Transition From Community College to 4-Year College

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AspergersActor8693
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08 Aug 2014, 7:47 pm

I'm new here and in three weeks I will be going away to a 4 year school after spending about 3 years at my local community college. The school I'm going to reminds me a lot of my high school, the place where I became the person I am today and were the best 4 years of my life took place, but I am still nervous about the transition. With community college I could just go to class and leave when it was over, now I will always be around people. I'm paying for a single dorm so I won't have to deal with an unfamiliar roommate who may not understand my condition and I'll be bringing my car Rosalind with me so I have an escape if needed. Has anyone else been in a similar scenario and how did the transition go?



MissDorkness
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13 Aug 2014, 12:54 pm

AspergersActor8693 wrote:
I'm new here and in three weeks I will be going away to a 4 year school after spending about 3 years at my local community college. The school I'm going to reminds me a lot of my high school, the place where I became the person I am today and were the best 4 years of my life took place, but I am still nervous about the transition. With community college I could just go to class and leave when it was over, now I will always be around people. I'm paying for a single dorm so I won't have to deal with an unfamiliar roommate who may not understand my condition and I'll be bringing my car Rosalind with me so I have an escape if needed. Has anyone else been in a similar scenario and how did the transition go?

My situation isn't quite so similar.

I did three years at a Community College, but, had 3 or 4 years off before going back to Uni. Just as I liked CC over high school, I liked uni even better. Great students, great instructors, more life experience to provide context for things I was taught.

BUT, I didn't live on campus, and I took night classes, so I'm sure my experience was pretty different than what you'll experience.
In my experience at uni, there were plenty of green spaces or libraries or other spaces where you can have fewer people around.

Congrats on the move and enjoy it.



kraftiekortie
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13 Aug 2014, 1:39 pm

Yep...four-year colleges are more than a mere extension of two-year colleges.



AspergersActor8693
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13 Aug 2014, 5:40 pm

I have never taken a night class, even at Community College. The school I'm going to, even though it isn't incredibly big and the total student body population is approximately 1,600 students total, there are still places I think I could go if I wanted to be alone. They also have a pool table so I will probably spend time there. I plan on registering with the disabilities services over there so some accommodations to my needs can be met. It just so happens that one of the people that work there has AS, I don't remember what she does there, but I think knowing that may be good to know.



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14 Aug 2014, 12:14 pm

AspergersActor8693 wrote:
I have never taken a night class, even at Community College. The school I'm going to, even though it isn't incredibly big and the total student body population is approximately 1,600 students total, there are still places I think I could go if I wanted to be alone. They also have a pool table so I will probably spend time there. I plan on registering with the disabilities services over there so some accommodations to my needs can be met. It just so happens that one of the people that work there has AS, I don't remember what she does there, but I think knowing that may be good to know.


My first year at Uni, when I was 18, I took day classes.
I couldn't afford to live on campus and had to commute pretty far. Used to gete 0's on my papers all the time because the teachers said everything needed to be typed, and everyone had access to the computer labs, which were never full.
That's all well and good, except for those of us who have to leave classes and go to work for the rest of the day and night. :roll:
Don't get me started on the literature teacher who had us READ ALOUD every day in class. I got in trouble for not following along, but, I'd read all those books in high school. Nothing more painful than listening to some jock with a hangover try to read classic literature aloud.
"oh... eh... dippus?"
OMG, agony!
My accounting teacher had a strong accent that no one but me could understand, so I spent 2/3 of class time whispering translations to the students in the two rows around me.
My other classmates never seemed to understand instructions, and would constantly ask me for clarifications (because I'd always start the homework during class). The constant talking to me (instead of asking the teacher) was a severe agitation, plus a distraction and a waste of my time.

Anyway, my second year, I switched to CC, night classes only.
Although there were plenty of people my age, everyone there worked. So, both students and teachers understood priorities of working while going to school. 'hey, I've got to work doubles all weekend, can I type up my work on tuesday and hand it in then, or turn it in now handwritten?' The other students, if they didn't understand, would just ask the teacher.

It was way better for me... way way better.



AspergersActor8693
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14 Aug 2014, 10:13 pm

Community College was a great college start for me, and the fact that I had earned a scholarship when I graduated High School that paid for the full tuition cost of 4 classes a semester (minus books and fees) made it even better. I was also very lucky that my community college was considered the best in the state and one of the top 10 in the country. I graduated from there this past spring and I want to continue in my education.

For the price bracket of the school I'm going to, I highly doubt that a lot of the 1,600 total students are going to do nothing but party. It is far from a party school, and I have been there a few times so I know what it is like. I will be living on campus. I feel that it is too much for me to commute 1 hour to 1.5 hours each way, and considering my major may require me to stay there late; It is worth it for me to live on campus, and I've never had any real experience with living away from home so that in itself will be a worthwhile learning experience.

