If you’re heading off to college this fall, first of all, congratulations. Seriously. This is a big deal. Before anyone starts making jokes about how old I am, yes, I went to college in 1988.
Calm down, Buttercup. We had electricity, the internet, and even music. We weren’t chiseling our essays into stone tablets. But I also went to college before the Americans with Disabilities Act became law in 1990.
Back then, if you didn’t know about Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, you could find yourself in a world of frustration because colleges weren’t exactly rushing to make campuses accessible. I attended the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, and let’s just say… the struggle was real.
Even after the ADA passed, the university continued dragging its academic behind when it came to accessibility. You’d think that more than thirty years later every student with a physical disability would be able to enjoy the full college experience without unnecessary obstacles.
You’d be mistaken.
Since AudacityMagazine.com launched in 2003 (Happy Birthday, Audacity!), I’ve received emails every single year from students with physical disabilities who are excited about college but frustrated by barriers they never expected to encounter.
Now don’t come at me. I didn’t say everyone has a bad experience.
Many students absolutely love college. If that’s you, hoorah! In fact, you probably want other students with disabilities to have that same amazing experience.
That’s exactly why I’m writing this.
The goal isn’t to scare you if you’re a new student. It’s to help you feel prepared instead of overwhelmed. Because the more you can do before classes begin, the more energy you’ll have to enjoy being a college student instead of constantly putting out fires.
Walk or Roll Your Schedule Before Classes Begin
I don’t want you to become overwhelmed before you’ve even bought your first overpriced textbook. I want you to walk onto campus feeling confident because you’ve already taken care of the little things that can become big headaches later.
If your college allows you to see your class schedule before the semester begins, take advantage of it. Don’t just glance at the building names and call it a day. Actually go to campus if you can. Walk it. Roll it. Figure out how long it really takes to get from one classroom to another. Find the elevators. Learn where the accessible entrances are. Notice if construction has blocked a sidewalk or if there’s a hill that’s steeper than it looked on the campus brochure. Trust me, it’s much less stressful discovering these things in August than it is five minutes before your first class starts.
Introduce Yourself to the Disability Services Office
Don’t wait until something goes wrong.
Introduce yourself. Learn the names of the people who work at the Disability Services Office. Let them get to know you before you’re stressed out or frustrated. It’s amazing how much easier difficult conversations become when you’re already a familiar face instead of the student who’s meeting them for the first time during a crisis. Ask them what services they provide, what accommodations are available, who you should contact if you run into a problem, and how the process works. Knowledge has a funny way of calming your nerves.
If they’re willing to let you see your classrooms before classes begin, ask. Maybe everything will be perfect. Wonderful. But maybe a desk needs to be moved, an accessible entrance isn’t obvious, or the room setup doesn’t quite work for you. Those are much easier conversations to have before the professor is standing in front of thirty students waiting to begin class.
Social Life Exists During Your College Years
I also hope you don’t spend your entire college career going from one class to another and then heading home. College isn’t just about earning a degree. It’s also about discovering who you are outside of your hometown and your family. Go to the student activities fair. Look at the clubs and organizations. Join something simply because it sounds interesting. Pay attention to how people make you feel. Are they welcoming? Do they make an effort to include you? Or are they giving you the side-eye like they aren’t quite sure what to do with a wheelchair? Trust your instincts. You deserve to spend your time with people who see you as another student, not as someone’s inspirational project.
Most students loved hanging out at the Rathskeller. For me, it was simply too far to push my manual wheelchair, and honestly, sitting around drinking beer wasn’t really my thing anyway. I found my people somewhere else. I spent a lot of time at the Eye in the student center where people studied, bowled, played pool, watched television, grabbed lunch, or simply relaxed between classes. It felt like my place. Every campus has one. Find yours. It makes a huge campus feel a little smaller.
College Life Advice
If there’s one piece of advice I hope you’ll remember, it’s this: speak up.
I know that’s easier said than done. Nobody wants to be “that student,” especially during freshman year when all you want to do is fit in. But if something isn’t working, say something. If a classroom isn’t accessible, speak up. If you don’t understand the accommodation process, ask. If you need help, don’t wait until you’re overwhelmed.
Remember, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.
So…squeak. Squeak.
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