Living On My Own (College Life Series #3)

Hey everyone,

Today, I will be talking about my apartment and how it is going for me living on my own (during the school year). 

There comes a point in college (for some) where living on campus just isn't it anymore. I hit that point after being a resident assistant during the 2020-2021 school year. 

This school year, I was able to get my own studio apartment that's a five minute walk from campus. It has a kitchenette, full size bed, a walk-in closet with a washer and dryer inside, a desk to study, and a bathroom. I chose to decorate it with western and southwestern decorations (It is more decorated now than when those photos were taken). 

Transitioning From Being an RA and Living On Campus to Moving Off-Campus

When I lived on campus, I was constantly surrounded by other people, whether they were other RA's, residents, or hall directors. There was always someone to hang out with or something to do. 

Now, living off campus, I have to come up with ideas to keep myself busy (when I don't have schoolwork) because my friends can't always hang out. We all have busy lives. Luckily, I live right down the street from The Blue Mug (my favorite coffee shop in Greeley), a smoothie shop, and central campus, so I am surrounded by quite a bit of things to do. I go to The Blue Mug quite a bit to get coffee and study. 

I have gotten used to the fact that I am not surrounded by people constantly. It can be very difficult as times seeing as I was so involved as an RA on campus, but it is also really nice to have my own space to go to when I want to be alone. There are pros and cons to it, but for the most part it is good. 

Almost Having to Find a New Apartment

Early in the semester, Greeley almost shut down the complex I live at due to them not paying their bills to the city. This had all the residents/UNC students in chaos. It was around midterms, so trying to find a new place to live was impossible. Luckily, the issue was solved and everyone still lives at the complex. 

Staying Clean and Organized

Keeping my room cleaned and organized has always been something I struggle with (my room at home is not very clean right now haha). Once it gets somewhat disorganized, I struggle with thinking about how to reorganize it and then I put cleaning off due to my frustration. 

I recently started making a list for myself of chores I have to get done around the apartment. Sometimes, it doesn't get done for awhile, but it will eventually. I usually have two to three things for every couple of days that I try to work on. Dishes and laundry are always almost a constant, so they are always on that list. Creating this list has helped me stay somewhat organized around my apartment. I have been pretty successful with being in my own place. 

Tell me your thoughts and how you keep organized. Feel free to always comment in the comments section. 

Hope you all are having a great week!

Caitlin

Academic and Social Supports in College (College Series #2)

Hey everyone!

 Being in college is stressful for anyone who is. It is even worse if you don't have anyone behind you helping you succeed. Today I am going to be talking about the different supports I use to help me be successful in college.

Over the course of four years, I have attended two different colleges: a junior college and a university. The support resources for students are both very similar between the two but also very different. 

Northeastern (NJC) is a small two-year college in Sterling, Colorado. There was under 1000 full-time students when I was there. While there I had services from the transition specialist, the school counselor, tutoring services, and other staff located on campus. 

I am currently at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) in Greeley, Colorado. UNC is much bigger than Northeastern was, but not bigger than the other large schools in Colorado. Being at a much larger school makes it more difficult to navigate finding resources. At UNC, I have received support from the Disability Resource Center, the counseling center, the Student Health Center, Student Outreach and Support, tutorial services, and my supervisors for my current on-campus jobs.

The transition specialist at NJC and the Disability Resource Center at UNC both have the same type of function. They help provide support for students with disabilities on campus. This is how I get my accommodations for classes, etc. Some of the accommodations I received from both schools was extended testing time and alternate testing location. These accommodations help me focus more on my exams and quizzes as it is hard for me to occasionally finish tests in the time that the rest of my class would typically get and I do not like having distractions from the classroom while I am testing. At UNC, being that it is a much bigger school, I receive a few more accommodations than I did while I was at NJC. I not only receive testing accommodations, but I also receive options to have a peer note-taker or a note taking software, early registration (so I don't panic when it comes to registering for classes), occasional breaks from the classroom (mainly if I am having severe migraines to where I cannot focus), and I meet with an access coordinator every other week to help me stay on top of my assignments and busy schedule. 

