Astro Autistic

Accommodations, and Putting A Magnifying Glass to Your Flaws

“You have the traits of a great astrophysicist.”

“Oh, thank you!” Don’t let it get to your head.

Continue reading Accommodations, and Putting A Magnifying Glass to Your Flaws

My Ontario Autism Plan Story

(See the bottom for content warnings)

This isn’t a story about my child on the autism spectrum, this is a story about me: an autistic person.

Continue reading My Ontario Autism Plan Story

The Freedom to Respect My Limits

The most valuable skill I’ve learned since moving out from my mother’s house is paying attention to my limits. I’ve finally had the opportunity to notice the point at which I’m pushing myself too hard and will burn out. This is because I’ve been able to live in a supportive environment where I’m allowed to say “no” when I can’t safely do something.

What Do My Neurodivergent Habits Look Like?

As a neurodivergent person, I struggle a lot with building habits. It’s hard for me to do the tasks that I want to become habits. It’s hard for me to continue to do those tasks consistently for any length of time. And most of all, they never become automatic. Perhaps a neurotypical wouldn’t consider the end result a “habit,” but you can’t get far as a neurodivergent person by trying to adhere to neurotypical standards.

So, what do my habits look like?

Growing Up Under the Autism Radar

My mother may have been a nurse in a psychiatric ward, but she could never seem to accept that I am disabled. I don’t know whether either of my parents ever suspected I was autistic, but they never pursued a diagnosis for me. Even when I was a teenager and my difficulties managing a neurotypical life became more and more clear, my mother still couldn’t accept that the reason was anything other than laziness. She opposed me getting evaluated for depression, she opposed me getting evaluated for ADHD, and I still don’t think she believes that I’m autistic.

Reduced Course Loads: Cons

In my previous post I discussed some of the advantages of taking a reduced course load in university. Now, it’s time to delve into the disadvantages.

I’ve found that there are a variety of drawbacks to taking a reduced course load.

Reduced Course Loads: Pros

Most of the time, I take two courses per semester. Sometimes I only end up finishing one, and once I managed to finish three. But on average, I have two classes on my schedule at a time.

Why do I take two classes? It’s not because I have a full-time (or even part-time) job. I have no dependents. I’m not taking it easy. I take two classes because it’s generally the maximum amount of work I can handle as a disabled student. So, what are the consequences of this?

Text-to-Speech as an Accommodation

Text-to-speech software can be a lifesaver. I’m not sure if I have dyslexia, but text-to-speech still makes getting through assigned readings a lot more painless. I have a lot of trouble staying focused at the best of times, and partway through a semester is never the best of times. So software like Kurzweil 3000 that highlights words as they’re read to me is immensely helpful.

When it works and when I have access to it, text-to-speech lets me complete my readings within a reasonable amount of time. Maybe not as quickly as an abled student, but much faster than if I was reading it on my own. Three hours of reading can become one hour. A passage I have to reread six or seven times to absorb can be understood after being read two to three times. It’s amazingly helpful— when it works.

Unfortunately, those two qualifiers of “When it works” and “When I have access to it” are seldom satisfied at the same time.

Navigating Disability Services: Formal Diagnosis Required

So… Student disability services. I wouldn’t have passed a single class without them, but that doesn’t make them perfect. Not by a long shot. Let’s just jump right in, shall we? Note: I do not have any physical disabilities, so I can’t speak for how well they accommodate physically disabled students.

You’ll Be Able to Do It Without Thinking— and Other Lies

One thing I’ve always struggled with since moving out and starting university has been self care. Eating healthy, exercising, showering, brushing my teeth, socializing, keeping a clean home. Most of these likely come naturally or easily to neurotypical students but, to me, they are all a massive and draining undertaking.

I’ve consistently been told by my therapists and psychiatrists that the key to solving my difficulties is to build habits and routines. The concept they can’t seem to grasp is that I can’t do things without thinking.