The Aspirations Fall Festival on October 19th was a delightful event featuring delicious food, exciting games, and a lively costume contest. Families and friends gathered to enjoy the festive atmosphere, showcasing creative costumes and indulging in seasonal treats. It was a memorable day filled with fun and community spirit. You can watch a short video of the costume contest here: IMG_1324 (2)
Local Book Clubs Celebrate Halloween Together
Last Saturday, more than 70 Next Chapter Book Club members, volunteers, family and friends from 13 local clubs attended the 2024 NCBC Halloween Party. What a fun time we had!
Guests enjoyed mini-bowling, pumpkin painting, and a variety of activities at Woodlands Backyard in Grandview. Lunch included pizza, wings, salad, chips, and buckets of Halloween candy, as well as delightful and delicious party favors.
There was tough competition in the costume contest. In the end, the Scary Corpse Bride, Funny Angry Bird, Cute fairy, and Creative Mary Poppins costumes won the top prizes.
Thank you all for making this event so much fun. If you attended the party, please give us your feedback by taking a short survey HERE.
Scroll down to check out photos from the event…
Christine and Colin make two great Harry Potters
Sisters Lisa and Janie smile for the camera
Friends Eric and Peter are dressed as Waldo and Chef Linguini from Ratatouille
Debbie, Amy, and Christina during the contest for scariest costume
Tammy, Jay, Bek, and Lori enjoy lunch
Friends Austin and Julian smile for the camera
Bethany and Kelsie chatting
Ashley, Sara, Joe, Carol, David, and Elizabeth enjoy lunch together
Jeff and his staff have fun decorating pumpkins
Jackie, Lisa, Mandy, and Avery watch mini-bowling
Kristin, Aly, and Nate enjoy lunch
Roxy gives the party two thumbs up
Nichele stops by to visit with friends and enjoy the festivities
Backpacking, Camping and Endurance Sports by Kerry P
How can outdoor, wilderness, and endurance activities help neurodiverse young adults find (or even regain) their confidence?
When going on primitive hiking and camping trips, one is closer to the natural world. Scientific studies have recently proven that being out in nature is healing, grounding, even enlightening, and not just for the neurodivergent either. All can benefit!
You’ll learn to live and work together as a team with others, hopefully several that share your interests. Also, you gain great physical strength and endurance! Today, just about everyone’s way out of shape, and Covid didn’t do much to help it.
I want to give my own examples, stemming from my own experiences. On my first trip ever hiking over mountains (about a mile away from now hurricane-stricken Asheville!) I could hardly catch my breath at all. I was not accustomed to any of this. But I held out. And by the next summer…I was pretty much ahead of everyone else. Not to brag, but this goes to show how being out in nature, combined with pushing yourself with strenuous physical activity, sleeping outside under tarps, and cooking over fires, can give one a burst of confidence like nothing ever before.
I’m not dissing ordinary team sports. Soccer, basketball, baseball, hockey, etc. are all great, and also terrific confidence boosters. (I will say that even when I was small, my late grandfather would always be in awe of my basketball dribbling skills…AND HE HAD BEEN A COACH…not to mention that I succeeded in landing a three-point shot on only my second ever try.)
However, team sports are not something that neurodiverse people should be pushed into. Sporty parents and family members may have to think out the box, and realize that the talents of the neurodiverse may lie elsewhere…and this is where outdoor and endurance activities, as a matter of fact anything solo, may come into play. Hiking, backpacking, trail running, hunting, fishing, etc. could be way more where it’s at for certain groups and individuals than team sports are.
And yes – in independent outdoor sports, you still socialize, to give society a peace of mind! And you learn to work together as a team…all in less of a forced, pressured way. You’re far from isolated! And as a matter of fact, communication skills are really amped up for many, more so than they would be in team sports. It’s all just more natural, for lack of a better term.
Getting away from the noise and bustle of the cities, and soaking in the natural world. That’s more or less been lauded as a healing balm for many neurodivergent people…more so than loud, crowded, pressured team sports. Team sports are “where it’s at” for much of our society…but solo sports are just as, if not more in many ways, intense and challenging. And they benefit the neurodiverse greatly. I should know. And they even lead to new interests. Thanks to my old camp, I am now involved in search and rescue and wilderness medicine…and hope to open a secondary school to teach neurodiverse young adults outdoor, wilderness, and emergency skills…self-advocacy on the side!
