How to Use This Website
Navigating the Website
While there's only two sections of this website technically for people on the spectrum, the whole website is actually directed towards helping you.
The parents section is to reassure caregivers and help make the transition easier on the both of you. From personal experience, I know my mother and extended family pretty much went into a frenzy when it came time for my sister to go to college, which really stressed my sister out. I think if there had been a website to refer them to and reassure them, then it would not only have been easier on them, but also easier on my sister. That's the rationale behind this section.
The friends section is there for you to refer others to, for the purpose of educating them and answering any questions they may have, should you so choose. When I wrote it, I particularly had roommates in mind to promote understanding in your relationship, should you choose to disclose. It's also for friends of yours who may have questions. In addition, if you find someone you run into conflicts with or are concerned there may be conflicts with, or even a random stranger who wants to better understand autism, that's good place to refer them. Basically, it's a go-to place that you can give others if they want to (or you want them to) better understand ASD.
The section for instructors is, again, actually there to help you. If you run into problems with a professor in college, or just think that they could use a better explanation of why you act certain ways or need the accommodations you do, that section is there to serve as a resource to send them to.
The parents section is to reassure caregivers and help make the transition easier on the both of you. From personal experience, I know my mother and extended family pretty much went into a frenzy when it came time for my sister to go to college, which really stressed my sister out. I think if there had been a website to refer them to and reassure them, then it would not only have been easier on them, but also easier on my sister. That's the rationale behind this section.
The friends section is there for you to refer others to, for the purpose of educating them and answering any questions they may have, should you so choose. When I wrote it, I particularly had roommates in mind to promote understanding in your relationship, should you choose to disclose. It's also for friends of yours who may have questions. In addition, if you find someone you run into conflicts with or are concerned there may be conflicts with, or even a random stranger who wants to better understand autism, that's good place to refer them. Basically, it's a go-to place that you can give others if they want to (or you want them to) better understand ASD.
The section for instructors is, again, actually there to help you. If you run into problems with a professor in college, or just think that they could use a better explanation of why you act certain ways or need the accommodations you do, that section is there to serve as a resource to send them to.
Participating in the Website
Let me start out by saying this: I did not want to make this website.
Why is that? Even though I'm not on the spectrum myself, I'm afraid of appearing to speak for you guys, who are. That's not something I condone; in fact, it's something I'm very much against. As a result, making this website was something I felt (and still feel to a degree) extremely uncomfortable with. I ultimately decided to make the website because the resource didn't exist; I figured it was better to at least have something rather than nothing, even if it wasn't ideal. While I ran everything by my sister (who does have ASD) and got her approval, it still wasn't enough for me to feel comfortable publishing the website. What more could I do? The only solution I could think of was making the website HIGHLY participatory and interactive.
I can't emphasize enough how much your participation in this website is encouraged and appreciated. What do I mean by partipation? For starters, there are Give Your Input sections with suggested contributions for you guys to make at the bottom of each page in the ASD Pre-College section (I'm still in the process of adding it to the During College section). What you write doesn't have to be limited to that, though; those are suggestions and nothing more. In fact, if you want to write an article or college-related blog of your own, I'm happy to host it here and would, in fact, be extremely grateful for your participation. So long as you follow the ground rules (basicically that you're polite and relevant) set out in the Make a Submission page, I welcome people submitting their own contributions via Contact Me. You can choose between anonymity or attribution, and between adding to/editing a previously made article or making a whole new one.
My point is that this is a website meant for you guys, not for NTs like me, so if you see anything written here that you don't feel comfortable with (nicely) tell me! So if you send me, through the Contact Me section, anything you'd like to see edited, I am more than happy to work with you so long as you support your points. Constructive criticism is appreciated. (With a strong emphasis on the word constructive! This is not a fanfiction; please no flames!)
Why is that? Even though I'm not on the spectrum myself, I'm afraid of appearing to speak for you guys, who are. That's not something I condone; in fact, it's something I'm very much against. As a result, making this website was something I felt (and still feel to a degree) extremely uncomfortable with. I ultimately decided to make the website because the resource didn't exist; I figured it was better to at least have something rather than nothing, even if it wasn't ideal. While I ran everything by my sister (who does have ASD) and got her approval, it still wasn't enough for me to feel comfortable publishing the website. What more could I do? The only solution I could think of was making the website HIGHLY participatory and interactive.
I can't emphasize enough how much your participation in this website is encouraged and appreciated. What do I mean by partipation? For starters, there are Give Your Input sections with suggested contributions for you guys to make at the bottom of each page in the ASD Pre-College section (I'm still in the process of adding it to the During College section). What you write doesn't have to be limited to that, though; those are suggestions and nothing more. In fact, if you want to write an article or college-related blog of your own, I'm happy to host it here and would, in fact, be extremely grateful for your participation. So long as you follow the ground rules (basicically that you're polite and relevant) set out in the Make a Submission page, I welcome people submitting their own contributions via Contact Me. You can choose between anonymity or attribution, and between adding to/editing a previously made article or making a whole new one.
My point is that this is a website meant for you guys, not for NTs like me, so if you see anything written here that you don't feel comfortable with (nicely) tell me! So if you send me, through the Contact Me section, anything you'd like to see edited, I am more than happy to work with you so long as you support your points. Constructive criticism is appreciated. (With a strong emphasis on the word constructive! This is not a fanfiction; please no flames!)