[nabs-l] Is It just Me: Academic Challenges

[Muzamil Ibrahim]

Christina, I agree. You discovered it right! If you want to give a more meaning to your work and aim for the higher grades, it should take you longer. This is true for sighted or for blind students. Time management is the very challenging for many college students, but, if you plan and prioritize your school work every day, I think you will satisfy with your work.
Finding information is a little bit challenging. However, if you are working on your assignments and have your books in an electronic form using JAWS, open the chapter that you are working on and press control F to do the search, or, if you have digital talking book or Victor Reader Stream, you can book mark or highlight them so that you can easily find the information when you are working on your assignments. My other suggestion is that to take notes from your lectures.

Happy to share my school experiences so please feel free to communicate, Muzamil,

----Original Message-----
From: NABS-L [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Cricket Bidleman via NABS-L
Sent: Monday, July 18, 2016 2:53 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Cc: Cricket Bidleman; Christina Moore
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Is It just Me: Academic Challenges

Christina,

The answer to all of those questions is yes. It should be for everyone on this group, and if it's not, then we have a certifiable genius in our midst. Yes, assignments take longer, for a variety of reasons.
Things can be harder to understand depending on the way you think.
Contrary to popular disbelief, there are some blind people who think very visually. Yes, there are many challenges that come with being a blind student. Math, geometry, chemistry, physics, you name it. I was told, in fact, that I would not pass geometry because I'm blind. I took Honors Geometry my Freshman year of high school and passed both semesters with very very high A's.

Any academic challenge can be overcome with just a little bit of innovation. I find that any solution is generally specific to the challenge though. The main issue is time management. Great job in pointing that out. Everyone manages time a little differently. I always do math first thing when I get home, and then work my way through to the easier subjects. I'm not saying you should do that. You have to find a system that works for you. Trial and error is a way of figuring that out. I always like to do easy stuff last because if I fall asleep, I won't have problems making up the work in the morning.

And that's another problem. Sleep. For me, sleep is put on the back burner, but that's because I throw all my time and energy into academics. There are people who don't do that. And sleep is important.
You just have to find the balance that works for you. If you're tired, don't be afraid to put things away and get some rest. If you don't, you just might fall asleep on your laptop. I've done that a lot, and yet I still ignore exhaustion like the plague.

I realize this might not be the most helpful nonadvice in the world because I haven't been very specific. Feel free to get back to me on or off-list. I'll be happy to help however I can!

Best,
Cricket Bidleman

On 7/18/16, Christina Moore via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hello Everyone,
>
> I am wondering if it is just me or do other blind people have 
> challenges academically that are due to their blindness.
> Does anyone else find it challenging to search for information in a 
> textbook? Do you feel it takes longer for you to complete assignments 
> because it takes you longer to read information that is given to you 
> utilizing text-to-speech software? Does anyone else find it 
> challenging to take online tests/exams in the allotted time?
> I know that is quite a few questions but I’m wondering if it is just 
> me or if other people have these experiences.
> What do you do to manage your assignments, papers and research 
> articles/information?
> Thanks for any and all responses.
> Christina
> P.S. If I am set to no mail will I receive the responses to this 
> question since I posted it?
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