Right now I only have one job that is seasonal (two if you count selling on ebay) both which I won't be doing while I'm away and won't be working while I'm there. I feel that a good solid education is more important in the long run than some money here and now and a compromised education. I've saved up a good amount of money overtime and I have a good amount of scholarships, grants, loans, workstudies, etc to pay for a good chunk of tuition.

I had that issue with a professor that had a heavy accent. First day of class there had to be at least 20 students walk out, and that is the ONLY class I've ever taken where I had trouble staying awake. Dropped that class soon after myself and replaced it with a technical theatre class, which was SO much better, and I was one of only three students! :)



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15 Aug 2014, 9:47 am

AspergersActor8693 wrote:
Community College was a great college start for me, and the fact that I had earned a scholarship when I graduated High School that paid for the full tuition cost of 4 classes a semester (minus books and fees) made it even better. I was also very lucky that my community college was considered the best in the state and one of the top 10 in the country. I graduated from there this past spring and I want to continue in my education.

For the price bracket of the school I'm going to, I highly doubt that a lot of the 1,600 total students are going to do nothing but party. It is far from a party school, and I have been there a few times so I know what it is like. I will be living on campus. I feel that it is too much for me to commute 1 hour to 1.5 hours each way, and considering my major may require me to stay there late; It is worth it for me to live on campus, and I've never had any real experience with living away from home so that in itself will be a worthwhile learning experience.

Right now I only have one job that is seasonal (two if you count selling on ebay) both which I won't be doing while I'm away and won't be working while I'm there. I feel that a good solid education is more important in the long run than some money here and now and a compromised education. I've saved up a good amount of money overtime and I have a good amount of scholarships, grants, loans, workstudies, etc to pay for a good chunk of tuition.

I had that issue with a professor that had a heavy accent. First day of class there had to be at least 20 students walk out, and that is the ONLY class I've ever taken where I had trouble staying awake. Dropped that class soon after myself and replaced it with a technical theatre class, which was SO much better, and I was one of only three students! :)


Wow, you really have everything lined up great. That's pretty exciting and sounds like a good idea.

:lol: I've traveled enough that accents don't tend to phase me, BUT, I had one teacher that always put me to sleep. Of course, it was my first class of the day, and I had a long commute, but, seriously, it's not that it was algebra, it's that it was taught by Ben Stein's twin (I know, I'm one to talk about monotone voice, but, I don't speak for 90 minutes straight in the morning and expect people to listen). I would nod off ALL THE TIME. Terrible. ;)



AspergersActor8693
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28 Aug 2014, 7:04 pm

So tomorrow is the big day; Move In Day. I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about starting this new school and living away from home, but I feel ready (at least somewhat) to take this on. I'm packing all of my things and we'll be leaving for a new period of my life tomorrow morning.



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28 Aug 2014, 8:05 pm

Hey.

Don't forget to take a break from studying, and have fun adventures. Life is what you make of it, ya know? Enjoy the journey :D



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29 Aug 2014, 1:25 pm

AspergersActor8693 wrote:
So tomorrow is the big day; Move In Day. I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about starting this new school and living away from home, but I feel ready (at least somewhat) to take this on. I'm packing all of my things and we'll be leaving for a new period of my life tomorrow morning.


:D You know you've got this. Don't forget to check back soon and tell us how you're settling in.



AspergersActor8693
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30 Aug 2014, 9:31 pm

Well, it is now the end of day two of my four day orientation and I am just about moved into my new 'home'. It is a single room so no roommate to deal with, though I do have my beta fish Simi with me as my 'roommate' :wink: It is in a building that was built in the late 1800's so I love the architecture of the building, it has a haunted 4th floor, my room is on the first floor, and I have 12ft ceilings. All in all, I like the setup I have here. Enjoying some fresh watermelon that my parents brought over earlier today while watching the original airing of the last episode of Home Improvement with the backstage pass special on a DVD I made. :)

The nice room hasn't changed the fact that I am still very nervous about starting this new phase of life here. Last night they had an activity called 'playfair' which was a series of games and tasks to get to know fellow classmates. Mixing in and interacting with a few hundred or so people was a bit out of my comfort zone as some of you may feel, and the loud music the DJ was playing wasn't helping since I'm hyper-sensitive to excessive loud sounds and music. I eventually decided to give it a try and I was trying to participate, but the group I was in was in the worst possible place for me, directly in from of the DJ's speakers. I pretty much did all that I was able to do with my fingers or hands covering one or both ears. It eventually got so bad that I had to step away and I had a bad headache. I've been hyper-sensitive to loud sounds and music all my life. I though I read somewhere that this is not uncommon amongst people with AS. True?

