To return to uni... or not?

Post Reply New Topic

I need some feedback on the following:

I've been taking stock of my situation of late and have considered returning to uni on a part time basis to get a degree... I'm now in my thirties, and my last experience of university education was before I was diagnosed with AS; I lasted a year, and it was fairly unpleasant as I really find it extremely difficult to interact with people.

Things are somewhat different now; although the problems are likely to be the same, I do actually know why I have them. Question is, can they be overcome? Now, I don't need the degree for my career, as I've got my work life sorted out nicely - with no people - but it's a subject I've always found interesting; so, it's purely for pleasure, and to give some more meaning to what ever time I've left on this planet.

For the people in higher education, how do you cope with seminars or tutorials where you have to interact in real time? (If that seems like a dumb question, you're not likely to have the answer). Any people here have experience of taking a part time degree course?

Any input's welcomed.

I think that's what most people spend most of their lives searching for--what adds meaning to life. Congratulations for finding it.


So i say go for it--you obviously enjoy the subject...if for nothing else it will be a good/valuable experience and you'll learn some stuff.

Hi ascan, and welcome to WP!

I don't know where you are, but if you are in the UK have you considered the Open University? I am considering starting a degree with them myself in October (Geography, which will come as a surprise to very few here)

I struggled through a full time degree a few years ago, and hope I can suggest a couple of things... My tips for coping with lectures/seminars? Depends on the subject how practical this is, but handouts/powerpoint slide notes really help. If the course lecturer/tutor doesn't provide these, ask, as I took very little in during lectures. If you let the university know you have AS they should be able to help you arrange stuff to suit the way you learn a little better. I found lecture theatres annoying - I tried to find a spot where I could be a bit away from others - near the front was good for this as the loudmouths always wanted to sit further back. As for seminars, preparation always helps - and don't worry if you don't feel up to participating much. I can usually either listen and take notes, or try to remember what happened while I take part, but rarely both. As for the social stuff, going to the library between classes helps avoid that... I hope this is slightly helpful, or at least amusing.

Dunc

Thanks duncvis and newal101587.

duncvis, seems you're a glutton for punishment; you know, going back for the OU course. Unfortunately they do not do the course I'm interested in, but the Uni at the nearest city do, on a weekend basis over 6 years... hell, that's a long time , but it all looks very interesting.

I think I would tell them when applying I have AS, though that goes against everything I've done up to now, as I don't like people knowing. It would explain a few things that could otherwise be misconstrued. I'm thinking... did the other students at your uni know you had AS? Any thoughts on that score? What would you do in that respect as far as the geography course is concerned?

Which subject is it? If it's something in a scientific or mathematical discipline -- or even philosophy, I think -- you're likely to come across quite a few other people on the autistic spectrum and that might actually be a good experience and quite nice. You might not feel out of place at all....

I keep thinking it would be fun to go back to college (and live in the dorms) once i start collecting my social security. I've tried and failed 4 times, but the last try was 30 years ago, and i'm not the same person as i was then, plus i have a newfound thirst for knowledge.
One thought: at least here in US there may be scholarships specifically for people with AS. Worth looking into.

Thanks for the input AspieGirl and ed.

AspieGirl, it's true there could be others with AS on the course, though interacting with them I find as problematic as with non-spectrum people. I guess I'll just have to start the course and see what happens.

The other students didn't know I had AS, as I didn't either until a couple of years after I graduated. I'm quite sure they thought I was weird, but a lot of them were trainee yuppies or pampered sociopaths whose daddies would sort a job out for them when they finished anyway, so they didn't give much of a crap (it was a business and management degree btw - possibly not a great choice in career terms for me, but now I'm pretty good at organising stuff - except my own life.... ). My general view of student socialising is formed by my school years - I get on ok in a superficial way with people I have stuff in common with, although my drivelling on about the same subjects tends to annoy. As for the others who consider me strange, I decided when I was about 11 that they could all go to hell as long as they left me alone - so at uni it was no longer an issue. Group work was best handled by brief meetings and email discussion/editing, delegating portions of the assignment then submitting it to be collated and edited by one person when ready (usually me, lol). How this would have translated to geography I'm not sure... As regards the OU, my only real fear is study skills - I fluctuate wildly in my enthusiasm for academic work, so I will need to plan in advance what I need to do on a timeline, and stick to it. Discipline may be a slight problem....