Counseling has been provided at both schools I attended. NJC had one counselor for the whole student body being that it was a tiny school. UNC has a whole counseling center with several providers that assist the whole student body. This is a VERY useful resource for me for several reasons. I have struggled with depression and a mood disorder for about 5 years and therapy really helps me cope with struggles of college, personal struggles, and just daily life. It also has helped me understand my emotions better and how to deal with them properly. I go see my psychologist about every 1-2 weeks depending on how things are going. I will probably talk more about mental health in a post later on.

Not only is social life hard, but academics (being that is what college is there for) can be very difficult to handle. Tutoring services are very useful when it comes to getting assistance on a difficult assignment. When I was at NJC, I used their tutorial services A LOT. Their services were 100% free to student when I was there. There were tutors for almost every subject: Math, Science, English and Writing, you name it! This was very helpful for me, especially when I was taking General College Biology and retaking College Algebra (that's a long story). It was also useful when I needed help with writing papers. I know that's hard to imagine seeing as I am writing a blog, but writing research papers is a whole different ballgame! UNC also has tutorial services. They are harder to access and I found that the focus and attention I got was way less than at NJC (perks of a small two-year college). UNC also only has tutoring for certain subjects, which is hard if a student is really struggling in a class that doesn't have tutoring. 

Lastly, I will be talking about support other staff, faculty, and my job supervisors on campus. For almost all of my on-campus jobs between the two schools, I have lucked out on supervisors (the only exception was when I was a resident assistant). 

At NJC, I was a work study for residence life during my sophomore year. Unfortunately, during my first semester that year, I had to leave due to some medical issues, but my supervisor saved my position until I came back, along with my dorm room. I thought that was really cool! When I came back, I had a ton of support and they even helped me with a mock interview for when I was looking at the RA position at UNC! It was very helpful. Other people at NJC that were helpful were my counselor (I still email her and tell her how I am doing occasionally) and the career coach. The career coach at NJC recently wrote me a letter of recommendation for my graduate school application. Having these resources don't just exist while your a student, they last even after you leave school!

At UNC, my supervisors this year are wonderful. On Student Senate, I have so much support. One night that we had a meeting, I had a rough day and they told me to go home and recuperate because mental health is just as important as physical well-being. With the GOAL program, if any peer mentor needs to step away due to personal circumstances, they can. I think those are all very important things to have in place so students can be students and people first!

So that's my spill on campus resources and how they are useful to anyone in college! Please feel free to leave comments in the comment section! I am always happy to receive input and support!

I hope you all had some happy holiday celebrations!

Caitlin.

What Comes with the Holidays?

Hi everyone!

Holidays (no matter which ones) are always stressful. Everyone reacts or does things differently. Everyone has different ways of celebrating or what traditions they have. 

Every holiday is different for me. When the Fourth of July comes, I usually stay in as I don't like all the fireworks and loud noises that accompany that day! Christmas is probably one of my most favorite holidays because on the day itself or on Christmas Eve, it is more relaxed! 

Every year, my family celebrates on Christmas Eve as it is tradition. We have dinner and dessert, hang out, and then open presents. It is great to just spend time with family!

This year, I finally was able to buy Christmas presents for some of my friends and family without any help. It was pretty cool! I saved the money from my jobs at school and bought Christmas presents for everyone. 

I know today's post is short and sweet, but I just wanted to wish everyone a happy holidays and hope everyone is able to celebrate with their families! 

Post your favorite holiday traditions in the comments section (It can be for any holiday)! Again, happy holidays!

Caitlin

My On-Campus Jobs (College Life Series #1)

 Hi everyone!

For today's post and some other future posts, I am going to be talking about my different experiences and involvement in college. 

I have attended two different colleges and held on-campus jobs at both. During my time at Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, I was a work-study for housing and student life. I helped create posters and hang them up across campus. It was a very basic job but it got me some experience and I enjoyed it!

At the University of Northern Colorado, I have held various on campus jobs. Last year, I was a resident assistant. This job was fun, but also very taxing and I had a hard time adjusting to my working environment. I learned how to deal with situations that were very frustrating. I really learned what it was like being in a difficult work environment. Most of the other RA's were friendly, but there was a select few that just made the job really hard to do. My supervisor (who is no longer at UNC) was very difficult to work with and was never willing to accommodate my needs. These were some of the various reasons that I am no longer an RA. 

