sixth form college is hell

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I have just started sixth form college and I am hating it. I feel so lost all the time, its so different and scary and I hate being in a classroom. I have Aspergers and I don't know how to express what I'm feeling and I don't even know what I'm feeling most of the time. I'm having 2-3 meltdowns a day and I'm struggling to cope with it all. I'm not sure mainstream is for me anymore but I can't find any special schools that include sixth form (years 12 and 13) and I have the right criteria for. Please help

If you have an official diagnosis, show it to the "disabilities office" or whatever it's called at your college.

They should then authorize you to make use of accommodations like "timeless tests."

I had a hard time adjusting to sixth form as well. I was not diagnosed at the time so I didn't know why I was finding it so difficult. But I remember the sudden shift of my learning being my responsibility, the inclusion of free periods, more coursework to manage myself. I felt utterly exhausted for the first month especially.

It is a big change, but, I would say try to stick with it if you can because it does get better. If I had known I was autistic when I started sixth form I probably could have handled it better, instead I was told it was stress. But I did the whole bursting into tears randomly, loosing words, going mute/isolated. I used to sneak out to the toilets just for a quiet place during lessons sometimes.

The thing is, if you have a diagnosis, you can work with it. Go to the administration/pastoral care and tell them your issues. Tell them you need a teacher to brief you on the topics for the next few weeks so you know what to expect, tell them that whilst you adjust you might need to be allowed to take five minutes in a lesson where you can go and sit somewhere quiet so you can prevent overstimulation.

In my experience, be as brutally honest as possible and you will get there. It will be hard at first, but if you try to figure out coping methods and enforce them, keeping stricter routines for a while, letting yourself be 'a bit more autistic' and finding out your softest clothes or listening to your favourite song on repeat. I started carrying a ribbon round in my pocket because I am super touch sensitive and it would help to ground me, in the middle of a lesson I could sit with it hidden up my sleeve and loose myself in the texture and comfort of it if I needed to.

You have to work out what works for you, but it can be done, you just might need to be more vocal about the help you need.

Good luck