What is Asperger's Syndrome?

In case some of you don't know what it is, it's a form of mild autism. It affects one communication, social, and learning skills. What causes a person to have Asperger's Syndrome is unknown. While there is no medication or cure for it, there is always extra help such as counseling and special education.

My own struggles of having it:

Even though it's been better throughout the years I still have my own struggles with having it. One of the struggles of having Asperger's is that I have a difficult time talking to people. For example, when I am having a conversation with someone I don't know what to say and whenever I do I sometimes feel as if I'm socially awkward.

As with learning skills, I have a hard time memorizing stuff, especially when I'm learning something new so it can take me a while for me to know, learn, and actually memorize material, terms, and facts. This means it takes my brain a while to process information, which usually takes like 3-6 hours or longer.

My experience of having it in elementary school, middle school, high school, and college:

During my elementary school years, I struggled a lot with academics. I got special education but was still struggling since I didn't get enough support which resulted in me in hating school. Even though I wasn't picked on for my social and communication skills, I got little support for these. For these reasons towards the end of my elementary school career, the CSE people decided that I needed to be in a special program.

At the start of my middle school career, I started a special program for students with autism and Asperger's syndrome called the Oak Tree program through Broome-Tioga BOCES. Because I got the support with my social, communication, and learning skills it made me appreciate school. As I started High School I was able to make friends and talk to people a little easier but still had difficult time. I ended up doing 5 years since the Oak Tree high school program was actually a five year program so students wouldn't feel stressed getting done with high school in 4 years and so students could have time for life skills class, which is skills that you need in after you graduate high school such as bill paying, applications, resume writing, emergency stuff, etc.

When I hit college I had to give the college student support services my IEP (information on my disability) to get accommodations in order to be successful. It has helped me become more successful in college along with the Oak Tree program I was in. Thanks to the oak tree program I was able to make more friends, communicate better, get involved in more clubs and events along with people actually liking and accepting me who I am (in which I thank God for).

Yet I still struggle with my Asperger's Syndrome all the time but not as much when I was younger.