This year I have two on campus jobs: being a member of UNC Student Senate and a GOAL peer mentor!

I ran for student senate last semester and got voted in as a senator for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences for this school year! With this job, I have office hours to meet with other students, university administration, and other members of Student Senate. I get to have a voice for the student body and I think that is really cool!

Last of all, starting last year, I had a professor who recommended me to the Go on and Learn (GOAL) program at UNC to become a peer mentor. It is a program that assists students with intellectual and developmental disabilities that want an opportunity to attend UNC but that cannot always have a full course load. There are many students in the program. What is unique about this program is that it also has students that are not directly in the program, but are involved as peer mentors. In January of this year, I was hired on as a peer mentor.

My position as a peer mentor is very unique as I am also a student with a disability (I receive services from the campus' Disability Resource Center) and I am helping other students with disabilities. I help mostly with academics (mentors can pick for academic, social, or vocational support). The thing I like most about my job is that I can connect with the students I work with in a different way than most of the other mentors can. I understand some of the students struggles with their disability because I have had those struggles myself.

I am not just a mentor and the students I work with are not just students, we are friends. Shannon is one of the GOAL students I work with and we connected pretty instantly when we met. I help Shannon with class assignments when she needs it and we also hang out outside of school. We have gone to basketball and football games, gone to get coffee or tea, and we have even done FaceTime over this winter break! It is really rewarding to see Shannon and all the other GOAL students accomplish their goals knowing that peer mentors helped them get there! 

On-campus jobs are very useful as they are fun and I can work and get paid without having to go very far. The added bonus is how much I love my on-campus positions! 

On the next post in my college life series, I am going to talk about academic supports I have used throughout my time in college and how those supports have benefitted me!

Until next time,

Caitlin.

Overwhelming Social Situations and Overcoming Them

 Today I am gonna be talking about peer pressure and social situations as someone with an invisible disability. People with invisible disabilities are often in a unique spot when it comes to social situations. If you are like me, you cannot totally get through to your typical peers at times, but you cannot always understand your other friends with disabilities either, making it harder to know where your place is in the world. 

Growing up, and even now, it has always been hard for me to communicate to my more "typical" peers. Some have seen me as too "anti-social" or "shy" and others get to know me and understand how to work with my differences. Nowadays, I notice peer pressure occurring more than I ever did. The first time I drank in college was from peer pressure and not wanting to be different in that moment. I have been to a few parties and most everyone there wanted to get drunk. I was never okay with that and I got made fun of for it. My peers who understand me know I am not a huge partier or drinker (I'll have one every once in a while) and they are accepting of that. 

I understand the concept of "getting loose" and I am getting better at knowing what that is for myself, especially seeing as I am a senior in college. It means that I can have fun if I want to but I have to know my limits and boundaries in certain situations. If it is a party or gathering and there are too many people, I often will get overwhelmed and need to leave. If I am out having drinks with friends, I always make sure to drink water and know the amount that I need to stop at. I tend to enjoy more low-key settings (a small bar or restaurant). 

When it comes to communicating and hanging out with my peers that also have a disability, that can be a hard social situation as well. If I or one of my friends doesn't understand something, it can make it hard to have a conversation. The situation can then become overwhelming for both people involved. 

One thing I have learned from social situations is to always set boundaries and know what I am comfortable with. 

What are some social situations that have made you feel a bit awkward? Post comments in the comments section. 

I am wanting to gather ideas for future blog posts, so if you or anyone has any ideas, feel free to post those ideas in the comments as well!

Self-Care Appreciation Post (Mental-Health Awareness #1)

 Hi everyone,

Since it is a crazy time where the year is winding down and everyone is getting ready for the holidays, today's post is going to be dedicated to self-care. 

Self-care has always been something I have struggled with. I spend a lot of my time stressing out about school and life that I often don't do things to relax or have fun. 

This past year, I have had a lot happen in my personal life to where I have had to learn to be better at self-care. For months, people in my support system, especially at school, would ask me what I would be doing to take care of myself. I would never have an exact answer to that question. 

