How to keep spirits up

[RidingDutchman]

Ill try to keep it from getting long winded so I'll type it short.
I'm currently 21, already failed college and currently studying at MBO level (it's a Dutch thing, I struggle finding the correct English term for it, it's like one level below higher education)

Thanks to my problems with Asperger's syndrome, I'm at the same time way smarter as the average classmates IQ wise, to the point where I even get annoyed by how "dumb" they can seem to me. (not meant in an offensive way, but just to keep it from becoming a vague story)
At the same time I'm having big problems with making the assignments, planning and such. I pass my tests with no problems, B's minimum, but as soon as I have to write an essay troubles arise.
I'm currently at the point where, in the next 13 weeks I have to prove that I can make it otherwise I get kicked off again.

I'm already with a psych for depression and I don't really know what I can still do to keep my spirits up so I'm able to go on with the education I love, cuz if I fail this as well I wouldn't know what else to do.

Considering I'm learning for nurse, my diagnosis doesn't really make it much easier but I love the work and patients love me as well so it all makes me incredibly anxious.

If it comes across like nothing more than a whining post, I can get that but I was just hoping people over here might have found out better ways to deal with it considering I'm the sort of person that gives up really quickly.

Thanks for any possible responses

 

[Beverly]

Here MBO would be the equivalent of vocational technical training - vo-tech for short.

I'd suggest starting the outlines for your essays well in advance, take a break when it gets frustrating and do something you enjoy. Play a game for a bit, have a hot bath, go for a walk, listen to music, whatever calms you and makes you smile, then go back and work at the essay some more.

Pushing hard, overcoming our struggles is a good thing but, the harder you push yourself, the more important it is to make time for yourself. Even just fifteen minutes a day of "be happy" time makes a huge difference.

 

[Xenocity]

I know your feeling, I've always felt that way when I was in college and public schooling.
Hell I still get impatient sometimes when people take time to grasp the subject and I get right away.
You just need the right support structures and system to get you through.

Also plenty of people have trouble with essay writing, it doesn't come natural to most.

 

[Progster]

I had difficulty writing essays, too. They were very daunting, and I didn't know how to structure them. I just wrote a long list of points, thinking that the esssay was really good because I had written so many things, then being hugely disappointed when the teacher returned the essay with a D. Now I'm a lot better at it - I'm a teacher and teach essay writing. There is a trick to essay writing, and a set formula you can follow:

Introduction - general statement and opinion

Main body paragraph 1 - most important idea
Main body paragraph 2 - second most important idea
main body paragraph 3 - third most important idea, OR counter argument

Conclusion - summary or points 1, two and three, restate your opinion. Refer to future if appropiate.

The basic structure is general - specific - general. Write what yu are going to say (introduction), say it (main body), then write what you just said (conclusion). There can be as many paragraphs in the main body as you like, but it's important to decide before you write what the main, most important points are, and stick to them - don't get side-tracked, don't go off-topic and don't lose sight of the main argument and point of the essay. When I'm writing, I have to keep looking at the title of the essay and make sure what I'm writing is relevant to the topic, and the ideas I'm presenting are coherant and tie in nicely with each other. I have to constantly self-monitor and keep editing my work.

Good luck!

 

[RidingDutchman]

I had difficulty writing essays, too. They were very daunting, and I didn't know how to structure them. I just wrote a long list of points, thinking that the esssay was really good because I had written so many things, then being hugely disappointed when the teacher returned the essay with a D. Now I'm a lot better at it - I'm a teacher and teach essay writing. There is a trick to essay writing, and a set formula you can follow: (...)

Thanks for the insight, I will try to use this for my next assignments though the main issue is that our school wants a completely different take on essays. It's more like write down how you completed assignment X during your internship.

What you stated sounds very similar, having a boatload of text that has nothing to do with what the teacher wants to see but completely missing the point they do want.

I will try to keep a better structure as you proposed and ask a teacher for a fitting structure for our specific assignments so it won't turn into a pile of text that says nothing important at the end.

Thank you for the insights and I will try to pick the points I can use out of it.

 

[Harrison]

Ill try to keep it from getting long winded so I'll type it short.
I'm currently 21, already failed college and currently studying at MBO level (it's a Dutch thing, I struggle finding the correct English term for it, it's like one level below higher education)

Thanks to my problems with Asperger's syndrome, I'm at the same time way smarter as the average classmates IQ wise, to the point where I even get annoyed by how "dumb" they can seem to me. (not meant in an offensive way, but just to keep it from becoming a vague story)
At the same time I'm having big problems with making the assignments, planning and such. I pass my tests with no problems, B's minimum, but as soon as I have to write an essay troubles arise.
I'm currently at the point where, in the next 13 weeks I have to prove that I can make it otherwise I get kicked off again.

I'm already with a psych for depression and I don't really know what I can still do to keep my spirits up so I'm able to go on with the education I love, cuz if I fail this as well I wouldn't know what else to do.

Considering I'm learning for nurse, my diagnosis doesn't really make it much easier but I love the work and patients love me as well so it all makes me incredibly anxious.

If it comes across like nothing more than a whining post, I can get that but I was just hoping people over here might have found out better ways to deal with it considering I'm the sort of person that gives up really quickly.

Thanks for any possible responses

First thing I'm going to ask is, do your trainers know you have AS?

The reason is that is may be important that they do. Many teaching establishments are geared to accomodate areas of difficulty but if they don't know they won't plan ahead to deal with any issues you present.

There are ways around written essays. If you are comfortable talking through the work they may accept an audio interview instead. Worth a try.

