[nabs-l] being scholastically social?

[Jedi]

Frankly, my time is taken up with school, homework, and the nFB. I did 
join the school's step team. Step is a type of dance much like stomp 
minus any instruments. I found the club difficult for a few reasons. 
First, the uniform necessary for the club was expensive and I didn't 
have the money; the other dancers on the team (most notably the 
Captain) didn't understand this and thought that my unwillingness to 
buy the uniform was a personal choice rather than a choice inspired by 
the reality of my situation. Next, the dancers tended to use a visual 
form of communication that I was not privy to, and no one really tried 
to let me in even when I asked for as much information as I could get. 
To add to that, the Captain said that blindness was not an issue and 
refused my talking with the team explicitly about blindness. Then, the 
issue came up later on in the middle of dance practice where fellow 
team members wanted to know how much I could see putting me in a very 
uncomfortable position. It was also clear that as an individual person 
(blindness aside), I was just not someone who fit into the general 
atmosphere. to be honest, I've made occasional inquiries at other clubs 
on campus such as the free thinkers society (mostly a group of atheists 
who spend their time criticizing theists without understanding that 
their view is no more valid) and the disability rights club (a 
pan-disability movement with its own agenda that isn't in keeping with 
my values as a blind person and a member of the NFB). I just figured 
that campus clubs weren't the best route for me.

That doesn't mean that I stopped socializing though, and I don't think 
that clubs have to be the only way to socialize for blind students just 
to be normal. I joined off-campus associations such as the local 
Democrats. I also started weightlifting at an all-women's gym. both of 
these involvements are less formal than a campus club. The Dems are 
formal, but I don't get to see them as often as I'd like. My real 
avenue for socializing at school is simply to engage in interpersonal 
relationships as I discover them. My blindness as an identity has 
informed these relationships somewhat because I don't make it a habbit 
of befriending those who spend their time with me asking question after 
question about blindness. I instead choose friends who just get it or 
at least get it enough to know that blindness should not be the central 
focus of their interest in me. If they have questions, then they ask, 
but not in that "bombs away" style that so many people favor.

Respectfully,
Jedi


Original message:
> Hi list,

>  I'm curious to  here what  people's thoughts are about  becoming
> involved in  clubs and campus  activities in school (high school or
> college). do you  jump at the oppertunity to meet new people? do you
> feel nervous about it. have you met some of your  best friends at a
> ralley,  social club, campus society? how did your  self- identity as
> a blind person factor into  your interactions with people? how did
> people interact with you?
>   Thoughts?
>   Best,
>   Darian
> --
> Darian Smith
> Skype: The_Blind_Truth
> Windows Live: Lightningrod2010 at live.com
> The National Federation of the Blind has launched a nationwide teacher
> recruitment campaign to help attract energetic and passionate
> individuals into the field of blindness education, and we need your
> help!   To Get Involved  go to:
> www.TeachBlindStudents.org

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