What makes you... Aspies!

   Before all the male Aspies out there groan with the "I-hate-this-song" undertones, let me explain.  One Direction (for those of you who don't know) is a new British boy band whose songs have become pretty popular. Their biggest hit is called "What makes you Beautiful".
  While the song gets old pretty fast with guys (and some girls), I think that it could also be directed to the Aspies from the world in general. Yes, I have heard that they are supposed to be for a girl, but this can apply to all Aspies. Just look at the lyrics:

You're insecure

Don't know what for

   To some extent, most people are insecure, but with Aspies it is pretty much social insecurity that really gets us . The song continues:

I don't know why

You're being shy

And turn away when I look into your eyes

    Okay, if there is honestly a line more geared towards Aspies, let me know, because this I find to be undeniably true. Looking into someone's eyes as an Aspie feels like we are being robbed of our privacy that we so value. However , the most important lines Aspies really need to remember are these next ones:

Baby, you light up my world like nobody else...

But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell,

You don't know you're beautiful

   What Aspies really need to remember is that even in our darkest hour, we are beautiful. We are what the world may need the most of all. It is a true gift, what we have, and we shouldn't waste it. Keep in mind that one day we are the people who will light the world.

Why good teachers matter

    Let's face it: teachers are unavoidable in this life unless you live on a deserted island in the middle of nowhere. You must live with them for twelve or more years or until your formal education is complete. For this exact reason, it is very important to have very good teachers, especially for a person with Asperger's, where a teacher can mean all the difference.
   I am not saying that all teachers are fantastic. I know there are teachers out there who make a student's life a misery. When I was in fourth grade, for example, my teacher told my mother that I had no hope of graduating grade school and high school would be a lost cause and that I could never get into the high school that all the other girls could. Years later, she was proven wrong when I graduated grade school and got into the high school I wanted.
   My point is, not all teachers are great. But there is always that one teacher who you will never forget who helped you become who you are. My fifth grade science teacher, my eighth grade science teacher, my U.S. History teacher, and my Chemistry teacher were people who knew my difficulties and went above and beyond to help me, even though they did not have to do so. I have never been good at math, so my Chemistry teacher guided me through it and I am proud to say I made a solid A in her course because she was willing to go above and beyond to make sure I understood the material. My U.S. History teacher was the same, showing me I had a passion for history that was key to my success. My grade school science teachers were the same, guiding me through some very tough times.
    Wanting to be a better student makes teachers want to work with you through your difficulties. It's like my dad says: "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care". Showing that you are a dedicated student will make teachers go above and beyond, especially since you have Asperger's.

Why I love being an Aspie

    In honor of my 50th blog (Wow, this is crazy), I have decided to talk about why I love being an Aspie.

• The ability to rattle off facts about something I love and stunning everyone.
• Being a member of an elite clique that includes people like Thomas Jefferson, Jane Austen and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
• The ability to be able to think in a depth most people can't comprehend.
• My obsessions. All of them.
• Being different from the average person. Sometimes it is difficult, but it makes an Aspie memorable.
• The incredible people I have met who have changed my life in ways they will never be able to comprehend. I never would have met them without being who I  am and am daily thankful for the blessing of knowing them.
• This blog. Its help me to connect to other Aspies, and I am especially grateful for my readers. Thank you for everything.

   These are the reasons I love being an Aspie. And I cannot honestly say I would rather be anything else in the world. It makes me who I am, and helps those who want to change the world.

Too much stress!

     Let me tell you the state of mind I was in last Thursday night.
  
     It was the night before the APUSH (AP United States History) Exam. I am not in AP, but my teacher told me I was capable, I could score high on it and so I agreed to take said examination.
 
     That was not what was going through my mind, believe me.