 

[RidingDutchman]

First thing I'm going to ask is, do your trainers know you have AS?

The reason is that is may be important that they do. Many teaching establishments are geared to accomodate areas of difficulty but if they don't know they won't plan ahead to deal with any issues you present.

There are ways around written essays. If you are comfortable talking through the work they may accept an audio interview instead. Worth a try.

Yes they do know and what they told me really pissed me off

"If we knew you had Aspergers we wouldn't have accepted you"
That's right, according to school you can't become a nurse because you have autism, makes it kinda feel like I already lost the battle...

Got diagnosed around 1.5 years into a 4 year study btw

 

[Harrison]

Yes they do know and what they told me really pissed me off

"If we knew you had Aspergers we wouldn't have accepted you"
That's right, according to school you can't become a nurse because you have autism, makes it kinda feel like I already lost the battle...

Got diagnosed around 1.5 years into a 4 year study btw

It's a pity you can't get that in writing. The Netherlands has to comply with EU directives including the 'right to work of people with disabilities' (Law #68 of 1999), summary...

"The targeted employment of disabled people means the compulsory adoption in the local area; of technical tools
and a support which allow a proper assessment of people with disabilities in their working abilities.
These tools should allow to insert people in the right place, through the analysis of jobs, forms of support, positive
actions and solutions of the problems associated to the environment, the tools and interpersonal relations on the
daily workplace.
Basically, the law assumes that there must not be an aprioristic exclusion from the labor market since a particular
type or level of disability does not always correspond to a decrease in working capacity."

Article 1 of Law 68/69 provides that the rules on the employment of disabled people apply to those persons
"suffering from physical, psychic and sensory disease and to people with intellectual disabilities that lead to a
reduction of work capacity greater than 45%.”

Therefore, people with the above disabilities who aspire to a job suited to their abilities and who are in possession of
a disability higher than 45% , must register themselves in the special lists maintained by the Office for the
employment in the local area. The lists note work skills, abilities , talents, and the nature and degree of disability, and
help the Office for the employment to analyze the characteristics of the available places, favoring the match
between demand and offer in the labour market and the subsequent employment of the disabled person.

(highlight by me)

So, in a nutshell, is there a shortage of nurses (the answer is always 'yes'), are you capable of doing the job? If 'yes' then you have the right to do so.

Those are general EU guidelines, there are other more specific rules and, no doubt, more localised rulings by your own government. Personally, I'd be jumping all over their ass for a statement like that.

Here's a useful link www.autismeurope.org/files/files/link-autism-53-en.pdf

 

[RidingDutchman]

Well, we don't have a shortage of nurses here actually and it's not the problem that I can't get employment in it. For as far as I can read the act is about the workplace, not the schooling.

They do say that a person that is not able to show proper empathy and act upon emotions of a patient in a correct and natural way can't be a proper nurse, which is described in the school curriculum sadly

 

[Harrison]

but I love the work and patients love me as well

I guess that shows a certain empathy.

I was in the industry for many years and back in 2001 Holland had a deficit of around 7000 nurses to make up. They have done that through bringing in nurses from elsewhere. It doesn't hide the fact that they are shy of domestic trained staff.

The EU rules govern your right to be trained, and as I said, your local government will have its own charter. You lose nothing by investigating or even contacting the organisation I sent as a link.

 

[RidingDutchman]

I guess that shows a certain empathy.

I was in the industry for many years and back in 2001 Holland had a deficit of around 7000 nurses to make up. They have done that through bringing in nurses from elsewhere. It doesn't hide the fact that they are shy of domestic trained staff.

The EU rules govern your right to be trained, and as I said, your local government will have its own charter. You lose nothing by investigating or even contacting the organisation I sent as a link.

Thanks for the great help and explanation. I shall look into it and will refer to it if school starts to make issues. Much appreciated!

 

[Slithytoves]

Thanks to my problems with Asperger's syndrome, I'm at the same time way smarter as the average classmates IQ wise,

At the same time I'm having big problems with making the assignments,

I have dropped out of university twice in my life for problems with writing, so I do understand where you're at to some extent. The good news, that you can hold onto for keeping your spirits up right now, is that you are still in the program and apparently have some solid bedside skills.

My first recommendation would be to stop thanking your Asperger's for your dilemma. It's not going anywhere, so it's healthier to make peace with it and embrace it. Otherwise you will always see it as working against you, unnecessarily. If you read up on Asperger's strengths, you may find ways to harness your gifts to at least partially compensate for your limitations. Be your own nurse and construct your own therapies.

Most institutions of higher education have writing clinics where you can go for guidance. Standard methods may not be a perfect fit for you, but it's a start and may be the seed for you to grow your own techniques.

Get creative, Dutchman. You can do this.

 

[wanderer03]

I have dropped out of university twice in my life for problems with writing, so I do understand where you're at to some extent. The good news, that you can hold onto for keeping your spirits up right now, is that you are still in the program and apparently have some solid bedside skills.

My first recommendation would be to stop thanking your Asperger's for your dilemma. It's not going anywhere, so it's healthier to make peace with it and embrace it. Otherwise you will always see it as working against you, unnecessarily. If you read up on Asperger's strengths, you may find ways to harness your gifts to at least partially compensate for your limitations. Be your own nurse and construct your own therapies.

Most institutions of higher education have writing clinics where you can go for guidance. Standard methods may not be a perfect fit for you, but it's a start and may be the seed for you to grow your own techniques.

Get creative, Dutchman. You can do this.

I'm still trying to become at peace with my Autism. I'm in a hell of sorts over it. Right now I cannot even find a low level job.