Returning to School
By Aliscia Phillips
Returning to school after summer break can be a chaotic experience for many students, especially for those of us who are neurodivergent. Students may find themselves caught up in moving, meeting new roommates, mentally preparing for coursework, and trying to fix their sleep schedules among other things. While there are dozens of stressors related to the beginning of a new school year, let’s focus on how we can lessen the load and show ourselves compassion when we struggle.
Accommodations
If you haven’t already, register with the SLDS to request accommodations. These may include longer test times, extensions on assignments, additional absences, sign language interpretation, assistive technology, transportation, etc. It’s better to have accommodations and never need them than to need them and not have them. Accommodations cannot be retroactively implemented, meaning your grade can’t be changed once entered. So, it’s best to request them as soon as possible.
Self-Regulation
For me, summer break is a time of complete, guiltless rest. In order to avoid burnout, I am very serious about my time off. This means ensuring that I am not over-exerting myself physically, emotionally, or socially. While this rest is much needed, the transition back to balancing coursework and being social with my peers can be jarring. Before assignments begin to pile up, this is a good time to review coping skills and practice grounding yourself.
For me, this looks like including self-care into my schedule no matter how busy I get. My version typically involves being by myself in bed with low lighting and a comfort show. However, I also incorporate self-care into my coursework. During tests and quizzes, I know I can calm myself by practicing breathing with my diaphragm. For lectures, I try to bring small, silent fidget toys which help me keep my focus on the content. Additionally, I utilize my support system. If I’m struggling with my assignments, I know I can reach out to my professors, my TA’s, my advisor, or even my friends and family for help.
Unmasking
One topic I struggle with most that makes me dread the beginning of the school year is masking. I become very overwhelmed with the transition back to attending classes in person, working, and attending social events. I’m very high masking which means a lot of my social interaction feels like a performance that leaves me totally depleted by the end of the day. This year, I’m attempting to unmask and I invite those of you who also mask to join me.
While masking may have saved many of us in the past from uncomfortable or even dangerous situations, we must realize its toll. Masking has been reported to reduce physical stamina, cognitive ability, and executive function. It is also related to higher feelings of inauthenticity, depersonalization, and emotional exhaustion or burnout (Ai et al., 2022). There may always be situations you mask for, but by challenging this instinct, we can begin to connect with our authentic selves. In these cases, it’s important to weigh the benefits of masking vs the risks and making an informed choice. For example, being at work may require you to mask because you must be polite and welcoming to all customers. In order to continue to be employed, there is a certain level of masking that you must keep up. However, there are plenty of examples where it is beneficial to unmask.
One thing I am doing is learning to say no to social events. I’m a certified people pleaser, so I often feel guilty about declining invites even when I know I’m much too overstimulated to attend. In addition to saying no, I also consciously challenge the thought that if I don’t go to every gathering I’m invited to, I won’t have any friends. I can then remind myself that in reality, my friends care about me and understand that I have a lower social battery than them. The fact that they invited me means they likely care about our relationship.
Other ways you can unmask include recognizing your internalized ableism. Do you deny yourself accommodations because you believe you “aren’t disabled enough?” Have you ever downplayed a special interest because you were embarrassed by or bullied for your passion? Even something as simple as not forcing eye contact can be a step forward to unmasking.
Final Thoughts
With classes starting full throttle, now is an important time to check in with yourself and address your needs. Whether that be through self-care, accommodating yourself, or unmasking, determine what works best for you and enact it. That being said, have a fantastic start of the semester.
Sources
Ai, W., Cunningham, W. A., & Lai, M. C. (2022). Reconsidering autistic ‘camouflaging’ as transactional impression management. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 26(8), 631-645.
National Read a Book Day – Sept. 6th
There is a day on the calendar to celebrate everything from “National Dog Walker Appreciation Day” (9/6) to “National Cream-filled Donut Day” (9/14) to “World Ballet Day” (10/1). September 6th is “National Read a Book Day”. Why do we celebrate reading?
When we read, we learn. Reading improves memory, concentration, and communication skills. It reduces stress. Reading helps to slow the aging of our brains. Compared to other kinds of entertainment, reading is a great bargain. Reading can transport us in time or take us to new worlds altogether.
