Ryan: Sensory hypersensitivity is a common difficulty.  Especially for me certain noises and smells can be overwhelming and tricky to manage – it’s hard to block out this and other senses since they just take over and it’s very difficult to focus on other things.  I use noise cancelling headphones and earplugs, to reduce the impact of noise.  I also take less crowded routes around campus when possible. Having a safe/quiet place you can go to is useful – there are many hidden spots on campus e.g. St. Benet’s Chaplaincy.

Making decisions can be tricky and time-consuming, e.g. over module choices or what piece of homework to do first. I sometimes feel uncomfortable to ask for help and it takes a while to build up the courage to do so. DDS support (Disability and Dyslexia Service) helps a great deal – especially mentoring and exam arrangements etc. Also, Student Support officer support in the department is helpful.

Social interaction on a day-to-day basis can be hard because I don’t pick up social cues or subtle humour etc. Making friends was very tricky at first, it took me a very long time to meet the right people.  Freshers’ week, in particular, was very challenging for me personally, I felt quite alone and isolated. More recently, I’ve been taking part in Students' Union activities e.g. being a course rep and volunteering within projects such as Green Mary.  It helps me to see different sides of the university and the work that goes in behind the scenes, and also lets me meet students across subjects.

Hasan: The lecture/tutorial/seminar setting doesn’t really help me in trying to find friends on my course.  This was easier at school because there are first day of term activities that force you to say your name, where you’re from and what’s your favourite TV show or something. At least then I would know who to gravitate towards, so I can talk to them about their favourite TV show after asking them for help on the Calculus II assignment. I know there are icebreaker events in the first week here, but they’re really noisy and often involve treasure hunts, which I hate, because I’m not learning anything about the person I’m paired with.  As such, I usually end up making friends through attending various societies, as I know we are interested in the same things.  So, I’m more likely to gravitate towards them to talk about their favourite TV show (although now I’m not any closer to finishing that Calculus II). 

Sumita: Tinted lenses help light sensitivity, and I sometimes wear ear muffs or headphones to take the edge off background noise. I am not very good at time management - I easily lose track of time; it helps to write lists, use timers, break the day into different sections. I also need to be aware of my energy levels, so that I know when to make myself go home before a shutdown begins, or to know when to give myself a break so as to avoid risk of overload. Remembering to eat drink and sleep can be helped by writing out schedules and planning out meals in advance (and trying to make them exciting or rewarding in some way, such as creating a routine including a favourite thing to look at before dinner, or something to listen to before bed). Basically, I constantly try to make each day and each week seem like a game in order to help me stay on track!

Communication of ideas can be difficult, but I make the most of emails or writing to help me with this; writing down my thoughts down to read out in tutorials, using visual materials to help explain what I want to research, or emailing tutors about the topics I am interested in exploring, has helped me to create useful plans for my assignments.

Hasan: In the context of a lecture, if I’m trying to write down notes that are written on the board, and you start talking, I’m not listening to you.  People on the spectrum have a hard time trying to multitask, so in this context, I am completely dedicating my “processing power” to writing down what is on the board. It would honestly help if supplementary notes were available online. In the context of science and engineering subjects, it helps if you explain how what we’re learning is applied in the real world. People on the spectrum often feel isolated from the outside world, so it would help if you just took a few minutes to explain how the course content is used in the real-life context, so that they can understand the world a bit better. This would especially help them understand their careers prospects a little better, as they would know what they’re good at, and what they would be doing in the world of work. 

Ryan: Often I feel that people view us as not being interested and feel like we don’t want to participate. But sometimes we just need time to think and it takes us extra time to process things – the decision making process can be stressful sometimes. 

Sumita: Yes, someone might not look like they don’t want to engage in an activity when they really do - perhaps they don’t know how, due to the style of the activity. My ability to engage with the course has been maximised by the fact I don’t feel like I am being judged for my appearances; this means I can focus my energy on the course, instead of unnecessarily wasting energy on being over-conscious of masking autistic traits.

Hasan: do you want to say something about being QMSU rep & careers event?

Ryan: Having a part-time job on campus has had a huge impact on me and has given me a vast array of skill development opportunities, especially my communicative/interpersonal skills. It’s expanded my network with students as well as staff from across the university. I feel this will help immensely in preparation for work after study and I also feel a lot more comfortable using the phone, for instance.

Sumita: The course itself has been the most positive experience, as it’s what I’m most interested in (Creative Arts and Mental Health), and I have been lucky to have supportive tutors.

Sumita: After university I would like to continue researching and to continue being involved in creative projects as a writer and as a performer.

Ryan: I’m not really sure to be honest. At this stage, however short term is to pass the year and degree etc. and try and get reasonable marks in the modules.

Hasan: If I’m being honest, I don’t really know. The realistic answer is that I want to be able to work in data science or finance. The fantasy answer on the other hand, is to either become a politician, or become a writer (novels or TV), or work in video games.