[nabs-l] being scholastically social?

[Briley Pollard]

I don't think anyone is saying that clubs are the only way to get involved on campus, but they can be a good starting point for many people.

Briley
On Mar 21, 2010, at 5:27 PM, Jedi wrote:

> 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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