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10 years later: disabled student to disabled employee
Tomorrow, I’ll have been writing this blog for 10 years… My blog, life as a cerebral palsy student, was set up during my GCSE’s. As the name suggests, I wrote about my experiences as a disabled student. Yet I could not have predicted how much my blog would influence my employment opportunities 10 years later.
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What is it like being a disabled student?
When I was in high school, I used to wobble around the corridors using a walking stick or a wheelchair. I throughly enjoyed education, yet it certainly isn’t easy as a disabled student. Admittedly, it’s been a few years since I was a student, but accessible education was a core focus when I started my blog. Before I graduated university, my blog was called ’Life as a Cerebral Palsy student’. A few weeks ago I gave a keynote talk to 1600 high school staff members about my experiences of being a disabled student. I hope that sharing an edited version of that talk will useful for other teachers and disabled…
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Managing university as a disabled student
This will be the first academic year where I won't be in education and in all honesty that is so bizarre! I never have taken a gap year and went from GCSE's, to A-Levels, to university. With graduation feeling like it was far too long ago, I thought I'd attempt to part some words of wisdom.
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Preparing for university as a disabled student
Oh how I remember this time well! I actually graduated on Wednesday, but preparing for the whole thing only seems like yesterday. University was such an unknown step, even if it was a step I knew I wanted to take. My health at the time was far from ideal and I think this just added to the stress of going to university in the first place. However, after completing university I reflected on the whole process and it was actually the initial organisation that proved the most unknown. So here are my top tip: What type of university is the best? Universities can come in all shapes and sizes, but…
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Not so superhuman now!
I feel like it has been a lifetime since I have done a life update, probably because they don’t seem to do as well. However, that is what you are getting today! I am somehow in my final year of university and the first semester is coming to an end. Not to mention it’s nearly Christmas! Over the years I have been asked: How do you do it all? How do you manage to write a blog and study? However, I am no super human, I have no magic wand and I am yet to freeze time. I have written this blog for five and a half years, if you…
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When your mum becomes your PA…
In order for me to complete university away from home, and get to lectures in one piece- a PA (Personal Assistant) has been vital in me being able to be as independent as possible. I have actually enjoyed the process of hiring PA’s despite it being a little stressful to find one in time. Yet, when looking for a PA, it had to be someone who could drive as well as being capable to suit all of my needs. By having a car it would mean that I could get to hospital appointments easily. However, when advertising it was often extremely hard to find someone who was fairly young (not…
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Chapter 2 in the World of University
How has first year even finished? The second year of university is when assignments count towards your final degree classification, which is terrifying! Even more strange then that, seeing freshers around campus and in the flat I once classed as my second home. Chapter 2 of university, I am sure you will keep me busy! The biggest change about second year is moving out of halls. You loose the conveniency of rolling out of bed for a 9am and being able to go back to your flat in between lectures, but you gain a house! Living in a house with your friends has it’s perks, and means it just generally feels…
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University Halls are no more!
After spending 9 months living in university halls while completing my first year I cannot believe how fast it has gone! I honestly can’t! I remember moving in like yesterday and how a group of strangers became friends. Like many things, when you have a disability these type of experiences will be slightly different to others- but that doesn’t mean I have not learned a lot. University halls mean independence for a lot of people, it is often the first time we leave home, moving away from family and friends we have grown up with, for me this was no different. Yet my independence wouldn’t have been safe without the correct…