Here in Columbus, Next Chapter Book Club members and volunteers enjoy the many benefits of reading when they gather each week. Whether you read alone or with other people, whether you read paper books or e-books, take time this September 6th to read a book! Not sure what to read? Click HERE and scroll down for recent book reviews from local NCBCs.
Rate & Review Books with NCBC
Welcome back to Rate & Review Books with NCBC!
August’s book review comes from another long-standing club in the Columbus area. This Tuesday night Next Chapter Book Club has been gathering for nearly 20 years!
Book: Conceal, Don’t Feel
Author: Jen Calonita
First, please tell our readers a little about your book club.
Ken shares, “We talk about everybody’s day and catch up with friends.” With many of these members nearing 20 years in the club, they know one another well and have become friends indeed.
“It is a good book club. Very nice group of people,” says Kristin.
Co-facilitator Christine started as a club member and was eventually trained to co-facilitate the group. She says, “It’s fun. It’s very much a place to connect.”
Another member, Eric, helpfully keeps a journal of what happens in the story. He says, “We read a book and discuss it with my notebook. I keep a summary at the end of each chapter. It’s a great experience.” Thank you for helping your book club stay on track from week to week, Eric!
Peter shares, “We read Gulliver’s Travels.”
“That’s right, Jack Black was in that movie,” Eric adds.
“Yes,” Peter says. “We watched the movie at my parents’ house.” Like several other book clubs, this group will sometimes gather to watch the movie version of a book they’ve read. Most of the time, members will still enjoy the book more. Though, in this case, Jack Black may have put this movie over the top!
Left to right: Christine, Liz, Eric, Kieran, Peter, Ken
Since a few people were missing for the first group photo, we are sharing two photos this month.
Left to right: Ken, Christine, Peter, Kristin, Natalie, Liz, Brittany, Kieran
What is Conceal, Don’t Feel about?
Peter says, “It’s a book about what if Anna and Elsa never met each other.” Conceal, Don’t Feel is one of Disney’s Twisted Tales. In these stories, one important detail is changed, which creates a whole new story.
Eric adds, “Elsa has gloves that conceal her powers. It helps her. Sometimes her powers can get out of control. Her sister Anna has fire powers. Anna is remembering back when she was a child with flowers everywhere. There were so many flowers it looked like snow.”
Kristin shares, “I’ve enjoyed all the chapters so far and really like reading about Olaf.”
How easy was this book to understand?
Kieran says, “I think it’s very easy to understand.”
“The book is very well written,” Kristin adds.
“There are always new words to learn,” Christine says. Isn’t that the truth, Christine? In Next Chapter Book Clubs, when clubs come across a new word, they usually stop briefly to talk about what it means, and sometimes someone will look it up on their phone.
Thinking about the movie Frozen, Ken shares, “The music helps me to connect with the book.”
What did you like about the book?
Kristin likes that “it’s another variation of the Frozen story.”
Eric gives the book high praise, saying, “It’s written perfectly.”
Summing things up, Kieran says, “We like it so far.”
Were there any parts you didn’t like? If so, what were they?
While Kristin says, “I have nothing to dislike,” Peter points out one character they do not like.
“Prince Hans,” he says.
“He’s the bad guy,” Eric adds.
If another Next Chapter Book Club was thinking about reading this book, what would you tell them?
“I’d recommend it. It’s really interesting and has great imaginary things,” Christine says.
Eric says that he would “definitely” recommend the book to other book clubs, and Kristin adds, “Enjoy! You will like it.”
Ken gives a recommendation for joining a book club, saying “I love reading books. It makes me happy to be here.” We are so glad to hear that, Ken!
What book has been your favorite so far?
It can be hard to pick just one book after reading so many together! Some members give their top two books.
- Ken: Percy Jackson, series by Rick Riordan
- Peter: Little House on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder, and Frankenstein, original story by Mary Shelley
- Kieran: Harry Potter, by J.K. Rowling
- Eric: Conceal, Don’t Feel, by Jen Calonita, and Percy Jackson, series by Rick Riordan
- Kristin: Because of Winn-Dixie, by Kate DiCamillo, and Little House on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
- Christine: A Whole New World, by Liz Braswell (a Disney Twisted Tale about the Aladdin story)
Please rate this book on a scale from 1 to 5 stars.
This club gave Conceal, Don’t Feel an average of 4.83 out of 5 stars.
