Asperger's Syndrome in College

Today, I want to talk about Asperger's in a college setting. Well, of course, how I deal with my Asperger's at college. One thing about going to college is that there are a lot of people I don't know. Even though I've met many people over the years, it's rare for any of them to be in a class with me. So, every semester I walk into a class with new faces, including the professor. As you might have guessed, this causes quite a bit of anxiety and discomfort. Even if I get used to someone in a class, the semester is over before we get to know each other. Then it starts all over again. 

When I was diagnosed with Asperger's, I found out I qualified for special services that all colleges and universities are required to offer. Mainly, they help me get the most out of my education and provide accommodations when I need them. I want to talk about those today.

Taking tests hasn't ever been one of my strong traits. This is made worse when more people are added who are all making noises and are just crowded around me. It's very hard to concentrate. Because of this...and because I'm a perfectionist...I've always taken longer to take tests. Due to all this, I'm allowed to take my tests in a secluded room at the testing center with extra time to take the test. I also like to use the white noise machines in the testing rooms because they block out all the annoying background noise. 
Since I become easily distracted, one of my accommodations is being required to sit in the front of the classroom. This lessens the people in my field of vision that are moving around and could be a distraction. I also get very uncomfortable being surrounded by people because then I feel crowded and suffocated. I have vision problems, too. Even though I wear my contacts or glasses, my vision can still be a little blurry. Sitting up front means I can still see.
I'm also not a good note taker when it comes to writing. I'm slow at writing. When I try to write fast, my handwriting becomes sloppy and almost unreadable. So, I'm allowed to use a laptop or my iPad to take notes. Most professors allow students to do this anyway now-a-days; however, some don't. In these cases, this accommodation becomes very helpful. Also, since a lot of professors put PowerPoints and notes online, I can download them on my iPad and follow along in class. This helps if I still have trouble seeing the front of the room.
The last thing I want to touch on isn't an accommodation, but it's something I do to help my professors. At the beginning of each semester, I give professors that don't know me a letter I wrote explaining my condition and how it affects my learning. I found from experience that many people don't realize autism spectrum disorders can affect adults too, especially if they are high functioning. They are especially unaware how it affects our education and the way we learn. This is why I wrote the letter. To help me and my professors out. It also keeps them from making assumptions about me and some of the behaviors I exhibit. In almost all situations, it helps a lot.

"I live in the same world you do; I just experience it differently. I am a human being with feelings, just like you; I just express them in my own way." ~Me~

Awesome Coworker

Today, I want to give some well deserved credit and thanks to an awesome coworker of mine. Several of my coworkers know about my autism, and we've come up with some things to help me out at work. She has become one of my biggest supporters and advocates at work. She's one of those people I wish everyone would be. She's not one of those people that knows about it and withdraws or patronizes me about it, like I've had some people do. (You'll see a previous post about one "friend" who discovered I was on the spectrum and gave me such crap about it.) She's also not one of those people who took the information and then ignored it. Some people know I have Asperger's but act like I don't. They want to believe it doesn't affect me because I'm high-functioning. Mind you, I'm not saying I want to be treated completely different. I don't consider myself "disabled". Some situations, though, require some "tweaking". 
Anyway, this coworker is one of those people who "gets it". She understands and helps when she can. For example, when a kid is screaming and it's hurting my ears, I usually want to go up to the child and tell them they need to stop and why. However, by the time I realize I should tell them something, I'm disoriented, in a daze, and can't think straight. Then it becomes extremely hard to do anything, much less tell a child they need to stop screaming because I have sensitive ears. Several times, that's when my coworker has gone up to the screaming child and explained to them why they need to stop screaming. The screaming stops, and I'm like "Thank you!" 
One day, I got up to a Level 4 (out of 5) on my anxiety scale because of the screaming. She was the one to recognize I wasn't doing so good and asked if I needed a break. When I'm rational or even up to a Level 3, I recognize that I need breaks at times. At Levels 4 and 5, I'm so dazed and disoriented that I can't think straight. My mind's not thinking "Go take a break." It's thinking "Make it stop now!" It's like I can't move. So for her to tell me to take a break kind of snapped me back, and I remembered that's what I was supposed to do. Even after I went inside, she came inside to check on me a few minutes later. She kept asking me if I was sure I was ok and telling me to take all the time I needed to calm down. I thought it was one of the nicest things. Just from her doing that and knowing someone cared helped the anxiety go down. 
Many of my coworkers, her included, often check in with me when I get into work. It's more than a regular, "Hi. How are you today." With me, my answer tells them how the day might go, if it'll be a good day or a harder day, or if I'll need a little bit more help that day. 
She's one of the coworkers I talk to the most; about all kinds of stuff. She's one of the few people that's easy to talk to at work. For someone on the spectrum to feel comfortable talking to someone is a pretty big thing. Yeah, I'll talk to people, but it doesn't always mean it's comfortable. It's more of a "I learned this the socially acceptable thing to do so I do it." 
She's also one of those that understands that I have to be told specifically what to do. I can't be expected to know unless it's something we do everyday. General instructions also don't help. If given a statement that is general and has many possibilities, I often get lost and don't know where to start. If it contains many options, it's often overwhelming. However, given just a few things at a time makes it easier to get those things done and not forget anything. 
I'm so blessed to have people like this in my life, especially at work. None of my coworkers in the past have ever been so helpful and supportive. If they've known, they've been those people that ignore it. It's made some jobs harder and interacting with coworkers very awkward. Not here. And I thank God so much for giving me this opportunity and putting me in this environment. I want to thank this coworker so much for what she's done and continues to do. And I don't know if she knows this, but she's taught me a lot about how to deal with these kids just by watching her. So she's helped me in more than one way. And I hope she can become a good friend. 

