top of page

Finding My Independence: My College Experience with Autism

Jan 13

2 min read

3

91

0

John Huber, living with autism
John Huber

My name is John Huber. I like video games, building things, animation, and I am a graduate of Misericordia University in Dallas, Pennsylvania. I am autistic. I thought I’d share my experience of moving away to college and being on my own for the first time. It wasn’t easy, but during that time, I learned so much about being independent. I hope my story can help ease the nerves of anyone feeling anxious about living independently for the first time.


When I first moved into my college dorm, my biggest worry was how it would affect my mental health. I didn’t need to worry much about cooking or cleaning since we had answers for that: the dining hall and a laundry room on the bottom floor. My main problem back then was that I was going to have to do my college work and try to maintain a schedule for myself, all the while trying to find pockets of time to just relax and it made me extremely nervous.


2 computers

I eventually learned to ask for help from my professors. Slowly but surely, I started conform to college life in my own way. I began attending events and meeting new people, which helped me build a reliable support system.

One example is from my time working for the school newspaper, The Highlander. My first editor lived in a dorm not far from mine. During one semester, he was also in my drawing class and since our weekly meetings were scheduled around the same time, I often relied on him for transportation back to the upper section of campus.


I eventually found routines that helped me overtime to stay organized. For instance, I used a whiteboard and a calendar to track my classes and meetings. Keeping these tools in my dorm was a great way to remind myself of important dates and times.

At first, it was hard to find a reliable system to keep myself on track. This caused me to fall into a slump I never thought was possible at the time. But as I started to open up to people more and more, I became more comfortable living on my own. I learned to trust people, and they helped me excel in ways I never thought possible.


My advice would be to not be afraid to speak out or ask questions because it can provide you with a better understanding of the material rather than trying to figure out all on your own. By doing this, you can slowly build a network of people on whom you can rely on. It doesn’t hurt to have a conversation with people, even if it is just small talk with a guidance counselor other adult.


What I just described is similar to what you’ll experience at Osprey Village. There, you’ll have the chance to make connections with others and build a support system just like I did.

 

Jan 13

2 min read

3

91

0

Comments

Condividi i tuoi pensieriScrivi il primo commento.
bottom of page