July 2024 Men’s Aspirations Bike Ride
For July, Men’s Aspirations went for an 8-mile bike ride on Scioto Trail. From left to right, we have Michael, Alex, Joe, Sheena, Noah, Sam, The Roys, and Jack. As a group, this was our first bike ride, let alone a bike ride in the city—moving through metro parks, under active trains, alongside Scioto River, aside highways, in the midst of walking Crew fans, and across traffic. Our collective goal for next time is to go further than 8 miles.
Rate & Review Books with NCBC
Welcome back to Rate & Review Books with NCBC!
Our July book review comes from the Next Chapter Book Club that meets at the Gahanna branch of the Columbus Metro Library.
Book or series of books: Henry Huggins
Author: Beverly Cleary
First, please tell our readers a little about your book club.
Right away, James issues an invitation for folks to “Come join us!”
“It’s fun, friendly, and we have a movie night after we read a book,” says Meggen.
When asked what he would tell people about his book club, Julian says, “There’s great people.”
Paige, the club facilitator, echoes these comments, saying, “We have a great community. We all bring different strengths, and we have a lot of fun!”
While this club began meeting in the Gahanna area in 2022, some of its members have been participating in NCBC for over ten years. One of those members is Reinah, who shares, “It’s fun to have it in the library because you can always get yourself a card, and you can come here and check out your own book if you want.” Great point, Reinah!
From Left to Right: Julian, Paige, Meggen, Reinah, James
What happens in Henry Huggins?
Julian shares, “Henry had a bunch of guppies and a dog named Ribsy.” In this book, Henry Huggins is looking for some excitement when he meets a lovable and energetic dog, who he names Ribsy.
Reinah adds, “He found the dog on the street, and the dog never stopped following him and became his pet.”
James shares one of the many funny parts of the story. “Henry brought the dog on the bus and he was running around. He had to hide him a box,” he says.
“There was a dog show and Henry’s dog competed in the show,” adds Meggen.
“Yes, and he won most unique dog,” says Paige.
To read more about this book, visit Henry Huggins on Goodreads.com.
How easy was it to understand?
Everyone in the club agreed that the book was very easy to understand.
What did you like about the book?
“I liked how [Ribsy] always followed [Henry] to school, and he’d be right there waiting for him after school,” shares Reinah.
Meggen says, “I like how Ribsy got rescued by Henry. He called his mom and said, ‘Can we have a dog?’”
When asked if his mom agreed right away, James answers, “I don’t think so.”
Reinah says, “Henry’s mom said, ‘I’ll let you have the dog if you can bring him home on the bus.’ The bus driver caught him, so Henry carried him in a box.”
Were there any parts you didn’t like?
Members in the club shake their heads to show that there weren’t any parts of the book they didn’t like.
However, Reinah mentions, “One thing I don’t like is when people spill things on books.” Like many NCBC members, some of the books in the NCBC library, including Henry Huggins, have been around for almost 20 years!
If another club was thinking about reading Henry Huggins, what would you tell them?
Paige says with a smile, “We laughed a lot.”
Julian says, “Give it a try,” and then he notes that he would like to read Diary of a Wimpy Kid in book club. Others in the group seem to like this idea.
What has been your favorite book so far?
- Meggen: The Bungalow Mystery and The Riding Club Crime, both Nancy Drew Mystery Stories by Carolyn Keene
- Paige: The Bungalow Mystery, a Nancy Drew Mystery by Carolyn Keene
- Julian: The Riding Club Crime, a Nancy Drew Mystery by Carolyn Keene
- James: Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary
- Reinah: The Riding Club Crime, a Nancy Drew Mystery by Carolyn Keene
Please rate this book on a scale from 1 to 5 stars.
This club gave Henry Huggins an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Men’s Aspirations June 2024
Men’s Aspirations went to the Park of Roses and Jeni’s for June!
We started the event by hiking alongside the Park of Roses (a trail no one knew existed that took us near a creek with hills canopied by trees). Out of the woods, we walked through the Park of Roses, checking out 200+ species of roses, herbs, and perennials. We walked over 2 miles.
After the park, we drove to Jeni’s and enjoyed a sweet and cool treat — exactly where it started to rain.
The conversations never stopped, and at least 2 guys exchanged numbers! BIG WIN!
Men’s Aspirations is a social group where we EXPLORE and go on an ADVENTURE. The focus is to move, be active, and accomplish something with new friends. We have a basic schedule for the event but are flexible to try new things and for members to take ownership.