Dunc

hi guys,
this is my first post here. I was smart enough to get accepted into the Mechanical Engineering course at James Cook University in 2001. However, in august the next year, I had so much stress, family problems that i kinda made myself (hard to explain), and i had a parttime job at KFC that i didnt particularly. I was doing this course fulltime as well. Anyway in august 2002 i suddenly got panic disorder, and then in october 2002 was admitted to the psych ward my first time for panic disorder. after i somehow passed this year (i deferred 3 exams and did them before the start of the 2003 uni year). someone then suggested i try the music degree (because im a brass player). anyway i only lasted 6 weeks at this course, when i became psychotic, and i was pretty much suicidal and extremely depressed. after i went into the ward the second time at the end of april 2003 (i quit my kfc job the day before that), i decided to have a long break. after all, i had been studying for like 15 years straight basically without a social life due to my lack of social skills and my workaholic status.

I had a big break (but from may 2003 to sep.2003 i volunteered fulltime at an opshop) from when i got out second time to july 2004. This was when i started TAFE (this is a tertiary educational system, but you can only get certificates, diplomas etc - no degrees - its atechnical college). I just finished Cert.2 in IT last year and i am now completing cert.3 in IT (network admin).

my point is that after going to both of these tertiary systems, i realised that uni is soooo overrated here in australia. i would think uni is set for those pple who are 1. really bloody smart and WANT to get a high paying fully stressful job and have no life for 40yrs, then die of a heart attack the day they retire, or 2. the kids taht just bludge through uni or the kids whose parents will give them a job after it, like someone else already said in this thread.

a technical college is SO much cheaper, is WAY easier to do, has less contact hours, and has WAY more practical tasks than uni. since i have basically had 2 breakdowns (ie my ward visits), you will never see me trying to finish my half completed mechanical engineering degree! i just dont see the point in gettng a really stressful long hours job.. why i dont need all that money. im quite happy with the money im getting from my disability support pension here.

so in short - uni is crap, do something easier like an apprenticeship or certificats etc.

BTW i have atypical autism (or PDD-NOS) and i have schizophreniform disorder, and used to have panic disorder.

i shouldnt be plugging this, but for pple who want help with panic and psychosis etc, i have my website www.psychopanic.com

i hope someone replies to this and agrees tht uni is way too expensive and if you keep working your way up through a job without a degree, you will get to the same place if not higher than a uni degree person.

Hi kitkatsavvy, that was an interesting post; similar experiences to myself, but I'd maybe draw different conclusions. Certainly, in the country I live, uni is overrated as a route to employment. In fact, it's used politically to convince people they, or their children, are getting something previous generations didn't; something which will somehow lead to a satisfying career with an equally satisfying salary. Yes, they're getting a university degree, but if every other person's got one, it doesn't really mean a lot; many employers recognise this, too. Like you say, there are other routes to follow; although for people who are very smart I still think going to uni at 19 is a good thing. Also, for many careers a university degree is essential.

I dropped out of uni after a year -I had big problems interacting with others and maybe I wasn't as smart as my school exams suggested - and, instead, studied via a technical college and later through a correspondence course. I can now work from home and earn considerably more per hour than if I had the degree I originally started, but I choose not to work so many hours these days as I've spent my life, so far, as a workaholic and have finally, I think, seen the light. I want to pursue a new interest, purely for my enjoyment, the starting point for which needs to be a university based education. Perhaps, when you're older you will feel the same.

Oh, btw, what brass instrument did you play?

i agree 11110% lol ...



