Navigating College Update

photo of Elesia Ashkenazy
by Elesia Ashkenazy

Greetings and salutations ASAN blog readers! One of our favorite projects so far, Navigating College, is coming up on its second year! Thanks to you, and to countless others, it has been well received in the community. Now is a good time to toot the Navigating College horn again with many of us off to school in late August and September.

Leaving high school and going off to college can be a challenging time in life, especially if you’re a student on the autism spectrum who is about to experience higher education for the first time. Common issues include, but are not limited to, accessing appropriate accommodations, getting to places on time, and dealing with sensory issues in new environments. Many college students are looking for advice on how to stay healthy at school, or advice on how to handle dating and relationships—and for autistic students especially—advice on how to talk to friends and classmates about being autistic.

Navigating College is an introduction to the college experience from those of us who’ve been there. One of the most exciting features is that the writers and contributors are all Autistic adults! There is a need for more resources that are by and for Autistic people. And that’s where ASAN comes in: we aim to put the power into the hands of Autistic people themselves. Our projects support strong Autistic self advocacy within the Autistic community. Navigating College is a terrific resource for all individuals on the autistic spectrum and their family members, as well as other important and influential people in their lives. Professionals who work with individuals on the spectrum, and who wish to learn more about Autistic perspectives, would also benefit from reading Navigating College.

For more information, visit the Navigating College website. To order a print copy, visit the University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability bookstore. We thank you for your support and enthusiasm! Look for Navigating College on Amazon.com and on Kindle by October 2012! We hope you love it!