[nabs-l] Need more help...Navigating The Football Game Saturday

Thu Nov 11 01:50:20 UTC 2010

Kerri,
Oh its at the university.  Well, then yes having university police help you 
is fine.  Maybe they can assist you to get in and call you afterward to see 
if you need an escort or if you're okay.  Having them meet you sounds like a 
fine idea.  Its your first game alone after all.
As to people, why would you want to go with someone who drinks so much 
they'll get drunk?
Do you like to drink?  I did not.  If the answer is no then find other types 
of friends to hang with!
People do crazy things when they're drunk and would you want to be with 
drunk people especially if you got a ride with them and then you would risk 
getting in the car with a impaired driver or one potentially impaired from 
drinking?
There are people in college who don't drink.  Find a common interest, maybe 
religious if you are spiritual, and join in.
Pick your friends wisely.  You're concerns are valid about getting to and 
from events.  That's why you need to have a couple plans.  First plan could 
be friends to get home, maybe get a volunteer to pick you up or finally a 
backup plan can be a cab.
Be careful!

Ashley
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kerri Kosten" <kerrik2006 at gmail.com>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 7:51 PM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Need more help...Navigating The Football Game Saturday

> Hi Serena:
>
> The problem isn't my aunt...it's one of her friends.
>
> It's a long story but this woman feels sorry for me worse than
> anybody...I used to really look up to her and saw her as a true friend
> until I figured out that for all these years she just did things with
> me because she felt sorry for me and because she felt like if she
> didn't nobody else would...my aunt is best friends with her...I don't
> want to go with my aunt and have this woman see me...but like I said
> in my first message on this topic...I'm noticing a lot more people not
> just my aunts friend have this attitude in regards to me.
>
> I honestly think the reason it is so hard to find someone to go with
> is because people often drink the entire day and they don't want to be
> "responsible" for me when they are drinking or want me to see them
> drunk. Plus...how would the blind girl get there? Get home? ETC...it's
> just a complicated mess lol!
>
> This is a major college football game so there aren't parents or
> chaperones like that...but that's what I'm wondering about...should I
> have someone meet me outside the stadium like a security guard,
> parking official, university policeman, usher or somebody who works at
> the stadium walk in with me and make sure I get seated?
>
> I can do this...I'm getting more encouraged and excited with each
> message I read...I just want to be as prepared as possible and have
> the right plan in case something happens...
>
> Keep the encouragement and ideas/opinions coming please!
>
> Kerri
>
> On 11/10/10, Kerri Kosten <kerrik2006 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Hi Heather and all!!
>>
>> Thanks soooo much!
>>
>> This is what I wanted to hear...I'm not afraid at all on steps...that
>> was just one thing that was mentioned yesterday...the steps shouldn't
>> be a problem!
>>
>> I guess what I'm more afraid of is the huge massive parking lot, drunk
>> guys, and the unknown?
>>
>> But your right...I can't get over it until I go out and try...just
>> what do I do if something were to happen? Do I just scream as loud as
>> I can? Should I bring a whistle?
>>
>> Your right I should be fine considering I'll be in public the whole time.
>>
>> Honestly, and I know this is an error of mine...but am I putting these
>> fears in my own head by thinking about them? Am I making this seem
>> worse than it is by thinking about it and listening to sighted
>> nay-sayers? And by sighted nay-sayers I mean people around here like
>> my mother and others who think there is no way I could possibly do
>> this.
>>
>> I do know this...the stadium will be very very loud at times (when the
>> other team is playing and we're on defense) and when we score...so I
>> know I won't be able to hear my phone at all times if I would need to
>> call someone but during timeouts and such I should be able to use my
>> phone...I guess I would feel much better about this if I had a solid
>> plan or knew who to call if something did happen...hope this doesn't
>> sound dumb or make me look like a chicken lol!
>>
>> Also, heather I did misunderstand one part of your message...you said
>> to give the person my extra ticket at either the parking lot or inside
>> the stadium...what did you mean by this? If I go alone I will only be
>> bringing the one ticket...or did you mean the person who works at the
>> stadium tearing ticket stubs at the ticket window?
>>
>> Thanks all...
>>
>> Kerri
>>
>> On 11/10/10, H. Field <missheather at comcast.net> wrote:
>>> Hi Kerri,
>>> As you will be in public the whole time, and as you will be using your
>>> cane which will tellyou where the steps are, there's no reason why you
>>> should be frightened. As you will be surrounded by people the whole
>>> time, if you get into a fix, you can easily ask for help if you need
>>> it. Have you thought about asking the person who takes the ticket to
>>> meet you outside the parking lot and, if you're worried about
>>> negotiating it, tell them you'll give them the ticket when you get
>>> inside the stadium. You can ask if they mind you walking with them and
>>> you'll be inside in no time. I don't see why you should be afraid of
>>> steps. after all, the steps stay still and you have a cane, you find
>>> them and walk down them.
>>>
>>> I know I'm just one voice giving advice but, I've always found that I
>>> make friends when I step out and just go for it in life. So, my vote