"I live in the same world you do; I just experience it differently. I am a human being with feelings, just like you; I just express them in my own way." ~Me~

Sensory Issues and Working with Kids

Meant to post this sooner but couldn't get around to it. So the other day at work, I found just how hard it can sometimes be for a person on the autism spectrum to work with kids. Kids are naturally loud, and I understand that. Also, the class I work in during the afternoons is especially loud. We have mostly girls, and they can squeal and talk so loud like nobody's business. Being on the autism spectrum, I am more sensitive to sounds and noise. So, you can imagine how these girls voices can drill into my head sometimes. So far, I have been able to handle the noise level, and it hasn't overwhelmed me. However, the other day was different.

First of all, I went into work with a headache right off. I took some Aleve, and it helped. Unfortunately, it doesn't help the symptoms of Asperger's LOL. By the end of their time at centers, I was in a daze. I eventually stopped hearing individual words and only heard noise. It all sounded like the adults from Charlie Brown cartoons. Sporadically, I would hear squealing and screams from the little girls. A few times, a child would come up to talk to me or tell me something, and it took all my attention and strength to understand what they were saying and respond to them. 
By the time we went outside for water play, I was so overwhelmed and withdrawn. I had to stand away from the others and the noise. I was so overwhelmed that I started tearing up. I was trying not to let it all out and cry, but the tears kept crowding my eyes. I eventually had to go inside to our classroom (where I knew I could be alone) and just cried. I had to let it out because it was just getting worse. Also, I wasn't about to start crying in front of my coworkers and those kids. I cried for a good five minutes. After I calmed down, I went back outside. I felt better but still a little withdrawn. However, at least my anxiety level went down, and I wasn't as overwhelmed. I love that my coworkers know about my condition and understand what goes on sometimes. They didn't mind me taking a break so I could calm down. I love the environment and the people I work with. It's awesome to have supportive and understanding people. 

"I live in the same world you do; I just experience it differently. I am a human being with feelings, just like you; I just express them in my own way." ~Me~

Asperger's Syndrome in the Workplace

My boss at my new job is so awesome! It came up in a conversation that I have Asperger Syndrome. She was so interested in learning more and talking to me about it. Several kids with autism have come through the preschool and a few are enrolled there now. Her husband even does research and works with people with autism! I've never had a boss who would understand so much. She told me she was so excited about getting to know and talk to an adult on the autism spectrum, and that I told her I'm always willing to answer questions. She told me she's always worked with children on the spectrum, and a lot of them don't fully understand their condition and how it affects them. They can't voice some of the things they are feeling or experiencing. Since one of my special interests is actually autism, even before I was diagnosed, I feel I can be one of those voices. 
The other day, my boss even set up a meeting with the other teacher I regularly work with in the afternoons. We talked about how my Asperger's affects me and what we could all do together to make it easier for me in the workplace. She wanted to make sure we all understood each other so no assumptions would be made about anything. We talked about my sensitive hearing and how we needed to work on the noise level in our room. We have little girls that like to squeal and talk loud indoors. They don't seem to understand inside voices. We talked about how I like to be notified of any changes to the schedule a little time beforehand so I can prepare and not be caught off guard. I mentioned how I like there is a printed schedule posted in our classroom so that I know what is coming up next and what time it happens. 
I mentioned how some days can be harder for me and some days can be really good. Therefore, we talked about both of us getting together as teachers at the beginning of our shift and asking each other what kind of day we're having. That way, we'll know beforehand if the other is having a harder day and can compensate. My boss also asked if I had anything I use that helps me cope and keep calm, like a stress ball or something. I do except it's not a stress ball. I use dice. I like to spin them on the table or roll them around in my hand. They also fit in my pocket easier LOL. We talked a little about some other characteristics of autism that don't really affect the workplace but were interesting to both of them. My coworker is actually going to school to be a teacher in public schools. She also said she was interested in learning more about autism. We talked about special interests autistic people have and what mine were. We talked about how Asperger's individuals usually have high IQ's and that I graduated Valedictorian in high school. My boss only knew this because of my resume I turned in to get the job LOL. I loved our conversation and how I have such a supportive boss and coworkers. 

"I live in the same world you do; I just experience it differently. I am a human being with feelings, just like you; I just express them in my own way." ~Me~

Dreadful Dentist Visits

So a few weeks ago, I had to go to the dentist for my yearly check up and cleaning. Now, I don't like the dentist. I assumed everyone didn't like the dentist either. After our appointments, I talked to my mom and brother about how they felt about the dentist. I learned they actually don't have a problem with the dentist and getting their teeth cleaned. My mom told me she can actually almost fall asleep sometimes. I never realized this. When I get anything done at the dentist, my whole body is tense. Everything they do hurts or feels weird to me. Also, the noises of their instruments scraping against my teeth feel like they are drilling into my head. I can't stand it. I have to ask the hygenist to take breaks from her work because I get overwhelmed by all of it. Although I like the way my teeth feel after I leave the dentists office, I don't like the process it takes to get them there. I learned it is because of my autism that I have a harder time at the dentist's office. Because of my sensory issues, it's a difficult thing for me. While most people can get through it easily, I struggle to stay calm and bear through it. The sensory issues in my mouth don't stop there either. I mentioned in my last post that I have food sensitivities. I also have to force myself to brush my teeth everyday because it feels so weird. However, sometimes I need more sensory input. That's when I like to chew on things like ice or straws. Even when I was a kid, I was one of those kids that constantly chewed on my shirt. My mom hated it haha. So, that's the story of how I just recently learned my autism is responsible for my dislike of the dentist. 

 "I live in the same world you do; I just experience it differently. I am a human being with feelings, just like you; I just express them in my own way." ~Me~