Rate & Review Books with NCBC
Welcome back to Rate & Review Books with NCBC!
June’s book review comes from one of our virtual book clubs, a Wednesday evening group that meets on Zoom.
Book or series of books: The Story of Dr. Dolittle
Author: Original story by Hugh Lofting, adapted version by Melissa Dalton Martinez
First, please tell our readers a little about your book club.
“It’s a fun group,” says co-facilitator Colleen. In January 2024, a hybrid Next Chapter Book Club that included Colleen, Amy, and Allie joined together with Kimberly, Derek, Abdullah, Tony, Anthony, Ahmad, Jackie, and Jillian to form the large virtual NCBC that now meets on Zoom each Wednesday evening.
Allie shares, “I like doing it over Zoom. I like not having to go back out after work.” Like members of other virtual NCBCs, Allie appreciates the convenience of being able to gather with friends from the comfort of home.
Several members of this club have been part of NCBC for over 12 years. Prior to Covid, their book clubs met in cafés and bookstores in Franklin County. In 2020, most groups transitioned to meeting virtually on platforms such as Zoom. When book clubs were able to meet in-person again, a few decided they would rather continue to meet on Zoom.
“NCBC members who have continued to meet virtually are able to avoid scheduling and transportation barriers. This means we generally have great attendance at our Wednesday evening meetings,” says co-facilitator Jillian.
After combining the two smaller clubs in early 2024, the group grew to eight members and three co-facilitators, and all have appreciated the chance to get to know more people. One club member even joins from Warsaw, Indiana. Amy sums it up by saying, “We meet nice, new people.”
Top row: Amy, Jillian, Allie; second row: Kimberly, Jackie, Colleen; third row: Abdullah; Not pictured: Derek, Anthony, Tony, Ahmad
What is The Story of Dr. Dolittle about?
“Dr. Dolittle is about a doctor that can talk to animals,” explains Kimberly. Dr. Dolittle does indeed have a special gift for being able to communicate with animals, and this takes him on some unusual adventures.
“He went to Africa and different places. I missed some meetings for cooking class and vacation. It was cool to hear about all the different places he went,” Allie says.
In this book, the simple and kind-hearted Dr. Dolittle travels to Africa to save monkeys from a terrible sickness. The journey takes many twists and turns, and Dr. Dolittle is helped by a close circle of friends, including Polynesia the parrot, Gub-Gub the pig, Dab-Dab the duck, Jip the dog, Chee-Chee the monkey, and others.
Colleen shares, “He goes around not only helping animals, but helping people too. For example, he helped the king’s son marry the love of his life.”
How easy was this book to understand?
“Overall, I think it was pretty easy,” Abdullah says.
“I thought it was sort of a weird book. Remember the pushmi-pullyu’s? I had never heard of that. Dr. Dolittle is even a weird name,” Amy says, and the group laughs.
What did you like about the book?
Co-facilitator Jackie says, “I liked the names of the animals. I like most stories with animals. Also, the traveling part was fun and exciting.”
“I liked Chee-Chee the monkey. I thought he was fun,” shares Abdullah.
“I liked the part with the dog, Jip. He found the lost uncle with only his nose,” Kimberly says. In this part of the story, a young boy’s uncle is lost on an island in the middle of the sea. Only Jip’s keen sense of smell could find him.
Were there any parts you didn’t like? If so, what were they?
Amy says, “I think all the parts were good, but someone else might have a different opinion.”
Abduallah says, “[The story] was a little different and extraordinary.” With a doctor who can talk to animals, you can say that again, Abdullah!
If another Next Chapter Book Club was thinking about reading this book, what would you tell them?
Club members nod their heads, and Allie gives a thumbs up, showing that they would all recommend The Story of Dr. Dolittle to other NCBCs.
What book (or series of books) has been your favorite so far?
- Allie: Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and others in The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis
- Colleen: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling, and The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis
- Abdullah: Wonder by RJ Palacio
- Jackie: Peter Pan (Disney Short Story), original by JM Barrie
- Amy: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling
- Kimberly: New Love, Spilt Milk, and Potbellied Pigs by Tom Fish and Jillian Ober
- Jillian: Wonder by RJ Palacio, and our current book, The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
Please rate this book on a scale from 1 to 5 stars.
This club gave The Story of Dr. Dolittle 4.9 out of 5 stars.