A wonderful introduction.

[Christopher]

Hello, my name is Christopher, I am 23 Years old, and I am coming to terms with my Autism.

At the early age of 9, I was diagnosed with Asperger's and it changed my life completely. As my parents, family, and others don't really understand it nor do they try to. They try to be decently supportive I suppose When asked why I do certain actions or act a certain way I explain that there are just somethings out of my control at times due to the Asperger's. For instance, I might start shaking and I can't explain why, or I might lose grip on something easy to hold. Yet I'm more often than not, that it is just an excuse and I should learn to not do it.

Currently I'm afraid to learn how to drive.

I graduated high school in 2011 with honors, legacy, and regents diploma.

I'm over $60,000 in debt because I needed to go to college but couldn't commute or have my parents get me to and from college, or afford to live there, nor we I have been able to at the time. So I elected to go the route of online college. I chose to go to Full Sail University (a private college in Winter Park Florida) without doing much reading into it all. This was possibly the worst life decision and the best all rolled into one package.

Back to the point. I graduated in

I graduated from Full Sail University in 2013 with a Bach of Science in Internet Marketing. Here it is 2016 And I have yet to been able to gain any experience or a job within this field for multiple reasons most of which are my fault.

It is hard to find work near me as the jobs are hard to find, or I just bomb the interview, or due to my lack of experience, I just don't get hired. I was for a time working (about 1 year) for A & P before it got bought out by Stop and Shop; shortly afterwards I was fired for making a bad mistake on my part, which to me was a very business-like choice. Yet nevertheless, the company didn't see it as that.

So now I'm struggling in so much debt (about $475/month in just student loans alone) without any end in sight. Living with my parents not able to really get a good job or hold a job. Not able to take a bus. And living 3 miles from town.

Not sure what to do with my life or how to go approach everything,

So yeah that's me in a nutshell.

 

[Astroganga]

Hey Christopher, welcome. I really felt for you reading your introduction. I have had similar difficulties though was never able to get a degree, you should be proud of achieving that despite the issues that you have.

My sister who is a self diagnosed Aspie has a degree in advertising, she didn't do it online but she did it via a community college who offered a type of degree that was a 1 year vocational qualification and 2 year degree. This was after trying and failing to get to degree level with what we call A levels. She got a first in her degree but struggled to find a job in that field. She got a job in a very junior position at some quirky small ad agency out in the sticks, they kept expecting her to stay behind and finish projects with no extra pay, never promoted her, and in the end she quit. She then worked for an insurance company for quite a long time, call centre work before she finally got a job working in the marketing department of a university. Don't give up and where there is a will, there is a way.

 

[Tom]

Hi & welcome,
Wanting to turn things around, wanting to make changes, is the most important ingredient in progress. Your experiences, though unique are similar to many here. Read and interact with those that have been in similar situations. Commiseration isn't bad, but mainly focus on the positive, what things worked for people. Then you might get some ideas, or motivations that you can customize to yourself. Remember patience. Rome wasn't built in a day. Things are done one step at a time.

 

[Mia]

Welcome to Aspie Central Christopher - Student loans are difficult, don't know if you read any of these?

http://blog.ed.gov/2015/04/student-...e-government-can-help-you-repay-your-loans-3/

https://studentloanhero.com/featured/the-complete-list-of-student-loan-forgiveness-programs/

 

[Warmheart]

Welcome to AC!

 

[Elemental]

Hi Christopher & welcome to Central. I did a degree too, started age 34 after doing night school courses & although I struggled & went part time, I graduated 2006.

I can't say I've used this qualification in any jobs I did since but I did love the total absorption of study & miss that sometimes. I was in the UK's first intake of students when loans were introduced here & instead of maintenance grants, we were offered bank overdrafts.....I thought that meant they would actually deposit the agreed sum in my bank account & rang the bank querying where it was so yeh, I was quite naive & misunderstanding about all that side of stuff.

I hope you are able to find something to do which you enjoy & like, I guess that means a lot of searching & researching but it's early days, you are only 23 so the very best of luck.