When I left home to move into my student accommodation, a very nice shared house, I was doubtless like many other new students were on starting out for the first time on their own. Nervous but also excited about what university life had in store. It was not long before the dyspraxia started to become apparent however, the enrolment forms at times had me completely miffed, but it was my terrible sense of direction that was to cause the biggest issues . In the first couple of weeks I became horribly lost on trying to get to and from university on more than one occasion and one particularly misguided adventure, a kind stranger took pity on me and offered a lift to my intended destination . Not the most convincing of starts to life on my own that is for sure.
It took a little while to settle into university. Conscious of trying not to allow my dyspraxia to be too evident early on, I made a concerted effort to try and prevent any noticeable mishaps. It was soon evident however the poorly organised bag, notes in haphazard condition and of course the occasional stumble were always working against my plan to try and give my appearance an organised, co- ordinated feel. Soon however I felt confident enough to be open about my dyspraxia to a group of people who I had not long known, which is a huge testament to the quality of my at the time new and as of now still very good friends. Having the problem out in the open once again really helped, it meant I didn't have to feel embarrassed about asking for help using technical equipment like the microscopes or media equipment. Having people who were so understanding around me was fantastic and I was hugely grateful for that. What was even better was the fact I was treated no differently to how I was before. I have never wanted to have special allowances made for me or people not to have a laugh when something chaotic happens, more often than not I'm laughing with them.
As well as seeing my dyspraxia first hand in every day university life, my friends now also saw what others away from the university scene already knew- my timing and sense of rhythm when it comes to music is nothing short of tragic!! My " dancing" on nights out really was a sight to behold, for all the wrong reasons. Many a picture has been taken of some of worst efforts on nights out. Not sure I'm entirely grateful for that..... haha!
Despite well and truly settling into university life, I did struggle with my academic work at times. The pressure of having to produce work to a standard never experienced before, preparing for exams and just having to deal with some of the frustrations the disability can bring began to take a toll. On a couple of occasions I hit the metaphorical wall as the pressure mounted. I got through the first year and a bit not always particulary convincingly, however, fortunately help was soon to be at hand.
Claro learning have played a huge part in the progress I have made during my time at university. I can't thank them enough for the help and incredible support I have received. From my first meeting where they discussed in depth with me which areas I felt I could benefit with help, I have had support with my disability academically unlike anything I had ever had before. The provision of equipment such as a printer and dictaphone was fantastic. However it has been the help in and outside of lectures which has been invaluable so a few personal thank yous are in order.
Mathew Button - Has offered me tremendous amounts of support since our first meeting, I think roughly two years ago now. I wonder what he thought when he met a nervous student who was almost certainly a little unorganised on the day as well. Since then he's done a huge amount working tremendously hard to find ways to plan for assignments and exams in the most efficient way that works best for me. My grades have improved hugely since we started working together and outside of university it was Matt who gave me the confidence and belief to write this blog series and my wildlife blogs and that they would be a success. He's always modest when I thank him for his help but I've a lot to thank him for so thanks Matt you have been great !
Jackie Barclay- Jackie worked with me for two years taking notes in my lectures to help me which I hope was an enjoyable experience for her, as I really enjoyed her company. Aside from taking the notes I would often struggle to keep up with, we had some very funny times as well notably getting absolutely soaked on a field trip where the heavens opened for hour after hour leaving everyone there soaked to the skin. Thanks Jackie, your help was invaluable over those two years.
Vicky Mather- Vicky had a fair idea what to expect working with me from her previous job working at the university. Regularly I would approach her because typically organised as usual I had forgotten my identity card and needed a replacement, Vicky you were warned! Despite this, we have worked together for a considerable period of time as well, and again without Vicky's help during lectures my preparation for exams and coursework may well have been far more chaotic.
Clare Taylor- Despite only knowing Clare a few months now, she has been a massive help to me in her note taking, the lessons have been intense and she has picked out key points that I would otherwise have missed and has always shown great patience with my sometimes chaotic demeanour !
And finally thank you to Mel and Deborah who have stood in to work with me in lectures your help is greatly appreciated.
I am delighted to announce that Claro has recently invited me to speak alongside other students at one of their workshops in the early summer. I was very pleased to accept the invitation and I look forward keenly to speaking about my experiences when the time comes.
Another thank you to my great friend Tom Howe, who after hearing about this blog series, asked me if I would like to do an interview for the paper he works for the Newquay Voice. This was a fantastic opportunity to promote awareness of the disability so I am very grateful to him for that. Tom has a very promising career in sports journalism ahead of him and you can follow him on Twitter @_tomhowe_
So that is it for this occasion. Thank you to everyone for reading, I hope you enjoyed it and thank you very much for your support.