>>> is you tell the person they have the ticket and ask them to meet you
>>> at your gate of choice. Keep the ticket until you're inside and go
>>> from there. I've been to countless rock and country music festivals
>>> and concerts in my life. Most of them in Australia where drinking is
>>> much more part of the culture and where the beer is twice as strong as
>>> American beer. I've never had any trouble with drunks. They usually
>>> offer to help and I say they can help by letting me do things myself
>>> and I thank them for being so helpful when they don't do anything. So,
>>> on the basis of my experience, and the tremendous boost that only
>>> independent travel can give you, I vote you go it alone and enjoy
>>> yourself.
>>>
>>> Best,
>>>
>>> Heather
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>>
>>> Heather
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Kerri Kosten" <kerrik2006 at gmail.com>
>>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>; "k-r" <k-r at atlanticbb.net>; "Darren Burton"
>>> <dburton at afb.net>
>>> Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 4:24 PM
>>> Subject: [nabs-l] Need more help...Navigating The Football Game
>>> Saturday
>>>
>>>
>>> Hey All:
>>>
>>> Sorry to post another message about this but I figured I'd change the
>>> subject line a little.
>>>
>>> As most of you know, yesterday I decided to do the basketball game
>>> independently and just find a friend for the football game Saturday to
>>> be on the safe side with such a massive stadium, parking lot area,
>>> tons of steps everywhere, and all the drunks.
>>>
>>> Well, to make a long story short, I can't find anyone to go with.
>>>
>>> I honestly don't have very many friends around here. The reasons for
>>> this are debatable but I think it comes down to the fact that the
>>> sighted people feel sorry for me, and see me as a child and don't want
>>> to be "responsible" for me. I don't have that forward-thinking sighted
>>> person to go to or that cool friend and there aren't any other blind
>>> people around here.
>>>
>>> I called one of the friends I have Loray...but she is working
>>> Saturday.
>>>
>>> I posted on Facebook yesterday that I have an extra ticket to go to
>>> the game on the 50 yard line but noone responded. I posted another
>>> status update earlier today and someone responded asking if I was
>>> selling the ticket and how much and they may be interested...I
>>> explained the situation, that the ticket wasn't for sale but I was
>>> looking for someone to go with because as a female it probably
>>> wouldn't be the best idea to go alone with all the drunks. The person
>>> agreed, and asked how I was but did not say anything about going to
>>> the game with me.
>>>
>>> My aunt may be going but heres the thing...I want to be careful with
>>> who I ask and select to go with. I don't want to just go with someone
>>> as a tag-along or invite myself into a group or worst of all have
>>> someone feel sorry for the poor blind girl and take her to the game
>>> because she doesn't have anyone to go with...and if she doesn't go
>>> with me how will she go to the game? Poor thing...then the whole time
>>> ask me about where my mother is, and how my mother should be taking
>>> me, and so on.
>>>
>>> It's my birthday...I want to do this and have fun and I want to go
>>> with a person who wants to go with me because of me not because they
>>> feel sorry for the poor blind girl or the poor blind girl doesn't have
>>> anyone else to go with, or the poor blind girl's mother is too busy
>>> for her. I try to point out that 'm 23 years old and don't need my
>>> mother and they say "I know," but it infuriates me.
>>>
>>> So, what should I do if I don't end up finding someone to go with?
>>>
>>> This not getting to do things because of not having people to do
>>> things has gone on long enough. As of a couple of months ago I decided
>>> enough was enough, and to stop feeling sorry for myself, and that from
>>> now on I would do what I wanted when I wanted whether I had people to
>>> go with or not.
>>>
>>> So far, until this football game I've been doing pretty well.
>>>
>>> I have already missed out on several festivals here and a concert that
>>> was held here featuring Maroon 5, Ludacris, and Kris Allen (Maroon 5
>>> is one of my favorite artists and I love Ludacris) because of not
>>> having people to go with and being afraid to go because of being a
>>> female with all the rowdy drunks.
>>>
>>> I want to show these feel sorry people that I don't need them, and
>>> that I do what I want when I want whether they want to take me or not,
>>> and that my mother doesn't need to be around...I don't want my
>>> birthday to be ruined too and not get to go to something I want
>>> because of stupid people!
>>>
>>> I don't need these people...I'm determined to show them and overcome
>>> this...but I want to be safe too and keep what Kimberly said in her
>>> message yesterday in mind.
>>>
>>> If I don't end up finding anybody and have to do it alone would it be
>>> best  to do the call ahead, have someone from security help me to my
>>> seat then help me out of the stadium afterwords? Would that be safe
>>> enough?
>>>
>>> I love the idea of gong to the stadium to check things out on a day
>>> when the fans are not there...but this is the last of two home games
>>> so this will most likely be the only football game I go to.
>>>
>>> I have to pick up my ticket for the basketball game so I definitely
>>> will check out that areena but I don't know if I'll get to check out
>>> the football stadium before Saturday.
>>>
>>> What to do?
>>>
>>> Thanks so much,
>>>
>>> Kerri
>>>
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>>>
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>>
>
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