What is college and university like for Aspies??

Post Reply New Topic

Well I started back in Fall 2010 and did a project that was due in a month the first day of classes. In Spring 2011 I read Moby Dick half way (about 10:30 AM) then read it ALL and finished it at 2:30AM Sadly this past Fall 2011 I was stressed and couldn't get into anything! I had to take Spanish 1 which I HATED! Barely passed with a C in that!! ! Got a B in the other 3 courses though. I hope I can do better this Spring. I barely understood Spanish 1 so while on break I'm questioning myself where I went wrong.

Spanish 1 was so stressful I'd have meltdowns almost every week! Also I'm considering doing a Criminal Justice degree which I can get next door to the community college is the University so that rocks! I can get my BA and Masters at the University next door.

I hope for the Spring I'm more obsessive and my Aspie self. This past semester was draining emotionally. I haven't made any friends outside of the professors. I love professors. They are fun to hang around and ask questions about there fields. It's a blast! Kind of weird I have no interest or connection with socializing with students. I ask my Public Speaking professor if students come by before the semester starts or at the end to verbally give there views she said no it's peculiar.

I'm glad some of you have had some positive experiences.

I have been in college on and off since I turned 17 ( I was 16 my whole senior year of HS, turned 17 April before graduation, then went straight to college) I am now 20. Looking back, it's obvious that my intelligence extensively masked a ton of red flags in terms of aspergers diagnosis.

Fall '08 - Heaviest course load possible - In one of these classes I was having issues with writing an academic paper based on theoretical readings (Freud, Foucault, Lorde etc.). I didn't understand how to do it, and had no idea, so I just copied another student's framework or structure (from their paper that I was peer editing) and tried to fit my ideas into it. I got caught and the teacher pulled me aside and gently explained that she could see it wasn't my work. -red flag-

Spring '09 - Interpersonal communications class (saved me more than I know) and two equine related classes ( that is my "obsession" of focus ...Ive been training/riding since I was 9). So, it was more like I was only taking 1 class

Fall '09 - Semester off ...took time to figure my s**t out, but never did in terms of my aspergers. I found my girlfriend and was processing gender identity stuff.

Spring '10 - Part time 2 classes ...health & nutrition ...my mom is an encyclopedia of information on this topic, so I naturally know a lot as well ( I think she's on the spectrum) Here's the kicker. I did EVERY assignment, showed up to every class but failed because I could not/didn't write the final paper. It was too difficult. -red flag- So I only passed one class this semester

Fall '10 - signed up for community college taking yoga and dog psychology . I didn't go after 3 weeks because I didn't like the dog psyc teacher ( I also know more than she did) and I over all just couldn't do it -red flag-

Spring '11 - Told myself that I had to go fulltime to prove that I could do it ( at this point I still had no idea I was aspergers, although I knew something was wrong and just blamed myself for not being normal and able to go to college like everyone else) I did it but with disastrous consequences. The one writing emphasis class I took I had to ask for an extended deadline for EVERY assingment, protested the emphasis on theory over historical stuff (I said I just didnt like theory..I know now that it's because I actually can't communicate verbally or in writing that I in fact, grasp it because its too abstract for my mind. This made me look lazy and arrogant and dumb. I also was sprung with presenting at an academic conference and with all the stress and anger this caused, I resorted to the only thing I could do . Take study drugs (aderol). Ive never taken chemical(pharmaceutical) drugs like that my whole life. This then spiraled into believing I could handle these chemicals because everyone else was doing it around me. Bad news.

In the summer I broke my toe and was prescribed tylenol 3's or whatever. I was also given muscle relaxers for my lower back pain from a riding accident my 2nd semester of college(even though I have a high pain tolerance). I took them together, for two weeks or so because I thought I could handle it and otherwise I dont know why I did it. But, since then I've been out of school with extreme IBS ...I damaged my stomach and digestive system and did such a number (if i had known i was/am on the spectrum this would have never happened) that I think its caused an onset of more severe aspergers/autism stuff..ie i feel like I am regressing.

However, having time off to think/deal with all of this is probably what enabled me to finally figure out that I am on the spectrum and to connect the dots. So I am grateful for that, but I'm definitely a mess now. I'm signed up for 2 classes at the community college this coming semester, and am trying to get in to get a evaluation/diagnosis asap ( i want a first appointment before it starts).

college is just as bad as every other level of school, it may be fun at first, but after a while you realize it sucks.
-you make "friends" but you don't really hang out with them or talk to them in any other class than the one you have with them
-you can take a lot of fun classes AFTER you take the required ones
-whatever you do DO NOT, i repeat, DO NOT live on campus!! !
-its boring
-its very demanding academically (in things that you do and don't have interests in)
-the majority of the professors don't give two cow pies about you (especially lecture professors)
-its ridiculously expensive (unless you're completely covered by financial aide)
-way too much reading
-way too many people
-a lot of feeling alone even if you're surrounded by people
in conclusion its a waste of time and energy, and for what? a piece of paper that says you should be able to get a job in that field, but that guarantees absolutely nothing