Category: Teen Topics
Hello all zone bbs users! I am currently an eleventh grader that is going to Texas School For the Blind, and I am pretty psyched about going to college. I already have in mind what I want to do! I want to be a computer programmer, and am looking forward to it. Though before I can do any of that, I have to think about what kind of college I can attend! My parents and my DARS Counsilor were talking the other day, and she was frightening me with the overwhelming details of attending a college! She told me that being blind will give me some advantages, but I will still have to do the majority of things for myself! Now this is the thing that I'm frightened about. I want to move into an apartment and want to be able to pay everything off like a normal college student would, but have no idea how to do it! I have no idea about how a totally blind individual would get a job and live in a apartment while in college! If any of yall have gone through it already, I would enjoy hearing about your experiences in college. As a teen, I am really frightened about how I'm going to approach this! I know that someone out there, while reading this, is asking themselves, "Why is he worrying about this right now?" Well, I know that you have to plan ahead, so I'm starting now! As a teen, all you want to do throughout your high-school years is to chill. That's me too, but I got to get serious now! So I hope that people can understand the reason why I'm getting a little frightened. I would appreciate different stories, and would love to hear from some of yall!
Everyone is afraid going into college to some degree. I’m a 3rd year English major looking to pick up education this year to add on to it. I’m getting an apartment next year with two of my girlfriends.
You’ve picked a wonderful and challenging profession to go into. If you have the math and the talent to be a computer programmer, then run with it. Just be aware that the field does require some pretty stiff math courses. As for getting an apartment, I’m working with a $674 SSI check. I want to focus on grad school in a couple years, so I’m not so worried about a job right now. We’ve found six apartments whose rent is $400 or below. I live in North Carolina.
Don’t think that you necessarily have to rush into getting an apartment and a job your freshman year. Live in the dorms for a year or even two, and make some friends to share an apartment with. Get use to being in college for a year, then branch out into getting your own place. As for jobs, with the economy the way it is, and the fact that I’m blind, plus my lack of a degree right now, I seriously dout I’d find a job. If I was truly strapped for cash, I’d look into getting a job at my college in the writing center as a tutor. It might be easier to get hiered on campus first. Maybe, after your freshman year, there would be something on your campus you could find a job doing.
I’ve been assuming that you plan to attend a four-year university. Community college is always an option to start with, in which case, you could either find your own place, or stay at home. I do recommend living with friends in your college home though. I know I’d be beyond freaked to live by myself right now. I’m still afraid of city busses. :P
It’s great that you’re planning ahead, because the last thing you want is to be unprepared for college. It is a big step forward, but not impossible.
Cala
I would thoroughly suggest that you live in a dorm if at all possible. Not that I dislike apartments, but I can assure you that it is much easier to make friends when your living with them, than if you go home every day. I would suggest you live on campus if possible for at least the first year of college.
Secondly, yes, you will have to do most of the stuff yourself, but don't let that frighten you too much. At first it can be a little overwhelming, and a few things may even slip through the cracks, but by the second semester, everything is easier, and you'll be left wondering what your dars counselor was talking about. I find, in my own personal experience, that most of those counselors in that position haven't actually gone through it, especially if they're not blind. I can't tell you how many times in high school I was told that I needed to go to a center, and that college was reaching for the stars for blind people. I personally found this insulting. I'm glad now that I never listened to them.
Don't worry too much. The best thing you can do is to call the college you chose, and talk to the director of the office for students with disabilities. Ask them what experience they have with blind students, what technology is available, that kind of thing. Do as much research as you can going in, so that once your there, you won't have to worry about it.
As I said, you do have to do a lot of things on your own, but I can also tell you, once you do them, you won't want it any other way. Hope this helps.
I went to college as a blind student. I personally lived in the dorm for my first 3 years and loved it.
It was a great way to meet new friends.
Also, I would suggest joining some studnet groups that interest you.
its another good way to meet friends.
college is about more than just the classes. of course, you have to do the homework, go to class, all that good stuff, but part of college is learning to do things on your own and meeting people, too.