Even though I'm not 100% comfortable right now, I know from past experiences that I'll adapt and adjust and get to know people, especially in the theater department. I just am not seeing right now how I could afford to go out and do fun stuff when I want to do well in my classes and will have a work study job to do. Perhaps time will tell.



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31 Aug 2014, 12:11 am

Seriously? A haunted floor? I would be so freaked out haha. Anyways, I'm glad you decided to get out of your comfort zone; it's always a bit nerve-wracking at first, but can be so worthwhile in the end. By the way, you can have fun adventures outside of school and work. Each person is different, but once you get into the groove of things, you'll learn how to balance your personal/social/professional life. Especially with classes, study efficiently and try not to cram. Best of luck on your first day :D

p.s. I used to watch Home Improvement when it was on tv. Such a good show.



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31 Aug 2014, 8:21 am

Beau wrote:
Seriously? A haunted floor? I would be so freaked out haha. Anyways, I'm glad you decided to get out of your comfort zone; it's always a bit nerve-wracking at first, but can be so worthwhile in the end. By the way, you can have fun adventures outside of school and work. Each person is different, but once you get into the groove of things, you'll learn how to balance your personal/social/professional life. Especially with classes, study efficiently and try not to cram. Best of luck on your first day :D

p.s. I used to watch Home Improvement when it was on tv. Such a good show.


Yes, from what I have been told, guys that go on the 4th floor leave with small injuries and they have no explanation as to how they got them. So it seems like this ghost really hates males. That is why my building is the only one on campus with single sex floors, females on the 44th, guys on the first, and co-ed on the 2nd & 3rd floors.

I did try to participate in that event, but the loud music really made it hard for me to do. Everything else I have participated in.

I love Home Improvement too. I've got the first three seasons. It is one of the few comedy shows that I feel were truly funny. A lot of the things out now fail to do that for me, and I've never been a fan of canned laughter.



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02 Sep 2014, 2:45 pm

AspergersActor8693 wrote:
Last night they had an activity called 'playfair' which was a series of games and tasks to get to know fellow classmates. Mixing in and interacting with a few hundred or so people was a bit out of my comfort zone as some of you may feel, and the loud music the DJ was playing wasn't helping since I'm hyper-sensitive to excessive loud sounds and music. I eventually decided to give it a try and I was trying to participate, but the group I was in was in the worst possible place for me, directly in from of the DJ's speakers. I pretty much did all that I was able to do with my fingers or hands covering one or both ears. It eventually got so bad that I had to step away and I had a bad headache. I've been hyper-sensitive to loud sounds and music all my life. I though I read somewhere that this is not uncommon amongst people with AS. True?

I like the idea of games to facilitate the getting to know you thing, cause I'm kinda bad at that. But, yes, exactly like you, the noise would've been a deal breaker for me.

I can get through it for short periods, especially if I can go hide in a bathroom for a quiet break in increments...
and, not that I advocate this approach on a regular basis, but, drinking kinda helps. (I have to work trade shows at a busy conference, and the noise from all of the competing vendors, plus the entertainment and chatter... I couldn't tolerate them at all, until I finally started downing a few adult beverages. It kinda dulled things for me so the stimulus didn't bother me as much.)

At any rate, yes, the noise thing is very common, part and parcel to the whole sensory defensiveness thing.



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02 Sep 2014, 3:51 pm

I just had to stop participating altogether because it was too much for me to bear. Glad to know that hyper sensitivity to sound is pretty common amongst us and it isn't just me. That is a reason I joined up here, to learn more about my AS. :D

I had my first day of classes today. Even though I transferred in as a Junior and have 58 credits under my belt already, I was still very nervous. I think I still need to adjust and adapt to this new way of life I'm living. I'm praying that I'll be able to feel comfortable and meet some people, which I have found hard and intimidating to do right now.



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02 Sep 2014, 11:28 pm

AspergersActor8693 wrote:
I just had to stop participating altogether because it was too much for me to bear. Glad to know that hyper sensitivity to sound is pretty common amongst us and it isn't just me. That is a reason I joined up here, to learn more about my AS. :D

I had my first day of classes today. Even though I transferred in as a Junior and have 58 credits under my belt already, I was still very nervous. I think I still need to adjust and adapt to this new way of life I'm living. I'm praying that I'll be able to feel comfortable and meet some people, which I have found hard and intimidating to do right now.


~smiles~ last year at this time, I was about to have a nervous breakdown...
I was leaving my job of 13.5 years.
It was way past time to leave... but, I was so nervous. I'd never had that type of consistency in my life before. Same telephone and address for that many years... that many hours with the same people. Totally rare for a wanderer like me, who had 9 home addresses in those same years.

But, I just told myself what I always have when starting something new.... this time next year, I'll think nothing of this at all. It'll be old hat.

I'm still learning some details, but, otherwise, I'm pretty darned comfortable in my new surroundings.