Hi, I'm new here and I just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Amanda, I'm 19 years, and I have AS. Now I won't go into detail when it comes to life story, but I will admit this, I have always felt different than most other people. I've also spent a great deal of my life feeling that I really don't fit in anywhere. I've especially felt this way when I'm around people my own age. I'm starting to like my own age better (I especially couldn't stand them in middle school), but I still prefer older people. Perhaps this is a result of my upbringing, I was raised by older parents & spent a lot of time with them and for the most part I was raised like an only child because my siblings where all a lot older than me & weren't around much, or it could be because of AS. Anyway, I just wanted to ask a little about self-acceptance. When did you guys finally start to accept yourselfs for who you are? Or better yet when did you finally admit to yourself that you have AS? I've known about my AS for quite some time now, but for the longest time I wouldn't admit it. I would make up excusses and wanted to believe that I was just like everyone else, even though I knew deep down that I wasn't. I've nearly completed my first semester of college and I have become much more accepting of myself. Before I started college I wouldn't dare go into a discussion forum and tell anyone about my problems. However, I still don't feel the need to tell the whole world that I have AS, I am now more willing to admit it to myself. I don't know wheter it's just my age or the college environment, but this is how I feel now and it feels really good. ![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)