Fresher's blog from an aspie :)
I thought that I'd try my best to give my account of my fresher's experience this year and thought it might be reasuring for other aspies like me, in particular next year, to hear how being a fresher is like for people like us 
.
Anyways, my name's Jade and I am going to be moving into the university of Surrey a week on Thursday and will be studying biomedical sciences. Currently I am finding it hard to get excited about it, there's just too much to worry about. I know everyone goes on about how everyone is in the same boat but that is very difficult to tell yourself this when you know from experience that you've always found it much much harder than fellow peers to make friends and keep them, and considering that there has been moments in my life where I've had no friends I really don't want that to happen again as it gets so lonely, even when you have people around you knowing that they're not your friend.
Currently my main worried are making friends, dealing with change in both place and routine, generalised worries about my course and in particular the practical elements and just generally dealing with new people. My university has a special induction for people with asperger's and I have all ready been up to meet the disability advisor at my uni which has helped slightly with the anxiety of things . Another worry of mine is whether or not my dsa equipment will be sorted out on time as I applied late through no fault of my own :/ .
My packing is coming along nicely, just ordered a few new clothes and going out tomorrow to get a few bits hopefully, tick a few things of my list that I have made to try and make sure I don't forget anything, it's a very good idea to make a list especially if you're as forgetful as me.
Hopefully I'll remember to update here, and hopefully people will find my experience useful .
.Anyways, my name's Jade and I am going to be moving into the university of Surrey a week on Thursday and will be studying biomedical sciences. Currently I am finding it hard to get excited about it, there's just too much to worry about. I know everyone goes on about how everyone is in the same boat but that is very difficult to tell yourself this when you know from experience that you've always found it much much harder than fellow peers to make friends and keep them, and considering that there has been moments in my life where I've had no friends I really don't want that to happen again as it gets so lonely, even when you have people around you knowing that they're not your friend.
Currently my main worried are making friends, dealing with change in both place and routine, generalised worries about my course and in particular the practical elements and just generally dealing with new people. My university has a special induction for people with asperger's and I have all ready been up to meet the disability advisor at my uni which has helped slightly with the anxiety of things
. Another worry of mine is whether or not my dsa equipment will be sorted out on time as I applied late through no fault of my own :/ .My packing is coming along nicely, just ordered a few new clothes and going out tomorrow to get a few bits hopefully, tick a few things of my list that I have made to try and make sure I don't forget anything, it's a very good idea to make a list especially if you're as forgetful as me.
Hopefully I'll remember to update here, and hopefully people will find my experience useful
.Scroll to see replies
I'm the mother of an Aspie son who is currently in his final year at school. He doesn't do Social media much but he does plan to go to Uni next year. I'll be really interested, and hopefully reassured to read your blog :-)
Good luck in your great adventure.
Good luck in your great adventure.
Silence! You must be my friend!
Its illegal to not be my friend for you :P
I'm autistic and aspie so feel free to message me whenever and I won't mind chatting. If you want any help, i'm in my second year at college and I could probably give you a few tips on what I did
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Its illegal to not be my friend for you :P
I'm autistic and aspie so feel free to message me whenever and I won't mind chatting. If you want any help, i'm in my second year at college and I could probably give you a few tips on what I did
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I will be writing on here again, when I get chance that is, and when I actually remember, been quite busy lately but will defintely get around to it at some point
Original post by KiwiMonkey96
I will be writing on here again, when I get chance that is, and when I actually remember, been quite busy lately but will defintely get around to it at some point
How did you cope during freshers week?
Original post by Chlorophile
How did you cope during freshers week?
I avoided all of the big freshers' parties and just went to the introduction stuff by my uni, sat near an exit at the end of a row (like I do in lectures anyways) so that I didn't feel too crowded and knew that if I needed the exit was, never needed to use it but psychologically was really helpful. Most of it was just trying to get you used to the people and places you need to be and if I felt it was getting to much I could always hide away in my and snuggle myself in my covers and even have a mini breakdown if needed, and they do help to get all of the anxiety and emotions out. Meeting people is very hard, it is still certainly an issue but is slowly getting better, it has certainly upset me quite a bit, but just have to kept on saying that it would all work out in time and slowly I am talking to people. For anyone going to uni I would say to not put yourself into a situation too overally stressful for you but yet do try to push your comfort zone, otherwise you won't get to know many people
Original post by KiwiMonkey96
I avoided all of the big freshers' parties and just went to the introduction stuff by my uni, sat near an exit at the end of a row (like I do in lectures anyways) so that I didn't feel too crowded and knew that if I needed the exit was, never needed to use it but psychologically was really helpful. Most of it was just trying to get you used to the people and places you need to be and if I felt it was getting to much I could always hide away in my and snuggle myself in my covers and even have a mini breakdown if needed, and they do help to get all of the anxiety and emotions out. Meeting people is very hard, it is still certainly an issue but is slowly getting better, it has certainly upset me quite a bit, but just have to kept on saying that it would all work out in time and slowly I am talking to people. For anyone going to uni I would say to not put yourself into a situation too overally stressful for you but yet do try to push your comfort zone, otherwise you won't get to know many people
Thanks! That sounds like a good strategy. Fresher's week sounds pretty terrifying (I'm also an Aspie but I'm starting next year), particularly meeting people.
