Hello, life after high school

Originally published May 27, 2017, on Jepsonfiles.com

This week, I graduated from high school. It was a pretty cool moment, I must admit.  High school as an autistic person is very different than it would have been for me if I was normal.  Instead of AP tests and extracurricular activities like music or sports, I am stuck in IEPs and a contained classroom. No offense meant to my teachers, but I was never really challenged at school.  I understand why it is hard to teach me at the level that I am capable of because I still have a hard time communicating what I know in the school setting.  It’s no-one’s fault. It’s just my reality. But now, I feel like my life is about to start for real.

There are so many things that I want to do, including going to college, going on a mission for my church, getting a job, and improving my writing skills so that I can be more independent.  I know that each of those goals will take some work, but I also know that with God, anything is achievable.  Someday, I hope to be able to speak what I can write and finally be able to let others know that autistic people have so much to contribute to this world. We see the world through a different lens and that is ok. Everyone has been given different sets of talents and like it says in the Bible, God expects us to use and improve on what we have been given.  I know that I can do that much and am looking forward to challenging myself now to see what kind of progress that I can make.