College Bound in September

Posted on September 23, 2024

After so many years of setbacks, I can finally call myself a college student! It’s a
wonderful feeling to finally have goals align and personal elements reach a point where I
can go back to school. It’s so important to realize and understand that you’ll never be or
feel 100% ready to do something, but you can prepare for most of it, have assistance with
those preparations, and then set yourself up to succeed. No matter your age or limitations
you can always strive to attend higher education if that is your goal!

My plans to go back to school started in pre–pandemic. I found a local community
college that was affordable and spoke with campus directors and even scheduled a
campus tour. However, the week I was to attend that tour, that’s when the pandemic hit.
You couldn’t leave your house and if you did, you were battling it out for toilet paper in the
big box stores. It’s important to note that a lot of people got sick or even passed away
during the bulk of the pandemic so what I say next isn’t to take away from the fact. As
someone on the spectrum, when you have plans that you work hard on and they suddenly
go up in smoke, it’s a huge adjustment to get back on track. So, that pandemic brought new
challenges unrelated to Covid–19 that I then had to work through, mental health wise and
family illness wise.

When I finally was ready to attend school this year, I worked with an outside agency
that could show me the ropes and reduce my overall anxiety about the process (loans,
etc.). Not because I was unable or unwilling to do it, but having someone with experience,
eases anxiety and allows you to accomplish your goals. So never feel bad about needing
support or asking for accommodations. This is your life, and you deserve to be set up for
success.

As a new student, one thing that I did do was to not overwhelm myself. I start as a
part time student and as my college year progresses, I will perhaps add more onto my
plate. Even advisors recommend that new students not load themselves up with classes at
the start. So, I have half the schedule but it’s still a great accomplishment for me.
Have any of you guys gone back to school after your plans went up in smoke? How
did that go for you? How did it feel when your plans finally did go right, and you were able to
become a student? It’s such an empowering feeling, right?
Thanks so much readers, and if you are going back to school this year, like myself, I
hope it’s a year that we both can get the most out of!