[nabs-l] Where Can I Turn For Some Help?

[KENNEDY STOMBERG]

Hello. Don't worry. :-) I'm not here to tell you to attend the training center. First off, in terms of readers… The beautiful thing about your situation is that you go to college. That gives you options.
One option is to try to get someone from your class to help you. Someone from your class is already studying the same material, and if your schedules work, it could work very well for them to help you. They would be learning. And you wouldn't have to pay them. Another option might seem a bit silly, but it does work on college students. Sometimes, hiring a reader is a simple as offering to take them to lunch. Or get them a cup of coffee. Or something like that. But you definitely do not need your disabilities  Office to do that.
As for finding someone who can talk to disabilities office and advocate for you, I'm afraid I don't have an answer to that right now. My best suggestion would be to go to someone higher up in the administration. This can seem a bit scary, but I think it may be appropriate for your situation. 
When it comes to completing math and science classes, I am not certain. What I mean by this is that it depends. It really depends on what math or science classes you plan to take. If you would be willing to explore this a bit further, I would be willing to help you. I am a student who is manage to find both great success and joy from math and science classes at my university. If you have specific classes in mind that you would like to take, we could talk about  what you would need in terms of accommodations for those classes. If you are looking to find the easiest math and science classes that will require the least amount of accommodations, we could talk about that too. My number is posted at the bottom of this email. If you feel comfortable with this, why don't you give me a call in the next week or so, and we can talk about it? That is a conversation that is best had in person in my opinion. Others may disagree with me, and you may find someone who you find will be more helpful, but I am absolutely willing to help! Because believe me, I know what it is to not have the accommodations you need and science classes.
Good luck!
Kennedy

Kennedy Stomberg 
(218)295-2391 

> On Oct 20, 2016, at 9:02 PM, Elizabeth Mohnke via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> So the semester I thought would actually turn out well has just started taking a horrible turn for the worsts. I need some help in figuring out how to find a new reader that is not connected to the disabilities office despite the fact that I do not have any money. I also need help in figuring out my accommodations for my classes next semester. And I need help figuring out how I can find someone to help me communicate with the disabilities office.
> 
> I really hate being a blind student who has other disabilities in addition to my blindness. I have no idea how the hell to keep up my grades for this semester without going completely insane. And I honestly have no idea how the hell I am ever going to be able to complete my science and math classes so that I can actually get my degree.
> 
> I know the NFB does not help individual cases like mine, so if anyone has any ideas as to where I could find a person I could actually talk to who might be able to help me figure some of this stuff out, I would greatly appreciate hearing from you. I really wish I had known that I was going to be losing what little support I receive from the disabilities office in the middle of the semester. It has turned into a mess that is too complicated for me.
> 
> But please do not tell me that attending an NFB training center is the answer for me as I do not have the money for that either.
> 
> Thanks,
> Elizabeth
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