[Blake]

I know I am only 13 and have plenty of time but was wondering how many people went away to college after their injury. I never thought about college till I met my gf, it is pretty much all she thinks about. For those who went away to college how was dorm life? were you still able to join a fraternity?

Did you still have that "normal" college experience?

This post has been edited by Blake: 04 October 2009 - 11:27 PM

[semirameris]

Blake, on Oct 5 2009, 12:25 AM, said:

I know I am only 13 and have plenty of time but was wondering how many people went away to college after their injury. I never thought about college till I met my gf, it is pretty much all she thinks about. For those who went away to college how was dorm life? were you still able to join a fraternity?

Did you still have that "normal" college experience?

hi, Ive just started at University in the uk, so far eveyone is lovely. Some things you have to push for, but overall everyone has been really accomadating. I have a larger room so i can get about it in my chair and a fully adapted kitchen and bathroom. And all my lecturers are really understanding about hospital appointments and if i miss a lecture because i am ill. Im having a great time, so i would urge you to go for it, you deserve everything eveyone else gets, and youll have a great time.

katie

[faribeauty]

Dorm life is a little difficult well here at my school anyways...the only handicapped bathroom is on the first floor which sucks when you live on the 3rd. But other than same. Some classes athat...everything is pretty much the re smaller than others and you'll need accomadations (which you should have a disability office on campus that you need to contact when you visit) Idk about the fraternities and stuff I'm a girl and I didnt want to join a sorority but I'm sure they wouldnt mind at all!
But yeah main point...you can totally have the same college experience you just have to work a little harder at it!

[jules]

I Had my accident at 15 and went away to University at 18, had the time of my life. The University I chose was 150 miles away from home so I was totally independant. I lived in halls of residence which meant I had an adapted bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. The bedroom I had was larger than the other bedrooms in our flat, and everyone else in the flat that I shared with loved the fact that we had an extra large bathroom and kitchen (which was great for parties)

I did everything that everyone else did at Uni - went out got horrendously drunk reasonably frequently, but still managed to get a good degree and got a lot of very close friends for life.

Hope this helps, but my advice is to go for it, I loved every minute that I spent at University and I think it helped me become independent alot more quickly than if I had been at home.

[Zak Sharp]

Dude, you got plenty of time to think about picking a college! It's something I've been putting off, but I'm in the middle of my college search and all now. You'll learn a lot by visiting the campus. While every school seems like they want to be accessible, some just are more than others. Just spend some time there and see what it feels like. But there are ups and downs to every school. It's just one more thing on my checklist

[cjmackay]

I got in my accident after my freshman year at WSU. I played football here in the pac10 so it was a big adjustment. I now live on my own in a apartment and joined a frat. I just have my drunk buddies carry my ass up and down the stairs.

[Blake]

cjmackay, on Feb 7 2010, 03:18 AM, said:

I got in my accident after my freshman year at WSU. I played football here in the pac10 so it was a big adjustment. I now live on my own in a apartment and joined a frat. I just have my drunk buddies carry my ass up and down the stairs.

It's really good to know the "normal" college experience is possible. despite my age it's something I've come to think about a great deal.

[WildKat]

Blake, on Oct 4 2009, 07:55 PM, said:

I know I am only 13 and have plenty of time but was wondering how many people went away to college after their injury. I never thought about college till I met my gf, it is pretty much all she thinks about. For those who went away to college how was dorm life? were you still able to join a fraternity?

Did you still have that "normal" college experience?

It's great that she got you thinking about your education like that! I didn't attend University after my sci, but I did before it happened. Aside from my sci (which happened in 2004) I was born blind and with Cerebral Palsy. I went to a regular University and lived in residence for two years. It can be pretty daunting at first, but usually by that age people are a bit more understanding than they are in high school.

The first thing you should do if you can is arrange a visit to the University you choose (or at least one in your area). In fact it might not be a bad idea if you go ahead and do that soon if you want to. There are usually tours scheduled at the end of the school year or in the summer or if you speak to the "services for students with disabilities" office they can help maybe find a student who is currently using their services and who is a wheelchair user to give you a tour and answer any questions you may have. They can give you information and maybe even let you know what kinds of funding/scholarships is out there.

Every University is different when it comes to accommodation. The residence I lived in had a dining hall that was accessible via lift, and for the most part the building was accessible, but to get to one "house" (section of the building) you had to go through another one if you used a wheelchair. There were "accessible" rooms throughout the residence buildings. A friend of mine who had low vision was in one of the rooms because she complained enough about having too much equipment they put her in it for the space. She had her own bathroom with a toilet and shower/tub and a sink in her room that was accessible. The only problem would have been that none of the other floors of that particular building were accessible and there was a pretty steep hill outside to get to any other building on campus. Including the dining hall which they shared with us!

A girl I went to high school with went to another University in the same city and lived in residence. She has Spina Bifida and her and her mom had an apt. on campus that was accessible. That particular university is set up to be a lot more accessible than the one I went to.

I wouldn't worry too much about the students you will be living with if you do choose to live in residence because at that age people go from trying to be like everyone else in high school to finding out who they really are and making their own decisions. I made a lot of friends and everyone was generally really helpful and didn't treat me any differently than anyone else.

Make sure that you apply for residence very early though as there are only a small number of accessible rooms and space fills quickly! One University I know of (the same one as the girl with Spina Bifida went to actually offered students who had a guide dog or students who needed the extra space a double room to themselves for the price of a single room (or a little bit more than a single room). If the shared bathrooms are accessible (which they usually are in newer residences) maybe discuss this option with the residence life people. At least you will have more room. In fact you might get more space than an accessible room this way.

Hope this answers some of the questions you were thinking about!

