This guest post is by Abigail Farnsworth, a young woman with autism who plans to attend Ashland University. Abigail is applying for the Spring 2023 Making a Difference Autism Scholarship via the nonprofit KFM Making a Difference started by me, Kerry Magro. I was nonverbal till 2.5 and diagnosed with autism at 4, and you can read more about my organization here. Autistics on Autism: Stories You Need to Hear About What Helped Them While Growing Up and Pursuing Their Dreams, our nonprofit’s new book, was released on March 29, 2022, on Amazon here for our community to enjoy featuring the stories of 100 autistic adults.
Growing up with autism was extremely difficult, but going to college is just as hard. I absolutely love learning, and enjoy the variety of classes I get to take, but there are lots of things that make higher education stressful. When I first arrived at college, I felt as though I had stepped into a whole new world. Not only did I have to adjust to living in a new place, but also adapt to being around a whole new group of people. It was one of the most overwhelming experiences of my life. Even now, close to the end of my second semester, I still find it very stressful. No matter what, I am determined to succeed.
One of the most stressful parts about college is living in a dorm. While I do have my own room (which I am very thankful for), I am still constantly surrounded by people. I would not be able to make it through college if I had a roommate. After a long day of classes, my ‘people battery’ runs out. Having a private room gives me my own safe space to decompress and be alone. Without it, I would not be able to be a successful college student. One of the things I struggle most with in dorm-life is having a communal shower. I have a hard time around people in normal circumstances, but showering around them is even more difficult. Every time I go to wash my hair, it makes me anxious. I will probably never get used to the communal bathrooms. Showering around others may seem like a small thing, but with ASD, it is not. But regardless of how challenging it is, I never give up. Every night, I remind myself why I am at college. I sit down, drink a cup of tea, and calm my mind. Before bed, I picture what I want my future to look like, and remember the steps I need to take to help me get there. College is one of those steps. Just like an athlete, I “keep my eye on the ball’, and focus on where I want to go, not where I am.
Another challenging aspect of college is managing my schedule. I get overwhelmed very easily, and need to stay organized in order to remember when assignments are due. Without my ‘system’, I panic. In order to stay organized, I set one day of the week (Friday) aside for cleaning, laundry, and scheduling. I remind myself what I need to do within the next seven days, and plan when I am going to accomplish each of my tasks. As often as I can, I try to have most of my homework for Monday and Tuesday done before Sunday, so I can spend the later half of my weekend taking a ‘brain-break’. I can not function if I am always trying to move quickly. My mind is not good at running marathons. These aspects of my ‘system’ enable me to function and accomplish my goals. Having a routine makes college manageable, and a lot less stressful.
Of course, there are times when my schedule gets messed up, and I struggle. I have a panic attack at least once a week, sometimes more. Once my mind starts spiraling, there is little I can do to make it stop. This summer, I am planning to get an emotional support animal. Both my therapist and my mental health nurse practitioner think it is the best way for me to avoid frequent panic attacks, and cope with them when they do occur. I believe they are right, and can not wait to meet my new best friend. Having a furry companion by my side will definitely help keep me grounded, and give me comfort when everything seems overwhelming.
ASD definitely makes college more difficult. I struggle with daily challenges that most people do not have to deal with. My mind is always spinning, and I have to constantly keep my anxiety in check.. But throughout the last two semesters, I have worked extremely hard to adapt to my environment. There is nothing easy about living with others, sharing a bathroom with a dozen other people, or managing a schedule. Sometimes, it feels like too much. On occasion, I wonder whether or not someone like me can make it through college. More than once I have wondered, “Am I just too different? Am I not smart enough? Will I fail?”. College is an entirely different world. When first starting out, there is nothing familiar or comforting about it. That does not mean I will give up, though. In spite of my struggles, I am determined to graduate. One day, I will be glad I did not give up. ASD means I have to approach life a little differently than others but with the right plan, I can and will be successful.
Follow my journey on Facebook, my Facebook Fan Page, Tiktok, Youtube & Instagram.
My name is Kerry Magro, a professional speaker and best-selling author who is also on the autism spectrum. I started the nonprofit KFM Making a Difference in 2011 to help students with autism receive scholarship aid to pursue post-secondary education. Help support me so I can continue to help students with autism go to college by making a tax-deductible donation to our nonprofit here.
Autistics on Autism: Stories You Need to Hear About What Helped Them While Growing Up and Pursuing Their Dreams was released on March 29, 2022 on Amazon here for our community to enjoy featuring the stories of 100 autistic adults. 100% of the proceeds from this book will go back to our nonprofit to support initiatives like our autism scholarship program. In addition, this autistic adult’s essay you just read will be featured in a future volume of this book as we plan on making this into a series of books on autistic adults.
