1. Take advantage of disability accommodations: This is extremely helpful for extra time on tests, figuring out which classes may be easiest with fulfilling math or science distributions (learned the hard way to only take easy classes first semester after withdrawing from a psychology class because I was failing), and if your school allows it, getting a single as a first-year since an incompatible roommate can make your life hell. Read More
Exactly 1 year ago, I was diagnosed with NVLD at 26 years old. When the clinician called me to discuss the results and confirmed I had NVLD, I cried, since my teen years and college (especially the latter, where I especially struggled socially due to lack of structure and burnout) would’ve been less isolating and stressful with an appropriate diagnosis. Read More
My boyfriend introduced me to the sport 4 years ago, and at first I got into it without any expectations; at the beginning, progress came quickly, but soon enough, I felt completely overwhelmed, leaving the gym exhausted and frustrated.
Honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever go beyond V3s as my baseline anymore because it’s like being tone deaf in music: I simply lack spatial intuition, and I am unable to form mental images in my head. I end up wasting way too much energy on a single movement while some make it look effortless. At V3s and below, the holds are generally good enough to figure out the movements directly on the wall, but above V3, the hesitation costs me way too much energy, and I freeze because I don’t have that instant spatial map. Getting stronger helped me hang onto worse holds longer, but I still felt something was off. Read More
I first noticed that I was different in preschool when the other students had no problem working jigsaw problems, while I struggled with them. This surprised me because I was better than them at most activities. My Kindergarten report card noted that I still couldn’t tie my shoelaces. On the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, my answer for all of the rotated figure problems was “none of the above”. I always get lost easily. If I am by myself in an unknown area, I am helpless. Read More
People judge what they can see.
They see whether I have a job.
Whether I smile.
Whether I make eye contact.
Whether I appear calm.
Whether I “fit in.” Read More
Alright, good morning everybody. Happy Friday, or maybe it’s Saturday, depending on when you’re listening to this. I know it’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve done an episode.
I was juggling a lot of things and couldn’t find time to do one, so I decided to do one today. You know what, instead of me just promoting Etsy verbally, I’m gonna go grab a couple of items from the shop so you guys can actually see them. I’ll be right back. So this is an example of one of them.
These are the little toys I’ve been knitting lately. This is another one,e and then this is another one. I know they don’t look perfect, but I don’t think anything really does look perfect in the end, and from me, knitting is a little challenging because of my NVLD and my other learning differences, so I just do the best I can whenever I knit something. Read More
Love isn’t just for the young. Yet for many mature neurodivergent adults—whether autistic, have ADHD, a learning disability, or another form of neurodivergence—dating can feel like competing in a marketplace that often rewards speed, charisma, and unwritten social rules rather than authenticity.
For those of us entering or re-entering the dating world later in life, the challenge isn’t simply finding someone. It’s finding someone who appreciates us for who we are. Read More
One of my biggest frustrations has always been how IEP teams don’t encourage students with an NVLD and similar disabilities, such as Autism and Dyspraxia, to join school or community sports teams. Sports can bring many challenges for individuals who have gross motor skills; however, I truly believe that the incredible benefits that can be gained far outweigh any negatives. Being part of a team leads to having incredible mentors and building strong friendships, given how you spend so much time working together during your athletic seasons. So in this piece I will discuss the remarkable positives of being part of a sports team and the how difficulties help you grow. Read More
In elementary school, chocolate milk was the ultimate reward. Whenever we did well on a test, the teacher would hand out those little packets of powder to mix into a small milk carton. My friends would rush, stirring their spoons with excitement, drinking this magic drink. I would just sit there, puzzled, staring at the milk. I would taste it, and it was awful—gritty, strange, earthy with clumps of undissolved powder floating at the top. I couldn’t understand what was going on. Why was everyone smiling? Read More
In my previous piece discuss the importance of having similar expectations and goals for all of your children. Now I will continue sharing the importance of this. In addition I will discuss how things won’t be exactly the same unfortunately but the end results will be very similar such as achieving your true potential and being able to have personal connections. Yes, it may seem hard but I highly believe it will help reduce tension within your family life.
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