Original post by Chlorophile
Thanks! That sounds like a good strategy. Fresher's week sounds pretty terrifying (I'm also an Aspie but I'm starting next year), particularly meeting people.
I'm aspie so i'm gonna say hi to EVERYONE I meet...
Challenge accepted.
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Original post by Arkarian
Good luck!
Original post by Chlorophile
Good luck!
Lol I don't need luck, I have ocpd and i'm bipolar, I can act like a totally social person and become friends with most people, plus I have like adhd so I also overall don't regret things or feel guilty
It's not that hard to talk to people XD
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Original post by Arkarian
Lol I don't need luck, I have ocpd and i'm bipolar, I can act like a totally social person and become friends with most people, plus I have like adhd so I also overall don't regret things or feel guilty
It's not that hard to talk to people XD
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It's not that hard to talk to people XD
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I find it ok to talk to people over the internet but basically impossible face to face if I don't know them, but I have problems with anxiety so that may be why :/ I haven't been diagnosed with anxiety but I know I have issues with it, I don't see the point in getting it diagnosed when it probably will not come with any added advantage, at least not at the moment :/
I really want to go to uni but I'm going to have to live in student halls for at least the first year to do so - which I find terrifying. I'm applying anyway, but I just don't know how I'm going to do it right now.
Do you live in halls, If so how is it?
Do you live in halls, If so how is it?
Original post by Azurefeline
I really want to go to uni but I'm going to have to live in student halls for at least the first year to do so - which I find terrifying. I'm applying anyway, but I just don't know how I'm going to do it right now.
Do you live in halls, If so how is it?
Do you live in halls, If so how is it?
I do live in halls. Before I came to the uni I spoke to them about accommodation and they made sure I was in the appropriate room for me, an ensuite room, in a relatively quite of campus and with not too many people per kitchen. I like my room, it's nice to hide out in if I need to just get away from things and if I am open to talk to people I can go into the kitchen to make a cup of tea or get food or something. The only problem I find is if there is too many people in the kitchen at one point I won't go in to it to make my dinner or do things as I don't like it but other than that it's ok.
Original post by KiwiMonkey96
I do live in halls. Before I came to the uni I spoke to them about accommodation and they made sure I was in the appropriate room for me, an ensuite room, in a relatively quite of campus and with not too many people per kitchen. I like my room, it's nice to hide out in if I need to just get away from things and if I am open to talk to people I can go into the kitchen to make a cup of tea or get food or something. The only problem I find is if there is too many people in the kitchen at one point I won't go in to it to make my dinner or do things as I don't like it but other than that it's ok.
I see, thanks. I had discussed some things like that with universities, but they kept stressing to me that it wasn't certain is be able to get a particular accommodation so I assumed that system didn't work.... Maybe not though!
Did you disclose your diagnosis to your flat mates as well?
Original post by Azurefeline
I see, thanks. I had discussed some things like that with universities, but they kept stressing to me that it wasn't certain is be able to get a particular accommodation so I assumed that system didn't work.... Maybe not though!
Did you disclose your diagnosis to your flat mates as well?
Did you disclose your diagnosis to your flat mates as well?
I have done yes, there is another girl in my flat with aspergers as well so that's quite nice. If you have a reason for a specific accommodation due to your disability you should expect the uni to try their best to put it into place, just like if someone with mobility difficulties wanted to go uni they would have to make sure they have an accessible room. My uni couldn't guarantee most people certain accommodation but if you talk to the disability people in what ever uni you decide they should be able to communicate with the accommodation people
.Original post by KiwiMonkey96
I find it ok to talk to people over the internet but basically impossible face to face if I don't know them, but I have problems with anxiety so that may be why :/ I haven't been diagnosed with anxiety but I know I have issues with it, I don't see the point in getting it diagnosed when it probably will not come with any added advantage, at least not at the moment :/
You have aspie any other mental disability and you can easily get more free grants towards your uni
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I know it's taken me a while to update, but I seem to remember about this when I'm too busy to do anything and forget when I have the time.
