Navigating the Spectrum: Advice for Autistic University Students
Rebekah Williams
As neurotypical people, those without autism or any other developmental difference, make up the majority of the population. Therefore it is unsurprising that those on the spectrum are in the minority on university campuses. While everyone faces challenges at university, studying in a system not created with your brain wiring in mind can present specific challenges for some autistic people. By no means should autistic students feel the need to change to fit in with their environment, and luckily there are several tips to help those on the spectrum at university find support strategies and feel authentically accepted.
Find Other Neurodiverse Students
While relationships between neurotypical and autistic people are common, it can help to have friends on the spectrum who may be able to relate to specific experiences or challenges. At Queen’s University Belfast, QUB Inclusion is a society created to help those with various conditions and disabilities find friendship. This includes those on the spectrum – hosting numerous fun meetups throughout the year.
However, as autism is fairly common, it is possible to find other autistic students in any society, or even on your course. If you’re someone who finds social interaction taxing, Ashley, a woman on the spectrum, emphasises that ‘It is okay to do your own thing and not worry about participating with everything on campus’. Instead, you might want to look into the numerous groups for autistic people on Facebook, for example.
Contact Disability Services for Adjustments
Although some autistic people do not consider autism as a disability, Disability Services at QUB will help make any extra adjustments that autistic students may need. For example, they can help you with concerns such as the lighting at one of your lectures causing you to not be able to focus, or if one of your tutors asking you questions unexpectedly is causing you anxiety. For QUB, they can be reached at disability.office@qub.ac.uk, or by calling 02890975250.
Breakdown Given Information
Alanna-Marie, another woman on the spectrum, recommends that as some autistic people require more time to process information, ‘Don’t write pages and pages of notes… just write key information and move on.' She also recommends her technique of breaking down information, making it easier to process, by colour-coding in different highlighters ‘to show how well I understand and am confident in the topic’.
Ask for Clarification if Confused
Carolyn explains that due to her tendency to take everything literally, (another quality that some on the spectrum have) she ‘took it literally that I had to read everything on the booklist and beyond… maybe your tutor could advise on the number of articles, books etc. that would be reasonable to use so that you don’t get swamped’.
Again, while every person on the spectrum is unique, these tips are intended to help some autistic people with the specific challenges that they may face at University.
Rebekah Williams is a health and lifestyle reporter for The Scoop. She is a second-year English and Creative Writing student at Queen’s University Belfast.