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.