      Raw, terrifying, panic was overriding my senses. Believe me, I had studied all year for this, but I felt unprepared and started freaking out when I realized there were three Treaties of Paris. Plus, I had never been exceptional on the mid eighteen hundreds historical information.
      So, to say the least, I was scared. I started worrying and explained to my mother how I felt inadequate. She sat me down with some tea and told me I was more than capable and I could do it. Then she suggested I call or text my friends who were also taking the test and talk to them and maybe we could quiz each other. I texted each of them and learned they were freaking out too. We all then got on Facebook and quizzed each other.
      That day, I learned so much. Other than the fact that my mother is a genius (Love you Mom!), I learned that I am not the only one, and everyone, not just Aspies gets that "I am alone in the world" and "I am panicked" feeling before a test.  Having someone to calm you down and friends who can quiz you and sit close to you during the test for comfort is the greatest thing ever. Try to find people who can help you and make you feel safe. And calm down,  it literally is not the end of the world, it's just a test.

SAT, ACT, Subject Tests, oh my!

    I am so sorry to all of my readers for not posting more often, but I can explain. As a junior in the Spring of her high school year, I am nearing my finals (very important!), and I am also taking the SAT, ACT, two AP tests and this very morning I took two SAT subject tests.
   Standardized testing is not anyone's favorite thing, but for Aspies, including me, it's really a struggle.  Math has never been my favorite subject and I tend to worry and freak out over all of these tests because most include some form of math.
   While standardized testing may never be your best friend, there are ways for Aspies to get around the freaking out part of it.  First, try to study for the areas you struggle in specifically. Getting a tutor also helps.
   Second, review things you struggle with the night before. I don't mean obsessively study and cram, I mean review basic things you may need to know, like the area of a circle or something like that right before you go to bed so you can sleep on it.
   Third, if this is possible, try to find someone to take the test with, someone who you are comfortable with. A friend of mine, who knows about my Asperger's, tried to sit close to me today, which was very comforting and helped me feel safe in a place where I didn't exactly know a lot of people.
   Try to use these ideas for standardized testing. They will truly help your comfort level and your score.

Help, Please?

   A few days ago, a friend asked me point blank why I decided to create this blog. I told her it was because I had nobody to turn to when I was diagnosed, and neither did my parents.
  
    When I was diagnosed as a nine year old, few people understood exactly what Asperger's was in the first place. My mother went into denial that I was even slightly autistic, because what parent wants to hear that their child will never be completely normal?

    At the time, my mother turned to the one person she knew who had a son with Asperger's. James (not his real name) was in the grade above me at my middle school. When my mother went to James's mother, who happened to be a psychologist, for advice, help, or heck, consolation, his mother told mine point blank: "James has never had a friend in his life, so don't get such high hopes for your daughter."  James was not as high functioning as I am.  He walked oddly and spoke with a high pitched voice.  I recall his mother telling mine she wasn't sure if James would test into the highly academic Catholic high school we were both hoping to attend.

    Well, long story short, we went our separate ways although we both did eventually get into that high school.  A  few weeks ago, I saw him at the movies with some friends and said hello.  He walked better and his voice had gone down and he seemed much to have matured into a confident young man.   He said he wished he could have helped me in middle school, but he didn't understand much himself.  He told me he had actually worked, just like I had, on schoolwork and making friends. He was so different and I was so happy for him. James had also become, since I had last seen him, a National Merit Scholar and is going to a prestigeous university next fall. This was the same boy who didn't think he could go to a highly academic high school!

    Moral of the story, Aspies, don't get discouraged because you are different. You will find a way to shine through the darkness.

Sherlock Holmes: Famous Aspie

Hey Guys! I was watching some more Sherlock(remember, the one where the creator called Holmes 'Aspergerish'?) and I found this link. In this episode, The Hounds of Baskerville, Sherlock, John, and Lestrade are in Dartmoor checking over the case of Henry Knight. They have not gotten far when Sherlock inadvertantly insults Lestrade, which has Lestrade leaving the pub frustrated and ranting to John, and naturally, John brings up Asperger's. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iOr5Hix4QI