What is Sixth Form/High School like for you?

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Are there any Aspies- particularly from the UK, in Sixth Form or in High School...if so:

1. How do you cope with it?
2. Do you face any problems with it?
3. What do you like and/or hate most about it?
4. Are the people there generally nice to you?

...well, my answers to these questions are:

1./2. I cope by sitting alone in the Sixth Form common room, blocking out all the loud noises and rowdy chit-chat- basically, I don't really cope; I just socially isolate myself. As for the homework, essays, tests etc., I don't cope well with the stress of it all, and so am quite prone to depressive crying meltdowns...once, I did so in front of my room, and she had to send a letter addressed to my head of year saying "she's concerned about my mental health"...but, despite that, I'm still not getting any special arrangements made for me.

3. I like that they have lots of extra-curricular activities to do, like Mandarin lessons and volunteering. Though, I hate- as previously mentioned, that I don't get much support; they won't give me extra exam time, though it is clear I need it. I also don't like some of the people in the Sixth Form; most people are extrovert NTs that are really rude and gossip about other people A LOT...they still haven't realised that my hearing is THAT good, despite music usually playing through my headphones.

4. There are some really nice students, and the staff are generally nice to me, too.

I try to do my best, as usual; also, my parents and homeopatic meds help me a lot.


Depends. On the social side, I face some problems expecially with janitors, some teachers that I don't like and some peers. About grades, i have the biggest difficulties in Geometry, Italian. Geography, History and PE.


What I like the most: While in elementary and middle school I was in class with people I didn't like, I'm now in class where I like almost everyone; the majority of the teachers are really nice; I am in class with 2 persons I alredy knew, and one of those is my best friend.
What I hate the most: We must change classroom every year; the few teachers that aren't nice are really awful; I must take 2 buses to go there if my father can't drive me to school.


Yes. Expecially teachers.

I couldn't agree with you more, I wouldn't say I'm socially isolated though, I'm very fortunate to have a couple of life long friends, although in regards to the main 'extroverted' types like you mention I don't really know them although, likewise, all they seem to do is gossip...
Sorry, I started writing this then I realised you want me to answer those questions
1. I cope okay I guess, I receive weekly meetings with the school's autism base and I do okay in my subjects, although I really need to get my grades up...
2. I suppose the only real problem I face is that I don't really know anybody and I suppose I feel left out when everybody is talking about their cars or their parties etcetera etcetera...
3. It's not that bad of a school, although I wouldn't say I hate anything, I'm just skeptical of some of my teachers. I really like that they've allowed me to take home all of my textbooks and any other resources, they've even given me an award for music, but that's mainly because I'm the only music student
4. And like you said some of the students are really nice, there's a group that allow me to sit with them whenever I'm by myself, which is often.

Are you thinking about going to University?

16, lower sixth in northern Ireland in a catholic grammar school:(
1. How do you cope with it?
2. Do you face any problems with it?
3. What do you like and/or hate most about it?
4. Are the people there generally nice to you?

1. I pretend that every day is my last day of school and hopefully someday it will be! When that isn't working, I think: Well what would I do if I wasn't in school? And that is MUCH more scary! Having to get a job, meet new people, get a different bus. After going to school for 13 years, I can't imagine life without it. I don't know how I will cope with such different suroundings.

2. What I hate about school is the amount of people, more that 1000. That and the tiny corridors make life stressful when strangers are constantly pushed up against you. Also the random changes to routine, like award ceremonies, charity talks, masses. It is a nightmare. Also I am too embarassed to eat in the canteen so I am always starving and can't concetrate!

3. I like that I have a timetable, my own stationary and only a small amount of teachers. I hate the common room. I have been there twice and will never choose to go there again. It is loud and crowded. I hate the authority, that teachers talk down to you, and only care about how you make them look. It is a very bad education system. I hate the pressure and the stress but it is better than GCSE because there are less teachers.

4. Some people are nice, others are not so nice... They are disapproving and don't like people who stick out, who aren't normal - whatever that is. People are a hurricane of confusion, the main reason that some of them are unfriendly toward me is because I would rather organise my room than go drinking in some club. I have found that a teenagers conversations are generated around what happened at the weekend and where they will go next weekend to party. And thus, I have nothing to communicate with them about!

1. I have pretty close friends I can relate to, and most of the teachers here are supportive and almost like family. My English teacher game me a comforting hug and got me a snack when I got upset over my unchanging and horrid math grade, my psychology mentor usually checks in on me every now and then to see if I'm alright. I just have a lot of emotional support here. I also have a lovely and rigorous sport to help me take my mind off of a bad day.

2. Aside from a couple of bad teachers, all I really need to worry about is the typical drama you see in a high school. Not much to cover here.

3. I like the level of support and the variety of things to do. Joining a club is usually pretty beneficial, and entertaining. We have a "Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse" club, a writing club, journalism, natural helpers, etc.

4. Generally. I have dodged a few bullets here and there. It's better than all the other schools I attended.

I didn't know I had AS when I was in sixth form, so my experience wasn't massively positive...

1) i made friends with Year 7s and 8s, and talked to teachers I got on well with. One teacher knew I was friends with Year 7s but wasn't meant to talk to them in school (other teachers thought it was weird) so she let me help her run Year 7 science clubs so I could spend time with them in school!

2) I had problems socialising- couldn't relate to anyone in my year and felt a lot younger, so made friends with younger kids which was a problem for a lot of teacher. I found the essay-based questions in exams and coursework really hard coz I didn't know how to structure them or organise the material. In languages, the focus changed from grammar/language work to culture and society which went way over my head and my marks dropped a lot. I was also fixated on one subject in particular and on the teacher who taught it, who got freaked out and complained about me and I was totally confused and had no idea what I'd done wrong. That was the thing that got to me the most. My head of sixth form must have hated me.

3) I like that you only had to study three subjects (for me, languages). I hated my age (I still felt about 12) and the fact that we were technically adults and I kept getting told off for being immature but had no idea how I was meant to act. I kept getting told off for lots of things I had no idea were wrong.

4) My experience wasn't great, but i wasn't diagnosed AS and hardly anyone had heard of it them (including me!). If I were to go back now, I'd be a lot more open.