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Protogenoi
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26 Aug 2014, 10:56 pm

So, I need to report my aspergers to the school so that way I can get some lenience over offenses that are bound to happen and to make certain required classes manageable. I have looked through the school policies for this, and found out I'm screwed.
-they expect the "disability" to be officially documented and presented to the (hard to reach or find information concerning) counselor and then discuss it with the counselor.
-afterwards, they will mail you a "letter of accommodation" which you will then have to take to each professor and discuss with each one of them in a private meeting in order to arrange accommodations.
-the counselor has the right to ask basically any information they want and must receive official documentation or the accommodations can be denied. This includes unrelated medical and family history.
-you are required to submit disability forms to be submitted [b]30 days prior to the semester[/b] ... well, I'm a bit late considering that the semester has already started.

Of course, that is if I can get a diagnoses first, the school of course provides absolutely no resources for seeking out a diagnosis (unlike many colleges in America.)

This is the second week of the third semester of my Freshman year. In other words, I wasn't able to keep up with all my classes and dropped half a dozen of them for the last two semesters and I am far behind in the scheduled for normal graduation. I got kicked out of my first college for disciplinary reasons... or rather they gave me the option to finish the semester and leave the school or get expelled immediately.
On top of all that, I am expected by my family to get a job (something that I've never accomplished and held for more than a month) and catch up in my classes... or else.

Stress-wise, I can figure I can handle 12-13 credit hours a semester without a job... I need 19 credit hours this semester to catch up.

And it's all pointless anyways. I want to be a surgeon, but hell, that probably isn't an option anyways.



AardvarkGoodSwimmer
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26 Aug 2014, 11:50 pm

Something that's been helpful to me is where Temple Grandin talked about people on the Spectrum tending to be (with some overlap of course):

1) story / narrative thinkers, or

2) abstract thinkers, or

3) visual thinkers.

I'm mainly a story / narrative thinker, and with a good case study method, I'm all over it. And a science like biology or geology which tends to be more this style, I'm also pretty good at. With chemistry, physics, or math itself, I have to take more time as if I'm preparing to explain it. I also do less homework problems but do them more thoroughly, and I need classes where this is not punished.

I advise that you not do this thing which you overload in order to "catch up." That's a trap, and please avoid it.

I compliment you on your aspirations for medicine. If I was way younger, I might consider it myself. And honest to gosh, I think if someone enters medical school age 32 or younger, that is plenty young enough. I don't know how it's perceived, but it might almost be the ideal age regardless of how it's perceived.

A fallback position might be a grad degree in a science with strong grades? That with a good MCAT should be enough to get you admission, but please ask around. Find out for your country how hard it is to get into med school.

I wish there was, say, a spectrum network group available at your school able to provide solidarity and tangible support. That dream may be five years away or more, or less, but it is a dream of mine.



Protogenoi
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27 Aug 2014, 10:03 pm

I don't want to be overloaded. I really don't, that's what happened in my first semester.
I am being [i]pushed[/i] into all the extra classes and jobs by my family. They have the money, I live with them, they will be kicking me to the street if I don't accomplish this. I have nowhere to go. I need to survive this semester.
I would like to avoid that trap, but I don't know how.

I also wish there was a support group. The only service available for autistic people is two cities away. Sure, there are support groups for parents of autistic children, but nothing for aspies or anything.

Thanks for your advice.



AardvarkGoodSwimmer
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30 Aug 2014, 1:43 pm

Let me pitch you on a couple of ideas.

Are there even distant relatives who might be open to you staying with them for a while? And maybe understate it in a letter and say, things aren't real great at home, something like that. Assume they'll read between the lines, and they'll understand tension between young adults and their parents and perhaps like the idea of helping out if they can. And I'm guessing maybe the over/under is three different letters to three different relatives. Meaning if you contact three different relatives, there's a 50% chance one will offer to help out. Also assume that there's a pretty good chance that whatever you say in the letter will come back to your parents, and this is another reason for understating.

My parents put me up on a pedestal that I was the savior of the family. And then the coin turned over and they viewed me as a bum and no good. I wish I had somehow found the very matter-of-fact approach, hey, I'm just a regular guy. And if and when you become a surgeon and I hope you do, it's still about your colleagues as teammates and being one contributor among many, and trying to build up your teammates and also trying to be open to learning from them. I mean, right, what else could it be?

Please pay attention to your high energy periods, especially those where you can skim effectively. Quit early as your energy falls, and move on to another topic. Try to pre-study if you can. Experiment with different ways, even politely reviewing half a page of notes on one topic as you listen to a lecture on another, of getting benefit out of class time.

Jobs are both difficult and tricky. I have often tried too hard once I got a job, or haven't tried in the right way. For those of us on the Spectrum, I really think there is an inverse relationship between "easy" jobs and "hard" jobs. Working at Kroger grocery store and being made fun of by co-workers for having a speech difference was terrible, whereas working as a tax preparer at H&R Block was actually a pretty good job.



Protogenoi
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31 Aug 2014, 7:14 pm

Well, I'm glad I never had the pedestal in retrospect. Easier staying down than getting dragged down. My sister was the one on the pedestal. They just want to sweep me under the carpet.

I had never considered those ideas before, I think I will attempt to go stay with relatives...

Thanks for your advice.



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02 Sep 2014, 5:37 pm

I think staying with relatives might well be a positive step, and just take it step by medium step. For example, maybe ask the relatives if you can stay with them for a semester. And when living with them, perhaps both spend time with them and also do some of your own stuff. If you're similar to me, you benefit from privacy and alone time.

With school, I love the idea of jumping ahead in a class even if behind. And trying to arc across a subject, being open to filling in some of the details later. These big broad skills of skimming I try to add to my already well-developed skills of being thorough.

In difficult times, I sometimes seek out things which are both fun and positive. And at other times, just plain fun. Both are good.