From Dropout to A's - Academic Accomodations

In matters of mental health, recognizing the need for assistance and accepting it can be transformative. Understanding your capabilities and limitations can simplify a complex world. Not all things are equally accessible to everyone. Grasping this concept led me to a long-overdue decision: requesting academic accommodations in school. This was a significant emotional moment for me, as I had previously shouldered the responsibility and blamed myself for academic struggles.

My school experience was a tumultuous journey. While I excelled in grasping complex concepts and effortlessly aced written evaluations, I struggled with other fundamental areas that were graded, such as completing homework assignments, punctuality, attendance, and adhering to instructions. I found myself frequently on the outside as a result.

My teachers acknowledged my potential and heaped praise upon me, lauding how “gifted” I was. However, their compliments were a double-edged sword. In the same breath, they would lament that my potential was going to waste. These compliments were like daggers in my chest, constantly reminding me that I didn’t fit into the mold.

A Path Outside the Norm

It wasn't intentional forgetfulness or spacing off in class; it was my ADHD and dopamine drive that drew me to other pursuits, making me completely forget about the assignments. The intense point deficit for late assignments further discouraged me from going back and doing them once I realized I had forgotten.

Instead of making excuses or begging for exceptions, I chose to act like a delinquent. I became disruptive and rebellious because I preferred people to believe I was intentionally failing school rather than them thinking something was wrong with me for always forgetting assignments and instructions.

Instead of continuing to endure the humiliation, I eventually dropped out of high school. I enlisted in the military, where I discovered that my quick wit, adaptability, and creativity were valuable assets, far beyond what my academic record had indicated. After gaining some maturity in the military, I determined it was time to give academics another shot.

The Frustration of Unseen Barriers

Upon returning to college, I discovered myself repeating the same patterns that prompted my departure from high school. I swiftly grasped intricate subjects and effortlessly explained them in simpler terms, making them comprehensible to fellow students. Throughout my studies, I consistently achieved high scores in quizzes, tests, and in-class projects.

Again, my weakness manifested in homework and projects required to be completed outside the classroom. Every day as I left school, I intended to do the required work. However, upon arriving home, I became sidetracked by life's distractions, and my schoolwork was inevitably forgotten. It felt like an endless cycle of personal failure, as if an invisible barrier was obstructing me from achieving success.

Then came a turning point. As information about neurodiversity spread, I began to recognize myself in the stories people would tell online. I wasn’t broken, I was different. The world’s rules weren’t built for my brain.

Acceptance was a slow and bittersweet process. It involved shedding layers of shame and relearning how to view and appreciate myself for who I was. I began to see how my struggles were a mismatch between my strengths and societal expectations, not personal failings.

Accommodation as a Path to Success

Then, a few years back, after consulting with my therapist, I acknowledged the challenges hindering my academic progress and decided to request accommodations upon returning to school. It was a humbling experience for me, as I have always been hesitant to ask for assistance. However, to my relief, the school was incredibly understanding and encouraging of my request.

To accommodate my needs, I was granted leniency on late penalties and provided with various adjustments that gave me more room to succeed and a safety net if I fell behind. As a result, for the first time in my academic history, I started consistently earning straight A's, an accomplishment I never thought possible.

The system isn’t perfect, and the world is still not built for my brain, just as there are others whose brains or physical capabilities may not fit society’s mold. However, by advocating for accommodation needs and working together, maybe we can alleviate the struggles arising from these differences.

After all, atypical is the new typical.