Hi. I'm Ized, a sophomore at NAU, with an Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC). I looked forward to starting college because it's a place where people flaunt individuality and I thought that people might not notice that my personality is a little well, different...
Sometimes I'm quiet and other times, I overshare...or so I'm told. Silent or talkative there's always a jumble going on inside, but my routines help me cope with those feelings.
Things have been going pretty well at school, although I often prefer being alone rather than the awkwardness of eye-contact, one sided conversations, missed social cues...
...and worst of all, that overwhelming social anxiety during class and subsequent brain freeze that happens at the worst times.
Things were going along fine...once I got my class schedule down, a weekly appointment with a support group at Student Health and some friends for gaming Bannerlord...until that spring break that never ended...
COVID
What some people consider forced isolation, for me is a welcome reduction of in-person hours and an escape from typical classroom situations that make me extremely anxious.
Put the link to NAU Covid Health Check on your phone or check out the NAU Covid Dashboard if you're traveling in or out of town.