Anyways, first semester was difficult as my anxiety was heightened by the fact I was in a new place causing me to have to fill in extenuating circumstances twice, once when my anxiety made me too ill to do a practical and once when it made me have panic attacks when trying to do a piece of work and therefore needing me to extend the deadline. To be honest I did expect this to some extent but in the long run it doesn't seem to have effected the results I've got too much. Having just got my module results and getting firsts in all my modules although I am also seeing that I am doing worse on coursework than I am on exams (In one modules I got 70% overall for practicals but yet 99% on the exam), so a clear area I can improve on. I am fairly pleased with my exam results (I also got 98% and 95% in my two other exams) and despite problems due to the anxiety and the lots of issues I had with group work, which I hope I will get over in time, the overall marks are looking respectable.
A few weeks into second semester and I'm feeling a lot less anxious than I did in first semester, probably due to being more familiar with the place and the new medication I'm on, although I do need to find more motivation to write up notes as along with the fact I have days where I get very bad migraines and can't do work is making me get behind and I can't afford that.
Anyways, first semester was difficult as my anxiety was heightened by the fact I was in a new place causing me to have to fill in extenuating circumstances twice, once when my anxiety made me too ill to do a practical and once when it made me have panic attacks when trying to do a piece of work and therefore needing me to extend the deadline. To be honest I did expect this to some extent but in the long run it doesn't seem to have effected the results I've got too much. Having just got my module results and getting firsts in all my modules although I am also seeing that I am doing worse on coursework than I am on exams (In one modules I got 70% overall for practicals but yet 99% on the exam), so a clear area I can improve on. I am fairly pleased with my exam results (I also got 98% and 95% in my two other exams) and despite problems due to the anxiety and the lots of issues I had with group work, which I hope I will get over in time, the overall marks are looking respectable.
A few weeks into second semester and I'm feeling a lot less anxious than I did in first semester, probably due to being more familiar with the place and the new medication I'm on, although I do need to find more motivation to write up notes as along with the fact I have days where I get very bad migraines and can't do work is making me get behind and I can't afford that.
Original post by KiwiMonkey96
I know it's taken me a while to update, but I seem to remember about this when I'm too busy to do anything and forget when I have the time.
Anyways, first semester was difficult as my anxiety was heightened by the fact I was in a new place causing me to have to fill in extenuating circumstances twice, once when my anxiety made me too ill to do a practical and once when it made me have panic attacks when trying to do a piece of work and therefore needing me to extend the deadline. To be honest I did expect this to some extent but in the long run it doesn't seem to have effected the results I've got too much. Having just got my module results and getting firsts in all my modules although I am also seeing that I am doing worse on coursework than I am on exams (In one modules I got 70% overall for practicals but yet 99% on the exam), so a clear area I can improve on. I am fairly pleased with my exam results (I also got 98% and 95% in my two other exams) and despite problems due to the anxiety and the lots of issues I had with group work, which I hope I will get over in time, the overall marks are looking respectable.
A few weeks into second semester and I'm feeling a lot less anxious than I did in first semester, probably due to being more familiar with the place and the new medication I'm on, although I do need to find more motivation to write up notes as along with the fact I have days where I get very bad migraines and can't do work is making me get behind and I can't afford that.
Anyways, first semester was difficult as my anxiety was heightened by the fact I was in a new place causing me to have to fill in extenuating circumstances twice, once when my anxiety made me too ill to do a practical and once when it made me have panic attacks when trying to do a piece of work and therefore needing me to extend the deadline. To be honest I did expect this to some extent but in the long run it doesn't seem to have effected the results I've got too much. Having just got my module results and getting firsts in all my modules although I am also seeing that I am doing worse on coursework than I am on exams (In one modules I got 70% overall for practicals but yet 99% on the exam), so a clear area I can improve on. I am fairly pleased with my exam results (I also got 98% and 95% in my two other exams) and despite problems due to the anxiety and the lots of issues I had with group work, which I hope I will get over in time, the overall marks are looking respectable.
A few weeks into second semester and I'm feeling a lot less anxious than I did in first semester, probably due to being more familiar with the place and the new medication I'm on, although I do need to find more motivation to write up notes as along with the fact I have days where I get very bad migraines and can't do work is making me get behind and I can't afford that.
So.. How was first year?
Original post by Ki Yung Na
So.. How was first year?
Not finished quite yet. It's been exhausting but I've got through it, that's the main thing
Original post by KiwiMonkey96
Not finished quite yet. It's been exhausting but I've got through it, that's the main thing
Well from one aspie to another - keep it up!
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