[Blake]

WildKat, on Feb 7 2010, 03:01 PM, said:

Blake, on Oct 4 2009, 07:55 PM, said:

I know I am only 13 and have plenty of time but was wondering how many people went away to college after their injury. I never thought about college till I met my gf, it is pretty much all she thinks about. For those who went away to college how was dorm life? were you still able to join a fraternity?

Did you still have that "normal" college experience?

It's great that she got you thinking about your education like that! I didn't attend University after my sci, but I did before it happened. Aside from my sci (which happened in 2004) I was born blind and with Cerebral Palsy. I went to a regular University and lived in residence for two years. It can be pretty daunting at first, but usually by that age people are a bit more understanding than they are in high school.

The first thing you should do if you can is arrange a visit to the University you choose (or at least one in your area). In fact it might not be a bad idea if you go ahead and do that soon if you want to. There are usually tours scheduled at the end of the school year or in the summer or if you speak to the "services for students with disabilities" office they can help maybe find a student who is currently using their services and who is a wheelchair user to give you a tour and answer any questions you may have. They can give you information and maybe even let you know what kinds of funding/scholarships is out there.

Every University is different when it comes to accommodation. The residence I lived in had a dining hall that was accessible via lift, and for the most part the building was accessible, but to get to one "house" (section of the building) you had to go through another one if you used a wheelchair. There were "accessible" rooms throughout the residence buildings. A friend of mine who had low vision was in one of the rooms because she complained enough about having too much equipment they put her in it for the space. She had her own bathroom with a toilet and shower/tub and a sink in her room that was accessible. The only problem would have been that none of the other floors of that particular building were accessible and there was a pretty steep hill outside to get to any other building on campus. Including the dining hall which they shared with us!

A girl I went to high school with went to another University in the same city and lived in residence. She has Spina Bifida and her and her mom had an apt. on campus that was accessible. That particular university is set up to be a lot more accessible than the one I went to.

I wouldn't worry too much about the students you will be living with if you do choose to live in residence because at that age people go from trying to be like everyone else in high school to finding out who they really are and making their own decisions. I made a lot of friends and everyone was generally really helpful and didn't treat me any differently than anyone else.

Make sure that you apply for residence very early though as there are only a small number of accessible rooms and space fills quickly! One University I know of (the same one as the girl with Spina Bifida went to actually offered students who had a guide dog or students who needed the extra space a double room to themselves for the price of a single room (or a little bit more than a single room). If the shared bathrooms are accessible (which they usually are in newer residences) maybe discuss this option with the residence life people. At least you will have more room. In fact you might get more space than an accessible room this way.

Hope this answers some of the questions you were thinking about!

It helped a great deal, Thank you. With being with Talia there is no other way then to be very focused on school, it's all she thinks about. She took me from a C student to all A's, she say's C's make her "skeeve". College is still years away but she has our list at Harvard, Yale, NYU, Tulane and University of Arizona. We'll have to see where we end up.

[Texaswheelz]

Had my accident my Sophomore year in high school. When I graduated I had an experimental surgery and then moved off by myself for a year of "special" rehab. Turned out to be like normal rehab, but 8 hours a day, 5 days a week just like a job. After that year I went to college. Never lived in dorm, instead I rented a house about a mile from campus with some one I'd graduated high school with. Never joined a frat, but partied with them all the time. Had keggers, skipped classes and did stupid stuff like everyone else, after 5 years of college I never graduated. So yea, you can have the normal college experience!

[nitrosport_5]

I just started college here at EWU so far it has been fun. Don't know too many people tho. The accomodations so far have been good, besides one teacher that would not let me make up a midterm and week and a half of math homework due to unexpected baclofen pump issues. Ended up failing that class... ugh. Anyways I live on campus in an appartment with a good friend from high school. He had been here for a year before me so it helps to have him to show me arround. I really do most everything myself which is nice... bout the only thing my roommate does for me is take trash out and really I could do that if I had to.

My parents innitially wanted me to be in a dorm room but the dorms here were pretty old and just would not have worked for me. I would say to just tour campus.. I did not really cuz this was where I wanted to goo so I was just going to make it work. Personally I would not worry about it all to much, find a place you like and go tour.. if there is issues talk to the dissability support place and they should work with you. So far they have been really helpful here. If I need a desk I shoot the head guy in charge an email and it gets done.. an elevator is broke for class one morning and he gets it fixed same day and contacts teachers...

Good luck

[airart1]

find a good flat campus and descent corriculum, and enjoy yourself is what i'd look for.....then i'd enjoy myself and live happy.......MTSU has agreat flat campus...........really what u want to do, will dictate alot of which college, u can also do your bull classes over the internet and the good hands on classes on campus.......

[Tate]

I broke my neck day before final exams last spring in my junior year, and teachers have been pretty accommodating. I just came back this semester (January).

• There is a disability services office on campus
  
• Accessible housing
  
• Accessible bathrooms
  
• Elevators
  
• plenty of sidewalks
  
• accessible kitchens
  
• with all the snow dumped on PA they will even transport me to class/dinning hall if i'd let them

I live in a dorm and lead a fairly "normal" life, there is no greek life at my school so don't know 'bout that, but the school tries very hard to be "fair" if you have need of anything they try to accommodate you. The disability services even has a budget to purchase items i might need, if what is on campus doesn't work i.e. standing frame (the gym doesn't have one) i looking at having them purchase some adaptive climbing gear, i used to facilitate on our ropes course and have already gotten involved in that again, but more gear would make it easier.

Campus is a big hill, my arms are getting huge, fast and it's never all uphill, yeah i work my ass off to go uphill but then i do get to go downhill!

The pool is accessible and there are even adaptive phys ed programs so...
College is pretty sweet even for a crip