College with Tourette's
Hi guys, it’s Caitlin again. As you are probably aware, I suffer from Tourette’s Syndrome. I doubt it’s a shock for you to hear that getting around my everyday life is a struggle. As a second year A level student, with the stress of my final exams just around the corner, studying is not easy. With the workload, revision and mocks thrown into it, the stress is definitely not minimal, especially with Tourette's added on top of all of this.
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At first, going to college was one of my biggest struggles. As I only found out I had Tourette’s in August, going back to college in September felt impossible. However, after going into college the first day back after summer, the staff could not have been more supportive. We had already contacted college to make them aware of the situation, by doing this I was able to begin to get support with my A levels.
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Going into lessons was not that easy. Suppressing my tics during lessons was hard as the pain made it hard to concentrate. My classes had already been given information about Tourette’s Syndrome, but I was so paranoid about distracting people with my tics that I would try my best to hold them in, which then meant that I would not take in all of the information and would get distracted very easily.
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After a few weeks of struggling, I decided I no longer wanted to be in my lessons and was very close to dropping out of college. Luckily my teachers had another plan to keep me in college. This consisted of me having my lessons as one to one’s , so that I wouldn’t need to hold my tics in or distract other students in my classes.
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The reduced timetable has meant that the workload, for me, is more stressful, but it has allowed me to spend more time at Church during the week, as most of my work is completed on my own. However, transitioning from a full timetable of lessons, to having lessons on my own, was a big change. Through my support in college though, it made the situation easier.
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This doesn’t mean that I now find college easy, going into college is still hard. I really struggle taking buses due to the looks that people give to me when I’m having my vocal tics. However, this does not stop me from taking buses because I’m not going to let the minority of people stop me from living my life to the fullest. Once I get to college, walking to and from my lessons, with corridors full of people, means that the looks and judgement doesn’t stop, but this is something that over time I am beginning to accept (even though I shouldn’t have to).
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My concentration levels in college are still something that I’m working on. With having Tourette’s, it feels like I constantly have a cloud around my brain. This makes me find it hard remembering my work (scholars, examples, studies) and it makes me feel quite drained from my leaning. However, with only 5 months left until I leave college, I’m determined to stick to my studies and pass all of my subjects.
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So there you go, I’m just a normal college student who’s doing their best to get good grades, just like everyone else, and I will not let my tics get in the way of this
.
At first, going to college was one of my biggest struggles. As I only found out I had Tourette’s in August, going back to college in September felt impossible. However, after going into college the first day back after summer, the staff could not have been more supportive. We had already contacted college to make them aware of the situation, by doing this I was able to begin to get support with my A levels.
.
Going into lessons was not that easy. Suppressing my tics during lessons was hard as the pain made it hard to concentrate. My classes had already been given information about Tourette’s Syndrome, but I was so paranoid about distracting people with my tics that I would try my best to hold them in, which then meant that I would not take in all of the information and would get distracted very easily.
.
After a few weeks of struggling, I decided I no longer wanted to be in my lessons and was very close to dropping out of college. Luckily my teachers had another plan to keep me in college. This consisted of me having my lessons as one to one’s , so that I wouldn’t need to hold my tics in or distract other students in my classes.
.
The reduced timetable has meant that the workload, for me, is more stressful, but it has allowed me to spend more time at Church during the week, as most of my work is completed on my own. However, transitioning from a full timetable of lessons, to having lessons on my own, was a big change. Through my support in college though, it made the situation easier.
.
This doesn’t mean that I now find college easy, going into college is still hard. I really struggle taking buses due to the looks that people give to me when I’m having my vocal tics. However, this does not stop me from taking buses because I’m not going to let the minority of people stop me from living my life to the fullest. Once I get to college, walking to and from my lessons, with corridors full of people, means that the looks and judgement doesn’t stop, but this is something that over time I am beginning to accept (even though I shouldn’t have to).
.
My concentration levels in college are still something that I’m working on. With having Tourette’s, it feels like I constantly have a cloud around my brain. This makes me find it hard remembering my work (scholars, examples, studies) and it makes me feel quite drained from my leaning. However, with only 5 months left until I leave college, I’m determined to stick to my studies and pass all of my subjects.
.
So there you go, I’m just a normal college student who’s doing their best to get good grades, just like everyone else, and I will not let my tics get in the way of this
👏👏👏
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