[NABS-L] Developing Skills to Manage Things Independently in Grad School

[Miso Kwak]

Hi Rahul,
First, what an exciting opportunity - academically and otherwise!!

I am also a 23 year-old who is preparing to move 2600 miles away from
my family for graduate school.
Here are a few tips I would like to share:
A. Mobility: I usually commit to memory rather than using a GPS
application, especially within a fixed space such as high school
campus and college/university campus. I went to a high school where I
had to go from one building to another in order to change my classes
during the day, and I never used a GPS on my campus. I learned about
the location of each building (e.g., math and science building,
performing arts building, etc), memorized them and went from one class
to the next.
Same for my undergraduate school - the campus was much bigger, but I
did not rely on any GPS apps or devices.
However, when I was off-campus for getting groceries, going to eat a
restaurant etc I used GPS apps such as Seeing Eye GPS and Google Maps,
because I could not commit to memory the entire town of my
undergraduate school. I just learned the names of big streets and how
they are layed out.
Whichever method you choose to use, I would advise you to start paying
attention to environmental cues such as tactile feedback from your
cane, auditory feedback, and even sometimes olfactory feedback. For
instance, when I am walking down the street and smell something
delicious, I know I am nearby a restaurant.
Another general tip I would share is that don't be afraid to ask for
help. I stop someone and ask for directions or ask them to explain
nearby landmarks frequently, especially when I am new to an area.

B. Organization: I memorize how my clothes feel... For instance, I
know this shirt I have that has a little pocket on the top left is a
blue shirt, and this skirt that has kind of a thick cloth is magenta
and goes well with certain tops but not with others.
I know some blind folks who use plastic tagging system to help group
clothes, if that is something you want to explore.
Lately I have been also utilizing apps such as Be My Eyes and Aira to
ask a sighted person if a particular clothes combination is a good
idea or not.
I also utilize Braille labels often. For instance, I would braille Ibu
for ibuprofen and stick the label on the ibuprofen bottle.

C. Cooking: I don't know how comfortable your folks would be and don't
know the culture around this in India, but if possible, start helping
around in the kitchen at your family home. Start something simple such
as washing fruits and vegetables, cutting them, mixing up with
dressings, etc.
If you use them commonly, getting used to equipment such as microwave,
rice cooker and toaster would be useful also.

D. Miscellaneous apps: I like Seeing AI app as it has ability to
distinguish currency, read product label, long text, short text,
describe pictures etc.

All the best,

Miso




On 6/3/18, Rahul Bajaj via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hi Everyone,
>
> I hope this message finds you well. By way of introduction, I am a
> 23-year-lawyer from India who happens to be blind since birth. On
> account of the accessibility barriers that the blind have to face in
> India, I have mostly relied on sighted assistance all my life to get
> most things done. I have had access to personal aides who've helped me
> with mobility, organizational stuff, cooking, etc. I went to a local
> college in my hometown for my undergraduate education, and used to
> stay with my family during this period. Further, I used to stay with
> very well-resourced relatives when I would travel to a different town
> for my internships who could meet all my needs. So I've never really
> had to truly fend for myself.
>
> I will now be moving to Oxford for my postgraduate education. This
> being the case, I was wondering if you could help me understand how I
> might be able to deal with the following challenges:
> A. Mobility - I will be provided O and M training when I move to
> Oxford, but I am wondering what the best way of getting to a
> particular location is. While I am reasonably able to get from place a
> to place b (though not adept at stuff like road-crossing), I struggle
> with orientation i.e. figuring out how to find my desired location. In
> this respect, is committing all routes that one has to frequent to
> one's memory the best solution, or should one focus on other things
> like GPS applications?
> B. I also need help with organizational stuff such as locating objects
> that I may have misplaced, matching clothes, etc. Are there any
> particular techniques that you use in these matters? I hear that
> there's a device using which you can ensure that the object that
> you're looking for starts emitting a beep, making it possible for you
> to locate it by this sound. Have you tried it?
> C. While I will have access to meals, what would be the best way for
> me to learn how to cook some basic things?
> D. Are there any other talking devices that you use which help you on
> a regular basis?
>
> Thank you for your help.
>
> Best,
> Rahul
>
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-- 
Miso Kwak
Harvard Graduate School of Education | 2019
Education Policy and Management Ed.M
University of California, Los Angeles | 2017
Psychology B.A. | Education Studies Minor | Disability Studies Minor