel like I'm memorizing meanings and watching for them consciously but I guess I must be doing something like that I've just gotten good enough at it that I can hardly tell.
I attend a school that has a support system for students on the Autistic spectrum. The program is quite large and I find it interesting that even among aspies, clear social cliques exist. They aren't very subtle compared to those of NT.
I had to post in the topic regarding bullying among aspies because I see so much of it at school but my reply was way too long. The students in the program bully each other all the time. It's really embarassing and disgraceful. I was even teased by one of the students in the program for coming across as asexual. It wasn't so extreme that I would call it bullying but it was mildly hostile. I was also teased for the fact that my appearance gave Thomas, the person doing the teasing, the impression that I hadn't hit puberty yet. He called me doll face all the time and he often asked me if "I had any urges yet?". It really wasn't that bad but he was clearly being a jerk all the time and Nicole had a huge problem with him. She got hit hard.
I have a whole group of aspies at school and I don't want to portray it in a negative light because aside from that one problem, as embarassing as it is, the truth is that it has it's shining features and blemishes like everything else. The program involves an IEP that provides technological assistance and flexible deadlines and time schedules for students. Students can get along within their own groups even if there are divisions. Some students get along and some don't. Nicole is my best friend in the program and we began highschool in the same year.
I really don't know what to say about my experiences other than that I had a lot of trouble growing up but I have had a few people recently that were surprised to find out I had asperger's. My friend Arnel invited me to an after school club last year and then he graduated. I ran into him taking the city bus home because I am in co-op so he found out where I lived. It was far from the school I go to so when he asked me why I didn't go to a nearby school I told him about the program.
The first thing he said was, "I didn't know you had asperger's".
My gender therapist was surprised because of my eye contact.
Obviously I have the disorder and there will always be a difference between the way my brain works and the way a NT brain does but it's nice to know that it's not as obvious as it was when I was younger. It's supposed to be the other way around isn't it?
I'm doing just fine. I mentioned a gender therapist but I'll go into that in a different post.
Also you may notice my habit of writing too much. I know it makes it harder for people to respond because they don't know where to begin but it's a habit I'm having difficulty breaking. This is actually short for me but I probably won't go longer as I will be making an effort not to.
25 Feb 2012, 8:39 pm
