6 replies to this topic

[crash]

Hi, I am 3 months post-injury(t-12 complete) and I am planning on finishing my deree at a college here in the states. I was wondering if anyone could share their experience and give me any suggestions on re-entering the university scene(I will probably live on campus). What's it like to be a young guy at college in a chair? or girl?

[Gary Anderson]

Hi Crash

Well! I was not a young guy when I decided to study. I was in my 30s. I was training to be a surgeon and had to diversify. I went back to college and studied to become an anaesthetist. I have no experience of USA colleges but here in the UK I found everything went well.

OK, you come across some folks who are not very nice to you but that happens even if you are able bodied.

On the whole, I found everyone from staff to pupils willing to help and assist me where necessary.

Even now, 18 years later, I still find folks willing to assist. From previous threads you will read that I had an accident in January this year with my nephew and his family and as a result I have been left with one arm now pretty useless. Whilst I can still function and do my job, it makes transferring from chair to car, etc, very difficult as there is little or no power in the arm. However, everyone is willing to aid me where necessary.

Some folks are very "touchy" about people helping them or pushing them. That is fine if you are very competent, however, for the past 6 months I have required assistance due to my arm and am finding that I now have to ASK for it. We have become so politically correct that ABs are scared to offer assistance to us less able in case we "take offence."

My advice - go for it. Do your degree and if you are confident in what you do that will pass on to your colleagues.

Best of luck.

Gary

[Little_lampie]

Hi,
I'm 21 and am currently at uni in the UK and started using my wheelchair whilst studying due to my injury.
I have found it ok, but my uni isn't at all wheelchair friendly (massive campus on a hill).
Some of the people on my course didn't want to know me when I went back but I also have some great friends now who help me when I need it.
My tutor was ace and gave me loads of help.
The uni disability services were also great. Just make sure you get things sorted with the uni well in advance. My uni can provide accessible halls rooms on campus (I chose to live at home with my husband) but apparenty you had to contact them early to get one. It also takes time for them to get support systems in place for you.

The most helpful thing my unis disability services did for me was arrange a tour of the campus when I got there. This was given by another wheelchair user in a higher year and showed me all the quick shortcuts around campus that would have taken me ages to find.

Oh and on a plus I get served in the uni bar faster than all my mates

I went back to a course that most people said I couldn't do because of my injury and have just finished my first year successfully.

Anyway I hope some of this helps.

If you have any other questions pm me.

All the best and good luck
Fran

[jules]

Hi Crash

I personally started Uni life in a wheelchair after an accident when I was 15, had a great time I lived in an adapted room in halls just off Campus but the Uni paid for Taxis for me to get in. I enjoyed it so much after finishing my BSc i went back to do a MSc, but at a different Uni and on day release from work.

Good luck

Jules

[milosh]

had very good experience as a student in the wheelchair.

yeah, ask for help whenever you need it. also f*@k off that political correctness. even when i don't need help but someone who is AB, i simply say ''no, thanks''.

being in chair, attending college/uni and later having successful career is not a big deal, trust me. i mean, it's pretty the same like if you're AB.

[car]

i MET MY FIANCE AT Edinboro PA University and it had a great handicapped facility. Now with the new ADA laws most schools have great adaptive facilities. But you might want to talk to your OVR counselor and see what help they can give and also look into different schools in the area and what they offer to help you decide where it might be easier for you to go. In Edinboro they had attendant programs and hired people to come into the dorms to assist in your care. Dont know what your needs are but you might want to see what all your options are

[Joed]

I wasn't yet paralyzed when I attended college, but I did eventually require a scooter to navigate the campus. There were several w/c users on campus at that time, and no one that I know of encountered any accessibility barriers to any part of the campus. Their disability services were excellent. The disabled parking spots were strictly monitored and the fines were quite high. They also provided shuttle services during icy/inclement weather.

Absolutely ask when you need help. I also encountered the political correctness behavior...people are hesitant to involve themselves because we've made things so confusing with PC bullcrap...

Before I began using the scooter on campus, I struggled along with my cane and a 20 lb. backpack....one day the weight in my backpack shifted, I lost my balance and was thrown to the ground, stuff flying out everywhere, and I was physically hurt. As I'm trying to pick up all my books, etc.....not one person walking by offered to help me. I'm convinced that had I not had the cane, I would have received offers of help. That's how whacked the thinking has become.