As a kid growing up with autism, I have always loved facts and information, and from an early age I loved to read and learn. My interests varied over the years and expanded as I got older, but when I had a narrow interest, I read voraciously, learning as much as I could about it. Because of my autism, I remember things very well, so I’ve always had an affinity for geography bees, spelling bees, and trivia. I even made it pretty far into the audition process for Kids Jeopardy when I was 12. So, when I started out at Wesleyan, I was eager to join the academic bowl team. While I was anything but a proficient player in middle school, I never gave up, and I eventually got my hands on a massive title (and a scholarship) via the local quiz bowl show, High-Q. The amount of information I have learned since starting my local television career is enormous; earlier on, I thought it was all about questions, but it means so much more than that. It is, ironically, a question of relationships and the development of my social life.
As a young autistic boy, I knew I was intelligent, but I never imagined I would ever have the speed or the attention span to answer the questions that my extremely seasoned opponents have. In eighth grade, this was certainly the case; it seemed as if I had to wait until the last sentence on every question, even if I knew the correct answer. Yet somehow, I was still seen as a resource and a power. These qualities were truly brought out in me by some of my best friends, who were three juniors (at the time, sophomores) that I met upon entering high school. They have truly brought out the best in me, and I them, because we don’t just help each other with strategy, we help other in life. No matter who we are or what we do, we are a family, and this incredible chemistry is what helps us win more than anything else. Because when I play, I don’t just play for myself, or even for my team; I play for a community that loves us all and has helped all of us get to where we are now. It is truly an amazing experience.
I realize that we do not know anybody really well outside of Wesleyan outside of the academic team, but I do know that we are a very socially conscious team. When we are not trying to strategize, we usually try to talk to, and even complement, members of other teams. I’ve even met other autistic people on these teams. There really is no telling who you’ll meet or when you’ll play again, as we’ve met many extremely talented underclassmen who have truly left a mark on our perception of this sport.
Finally, as I pursue my upperclassman years, I realize that the one thing this sport has taught me above all else is to pursue relationships. Thanks to the relationships I’ve built on this team, I’ve learned that relationships – not facts, championships, or trophies – are what matter the most. All this time, I’ve had it backwards! My love for learning and information superseded everything else, but the bonds I’ve made on this team have left an indelible mark. I can’t wat to see what will happen in our futures, and I’m thankful that they’ve helped me to see that I am human and that I can actually relate to people. My social future is brighter because of academic bowl.