I personally wouldn't, and didn't, talk to the disability services people. for one thing, my school really didnt' have one, but even if yours does, you need to handle getting your books, scheduling readers, and bringing up your blindness and any accomodations you need personally with your professors.
when you get finished with college and go to work, there won't be a disability services office to talk with people for you about what you need. college is a great place to get in the practice of advocating for the things you need yourself.
you might check out the National Federation of the Blind's National Association of Blind Students listserv.
go to www.nfb.org and search for "NABS"
its a group of blind college students that you can ask questions to.
plan, talk with your professors, and have fun!
college for me was a great time
Thanks for the replies. I'm really excited about attending college, but at the same time, like I said, I'm a little frightened. I guess one of the things that I forgot to mention is that I'm a little shy when it comes to socializing. I know that I'll eventually have to get over the shyness, especially since I'm totally blind and I'll have to speak up for myself! And for the computer programming part, I'm aware that I'm probably going to have to take pretty challenging math courses. Currently, I'm about to enter Algebra 2, but I don't know if that class compares to the math classes that I'm going to have to take in the future! Also, I'm currently studying some of the necessary concepts for computer programming, and hopefully, I'll understand it when I actually get there. I'm also getting the idea that I'm not going to automatically get an apartment for my first year as a freshman, but like some of yall have suggested, I'll live on one of the dorms, and hopefully, I'll make some friends. I'm enjoying these suggestions, so if you have any more, feel free to reply! Thanks again.
Oh man! I wish I had a blind college student or graduate give me some tips before I went to start my first semester because I totally did not start out right. I didn't have the proper technology to read my books or a proper screenreader for that matter because apparently, people get paid to drink coffee and procrastinate all day. I ended up having to delay school for a semester while I and my counsellor got our shit together.
I attended public school, and when I graduated, I had to return all my accommodating technology. Well, most of it. some stuff was given to me, and the other stuff, I'm sure they won't miss it.
Anyway, everyone on here has given great tips. Make damn sure you talk to the Director of Disability Services. Ask how long they've worked with blind people; what technology is provided at the school; scanning software; readers; and any accommodation you can think of.
Also, make sure that your state gives you whatever you need in a timely manner as far as tech and tuition go.
Find out every piece of information about your classes as early as possible--location, professor, book lists, and other materials you may need. Establish contact with your professors before you start any class so they know your blind. Inform them of every accommodation you might need.
Also, join clubs to move along the friend-making process.
I too am not one for socializing. I'm not shy, just introverted. I've no problem being assertive, but I really have to push myself to go sit and talk with a group of people. It hasn't become a problem for me, but everyone thinks it's an issue.
Just know that you are the only one who can advocate for you properly because no one else knows more about how you feel and what you need.
Good luck!
I'm in the process. of moveing. and starting college. soon. in a few years. too.
Hi,
If you want me to, I'd be happy to introduce you to blind programmers who can assist you better. As for college, not only you'll learn new material, but also would get a chance to learn to advocate yourself (as others said).
Computer programming is not easy yet it is fun for those who have talents.
If you're in 11th grade, you've got some lucky time ahead of you. Take the next two years to learn independence skills in your home. That means taking over all chores for yourself - in steps, of course. Ask for your parents, or your counselor, to arrange for ways for you to learn how to cook your own food, clean your own dishes, clean a bathroom, do independent O&M to a few new places around town. If you don't know how yet, learn to handle your own money by budgeting what you spend, buying your own groceries, and so on.
Practice, practice. School is not the hard part once you get the swing of it, but living outside of home is.
I'm not frade of going back to college.
now i'm older. and i want to try and do the college and also work surch. as well..
plus i've got great support as well.
Something no one has mentioned yet is that you should visit every college you're considering applying to. Be sure to do this when classes are in session so you can get a sense of what student life is like. If you have the opportunity to do an overnight visit, all the better. Some colleges that sound great based on fliers and course catalogs may turn out to be worse (or better) choices for you than you expected.
also, friends are really nice, I have a whole circle of them, but don't foreget do your work!
I am one of those people who get distracted really easily and then forget I have work to do or can talk for hours and always go out to dinner with my friends and then forget work. I can yack for a million hours and then, go oh yeah, homework is due in five hours, shit!
and, also, there's no need to desperately look for friends they will come when they do don't especially seek them out which I tried doing. and, also, I find a lot more international students to be far better then any domestic student I have met. we tend to be better friends, so don't shy away from them, in fact try them out. forget the stigmas they can give you some might, but I have a lot of asian friends who are suppose to be not so understanding of the blind as a sterotype, and yet, most of my friends are indian or indonesian, and I have a malaysian friend and you couldn't find any better friends anywhere. also organize your time well, as mentioned before speak up for yourself, even to friends, some of these friends I had to give them my two cents of what I thought before they got there act together. Don't let sited people scare you away, and I'll post more later.
I was also scared about going to college, but I'm currently a senior in high school and attend a early college. This is my second year, and I'm almost done with both my high school diploma and my associates degree. At first it was overwhelming, but don't worry. It'll get better. I agree that having lots of friends around you helps alot. Yes, doing your work is very important. It's easy to just say to yourself, "I'll do it later," but don't! Good luck!