Well, i mean, i did like/love doing engineering, but then again, i loved the music degree as well!! and i love my IT course im doing! this has been my biggest problem in life! I seem to like nearly EVERY topic or subject... well i know i hate businessy/accounting/commerce stuff, but i mean... i have a great general knowledge in my head so..
I am older now.. and this IT course.. which doenst have a programming component - is something tht i enjoy, and i can get the diploma without having to do the IT degree.. which has programming.. a diploma will do me just fine..

btw i play Bb tuba at the moment.... ive played in order since i wsa 10yrs old... trumpet, cornet, tenor horn, french horn (for one week.. was just stuffing round), baritione, euphonium, Bb bass ,... Eb only like bout 3 or 4 times for a fill-in.. the only thing i cant play is a trombone because it has no valves nad i would have a clue where to hold out the slide to etc. lol
I play for Townsville Brass Band.. and when i was 15yrs old, i won the QLD open tenor horn solo comp... yaya thus beating my music teacher in teh process! he was competing in the same solo as me!! nad i beat him!! w00t

Here's what helps me in class:

* Taking notes so I atleast pay attention and don't daydream.
* Sitting near the front of the class so I can't really see other students and they don't distract me.

The socialization part is undoubtedly the hardest. I have to regularly watch myself for signs of depression, overloading, and irritation. Make sure you have things you can do outside of class. Whether a group of friends you already have, exercise, a religious group, or clubs. Even being able to say, "I'm going jogging this evening" even if its alone is better than sitting around all evening wondering why people don't call.

Anyway, that's my $0.02.

ya.... it sux but even tho i dont have full blown psychosis anymore (thanks to seroquel). i still have to practise thought blocking techniques so taht i dont start to get obsessive.. i mean last week i thought some guy was following me in their car.. but then i found out it was pure coincidence.. i was going all paranoid etc.. even when im on the seroquel.. i know for a fact that if im silly enuff to go off my seroquel for some reason, i will most definitiely go psychotic agian.. no thanks.
you can read my 3000+ psychosis article at www.psychopanic.com/psychosis.htm if you like.. its a good read as to how a normal... ish. person is affected by psychosis.

I have been in and out of college for the past 10 years. If you have a documented disability like Aspergers or ADHD, you can often qualify for disability support services. This varies from school to school. Often community colleges have better disability support (I don't know if you have community colleges in the UK). At the first university I attended they had little support, in part being a bigger school and in a rural area. When I dropped out and attended community college in the suburbs they had excellent support. I was able to get free private tutoring at the school, and could take the test in the testing center instead of with the class which allowed me to get extended time, since I often get test anxiety and when I'm working on something I tend to work at a slower pace even if I know the stuff. It also let me work in a quieter room without the other students in the class. I often get nervous when I see that I'm one of the last people working on a test.

Duncvis - I can heartily reccomend the OU! I completely failed to cope at 'mainstream' Uni when I was 18 but I am now in my second year of an OU degree (in human geography actually!) and it is great. It does take discipline because you have no-one regularly checking up on you but I have so far found that I am dedicating less time than the course guides suggest.

Ascan - You'll never know unless you try! I would tell the Uni about the AS too. If you start the degree and can't cope you can leave. At least you wont be wondering if you can all the time. Besides, chances are you can anyway. Im my tutorials now (and back when I was 18) I always sat pretty near the front (but not right on the front row where the tutor tends to look first for answers and eye contact) and at the end of the row so I was guranteed to have only one person sitting beside me! Use a small tape recorder on your tutors desk if they will let you then you can listen at the time and make notes later. So far as socialising goes I can't suggest much as I tend to not be noticed by other people anyway (or maybe I don't notice them ). The only 'conversation' I do have is linked to the work we are doing. I don't arrive too early and I tend not to leave the room during any breaks we are given when everyone else does.

I have found that if you appear to be listening attentively to the tutor, produce good essays and course work and offer an occasional comment about something the tutor has said then you don't get 'chosen' to speak very often anyway. I say what I need/want to say in my essays.

If it is a subject you are interested in you can bury yourself in the work side of things and only participate in the rest as much as you want or feel able to.

It's heartening to hear of your current experiences on the OU course, unique. It seems your spell on the full time course at 18 may have been similar to mine. I'll be mindful of your suggestions regarding seating in tutorials

Kitkatsavvy, the only instrument you can't play was about the only one I could. I had no talent, but was technically competent.