[NABS-L] Do you Disclose Vision to College Roomates?

Tue Aug 4 16:48:23 UTC 2020

Hi Simon, 

Great to hear from you! I've texted my roommates on two separate occasions in the week that I have known them. My current philosophy in handling this is to get to know each of them and then introduce it via text message. One of my roommates is on the cross-country team with me, so I feel like there is some benefit to having a teammate as a roommate. I have found in the past that teammates will have your back. Hoping that works out. 

On another note, I cannot believe how many responses I have got on this question. I can tell there is a lot of support in this community. 

Nic 

-----Original Message-----
From: Simon Bonenfant <sbonenfant2 at gmail.com> 
Sent: Tuesday, August 4, 2020 12:43 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Cc: nspohn0 at gmail.com
Subject: Re: [NABS-L] Do you Disclose Vision to College Roomates?

I would say you should disclose your blindness pretty quickly after meeting them meaning meeting them via text and then disclosing it via text. The most important thing though is just be yourself. Because if you wait to disclose it, you might try to hard or act uncomfortable which would make them more uncomfortable around you. So I would just say just be yourself, if they’re good friends and good people then they’re all respect you for who you are. If they’re not good friends are good people and wouldn’t matter if you’re blind or not then you’re not gonna respect you and you don’t have to appeal to them necessarily.
Sent from my iPhone

> On Aug 3, 2020, at 6:32 PM, nspohn0--- via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi Sami,
> 
> I am sorry to hear that you had some bad experiences. I was actually thinking about how people will know eventually because people talk to each other about other people. My campus has about 5,000 students, so it will not take long for everyone to know about how there is a visually impaired/blind kid on campus. 
> 
> That bathroom thing is a great idea. I never even thought of that. 
> 
> Thank You,
> Nic
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NABS-L <nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Sami Osborne via 
> NABS-L
> Sent: Monday, August 3, 2020 6:16 PM
> To: Laura Meyer via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Sami Osborne <sami.j.osborne97 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [NABS-L] Do you Disclose Vision to College Roomates?
> 
> Hi Nic,
> 
> I think to be honest people will notice right away, especially if you have a cane or guide dog. I'm glad that you're already in communication with your dorm mates (since they're not in the same room as you but in the same dorm, they're considered "dorm" or "suite" rather than "room" mates), which is a luxury I didn't have when I first moved into my dorm, resulting in my roommates as well as others looking down on me due to my blindness and hearing impairments. I also discovered that my two roommates (they stayed in the same room as me) I had duffing my freshman year (or rather, my parents informed me) were weed smokers, and they often stayed up past 3 AM. In the beginning of that first semester, they would also get into my personal possessions, especially when I returned home on weekends, until I finally complained to the RA about that. So I should probably just let you know first off that you're the luckiest blind college freshman ever! LOL.
> 
> As far as disclosure, like I mentioned earlier, your dorm mates are likely to notice your blindness right off. What I would suggest is letting them know about what makes you most comfortable, such as leaving the bathroom door open unless someone is using it, that way you'll know when it's safe.
> 
> Hope this helps.
> 
> Sami
> 
>> On Aug 2, 2020 8:39 PM, Laura Meyer via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> Hi,
>> I would tell them.  Sometimes its best to be up front about things 
>> like vision loss, and medical issues.
>> Just my thoughts from similar experience. 
>> 
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: nspohn0--- via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> To: "'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'" 
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> Date sent: Sun, 2 Aug 2020 13:17:24 -0400
>> Subject: [NABS-L] Do you Disclose Vision to College Roomates? 
>> 
>> Hi all,
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> I will be a college freshman this fall.  My Move in day is August 
>> 22nd, so it is coming up quickly! Do you disclose your visual 
>> impairment/blindness to your college dorm roommates?
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> I will be living in an apartment style.  The four of us each have our 
>> own room and there are two bathrooms, 2 people per bathroom.
>> Students are
>> responsible for cleaning the bathrooms among themselves.  There are 
>> also 2 washers and dryers that the four of us will share.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> I have started to text each of my roommates.  We have been talking 
>> about what we are majoring in, things we like to do, etc.  I would 
>> love to have multiple opinions on this.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Regards,
>> 
>> Nic
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> NABS-L mailing list
>> NABS-L at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> NABS-L:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/laura.meyer13
>> 79%40gmail.com
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> NABS-L mailing list
>> NABS-L at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for NABS-L: 
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/sami.j.osborne97%
>> 4
>> 0gmail.com
> _______________________________________________
> NABS-L mailing list
> NABS-L at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for NABS-L:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/nspohn0%40gmail.co
> m
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> NABS-L mailing list
> NABS-L at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for NABS-L:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/sbonenfant2%40gmai
> l.com