This semester, everything kind of just hit me and I did not do as well academically or mentally. I started to notice my depression and mood swings getting worse, I was constantly in a negative mindset (still can be at some point, but we all have our days), and I just was not feeling like myself. Understanding and conveying my emotions has always been somewhat difficult, especially being on the autism spectrum and with nonverbal learning disability(I have gone to therapy for quite a long time to help me understand how to deal with them). 

Now, I have a better understanding of what self-care is for me. I write a lot. I journal and this blog is also a version of my self-care as writing is something I enjoy and am good at. I also go to talk therapy. I learn a lot from going to therapy. At first it's hard, but after awhile it becomes very helpful. 

There are also more fun ways I take care of myself. I go and hang out with friends (get a drink, go and hang out somewhere, etc.). I am a big coffee drinker so having my coffee is another way that I take care of myself. I enjoy being outside, so I go on walks a lot, sometimes I run (I have not been very successful at that lately...haha). I recently got back into my almost lifelong hobby of swimming too. I joined the club swim team at my college, but it did not last long as I had a hard time with the social environment. I hope I can go to the school gym during open swim hours at some point though.

The point is, it is not always easy to take care of yourself, but you might be forced to at some time or another. It should not have to get there. You should always take care of yourself and do something you enjoy! 

I hope you all had an amazing day!

Post in the comments about your favorite self-care activity!

The Toughest Thing About Having an Invisible Disability

When it comes to people with disabilities, a lot of people always think of physical or visible disabilities. A disability has to be something that they can see. That is not entirely true. As a person with an "invisible" disability I think that some things are often harder for many reasons. 

Disclosing that you have a disability whether it is physical, cognitive, mental, etc. is not easy. For me, when I tell someone, they always say that they would not have known if I did not say anything about it. The reactions from people are always the most difficult part of disclosing my disability. I have had people quit talking to me when they found out that I was different. I have also had people treat me like a little kid because they think I am not capable of certain things once they know. But then, there's the people who don't really care that I have a disability because it doesn't defined my personality or who I am. 

Due to these circumstances, I have always struggled to make or keep friends. When I was in middle school, I was originally friends with a few girls that lived in my neighborhood. One day, we were at the local park and they started to ask me math questions for a reason I can't remember. I have always been kinda slow when it comes to numbers. They started calling me names because I could not answer their questions. When it came to being at school, they bullied me. One of the girls even had the nerve to follow me home one day. 

Fast forward to my first year of college. I went to a very small junior college in a rural area of Colorado. Most of the people in the town were very friendly and welcoming, but the students were not the same way. During my freshman year, I had seizures. The ambulance would get called frequently and I would have to refuse treatment most of the time. Because this happened so much, other students would always ask whenever there was an ambulance on campus if it was for me. That was really frustrating. I couldn't help my condition at the time and I felt like I was being punished for it. Other kids would not talk to me and if they did, they would treat me as if I was something fragile or diseased.

Now, I have a few friends that I am very close to and that I know will always look out for me. They may not be close by but I always know I can depend on them!

Do you have a hard time fitting in or making friends? Share your story, you never know who is willing to support and be there for you!

Introducing Me!

 Hi everyone,

My name is Caitlin. I am a second-semester senior at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado. I am writing this blog to showcase (a) what it is like to live and be a person with an invisible disability or a disability in general and (b) to provide a space where any individual can learn about what it is like living with a disability and can ask questions about it! 

I was born 13 weeks early (at 27 weeks) and weighed two pounds and half an ounce. I was also born with a traumatic brain injury (I had grade III/IV bleeds in my brain). My family was told that I would never read, write, walk, or talk. I am also on the autism spectrum and am diagnosed with nonverbal learning disability. Growing up, I was told by several people that I would never accomplish anything or be successful.

Now, I am a senior in college, majoring in communication studies and minoring in sociology. I am a senator for my college on student senate and mentor other students with disabilities at my college. It was not easy to get to this point. I had lots of help along the way, especially from my family. Being told "I can't" or "I won't" increases my motivation to be success and prove all those people wrong. I would not be who or where I am today without everyone in my support system believing in me!

I am always open to hear other people's stories (successes or struggles) as we all have something to say! I can't wait to share more about my experiences and hear from others as well!

Until next time!

Caitlin.