The Northern Virginia Community College is ideal for students who have physical disabilities. The college stands on a beautiful campus surrounded by trees and with a large lake on one end. The campus is very small and compact with buildings being very close to one another. Faculty and staff are very helpful around campus so if you need help with something, do not hesitate to ask. There are elevators in most buildings so if you cannot climb steps, look close-by and there is more-than-likely one around the corner.
One downside to NVCC, however, is that sometimes it can get quite lonely. Since it is a commuter college, most students only come to attend class and then leave to go home. Therefore, the school can sometimes become boring if you must be there all day. I could not get a ride home until late in the afternoon when I went there and things got a bit dull. I usually brought my iPOD to keep me occupied as well as textbooks and homework. There is, however, a great lounge and cafeteria area to go to whenever you have any extra downtime to kill.
One great thing about NVCC, is that it is in the range of MetroAccess. This is great for disabled students that cannot drive and need a ride to school. I was one of these students and found MetroAccess to be very helpful. I am unable to drive a car so I relied on MetroAccess to pick me up and drop me off very promptly. I rarely had a problem with them not showing up or being late.
NVCC also has a very good disabilities office. The administrators that work there are also counselors as well who can help you choose classes or with anything else that you may need. This allows students to then get more familiar with the counselors that they work with. I found these counselors to be very helpful and knowledgeable. I felt also that teachers were very accommodating to my needs and made NVCC a very enjoyable and worth-while experience.
I enjoyed my experience at NVCC and would recommend it to those looking to attend a small, quaint school. I was able to get any and all the help that I needed from the faculty and staff at NVCC. I was able to successfully pursue my degree requirements in an environment that I came to know, love, and enjoy. The professors at NVCC helped me achieve a high level of success and treated me as any other student. I would recommend NVCC to any student looking for the college experience but not quite ready to live away from home!
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
UNCG (College Post 1)
As I experienced first hand, The University at North Carolina at Greensboro presents students with a disability the opportunity to pursue and achieve their dreams in a friendly and peaceful atmosphere. One of the most beneficial aspects of UNCG, was the friendliness and helpful nature the staff brings to the college. Whether a student needs help carrying a tray full of food in the cafeteria, or one needs an adaptation to their dorm room, the staff members are always ready and willing to help a student who has a disability with anything they may need. In addition, professors are also ready to make any accommodations necessary that will help a student within their classroom. Whether this means having a notetaker sit in class with a student because that student cannot write, or allowing a student to take their tests at the Office of Disability Services, the professors at UNCG have a very easy-going outlook when it comes to accommodating an individual with a disability.
The campus of UNCG is quite small and has a very flat and compact layout. I have a physical disability that affects my walking. However, in my last semester at UNCG, I was able to walk completely across campus each morning in order to attend my classes. The buildings at UNCG, for the most part, are all handicapped accessible with ramps and a electrical button to open each. There are special GTA buses that run in the city of Greensboro that are solely for the physically disabled. Elevators can be found in all the buildings providing easy access to the upper levels for those in wheelchairs. The weather in Greensboro, North Carolina is usually pretty mild which makes it easier to get around whether you are walking or in a wheelchair.
The majority of the campus body at UNCG, eagerly integrate students with disabilities into campus life. Students are eager to either lend a helping hand whenever necessary, involve themselves within the Office of Disability Services, or just simply reach out to those that have a disability to include them in everyday campus activities. In all my years going to UNCG, I never once saw another student mock a disabled student. This is a major contributor to the easy-going atmosphere that UNCG presents to its students. Therefor, for these reasons, I would highly recommend the campus of UNCG to a disabled students looking to attend college.
The campus of UNCG is quite small and has a very flat and compact layout. I have a physical disability that affects my walking. However, in my last semester at UNCG, I was able to walk completely across campus each morning in order to attend my classes. The buildings at UNCG, for the most part, are all handicapped accessible with ramps and a electrical button to open each. There are special GTA buses that run in the city of Greensboro that are solely for the physically disabled. Elevators can be found in all the buildings providing easy access to the upper levels for those in wheelchairs. The weather in Greensboro, North Carolina is usually pretty mild which makes it easier to get around whether you are walking or in a wheelchair.
The majority of the campus body at UNCG, eagerly integrate students with disabilities into campus life. Students are eager to either lend a helping hand whenever necessary, involve themselves within the Office of Disability Services, or just simply reach out to those that have a disability to include them in everyday campus activities. In all my years going to UNCG, I never once saw another student mock a disabled student. This is a major contributor to the easy-going atmosphere that UNCG presents to its students. Therefor, for these reasons, I would highly recommend the campus of UNCG to a disabled students looking to attend college.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Judging
I really wish people would stop judging other people. This is one of my top pet-peeves and something that drives me up the wall. So many people are quick to act as though they know everything that is going on with everyone else’s life. In my opinion, this stems from being insecure about something in their personal life. When you are insecure about your own life, you tend to want to find things wrong in other people’s lives in order to make yourself feel better. I feel as though there are people who genuinely want to help others, but that there are also some that do it to make themselves feel good.
I believe that for the most part, we live in a society that enjoys lending a helping hand to each other. I am someone who, from time-to-time, needs help from people that I do not know. Most people are very quick to see my situation and help me out. Other people want to give me too much help when I don’t need it. Normally, I do not mind this because I know that they are just trying to be nice and helpful. However, when someone does do this, it makes me wonder whether other people see me as someone who needs help. I do not want to be seen as a helpless person because in reality, I do almost everything that I need to by myself.
Even though I strive to be as independent as possible, there are times when I just need help because I can’t quite do something. I have found that when I do venture out looking for help, even for something as small as tying my shoe, I get varying reactions. Some people are quick to help me and do not turn it into a big deal. Others have looked at me sheepishly or just ignored me completely and walked away. I honestly completely understand this reaction. When something different or unexpected occurs in our everyday life, we might tend to get nervous or flustered. Some people may care too much about what other people will think about them when they interact with different people.
Independence is one of the most important words to me. Since I was a senior in high school, I have always strived to do things as independently as possible. This is not because I am too stubborn to ask for help or care what others will think about me if someone is helping me. It is because I want to someday live completely on my own. In order to do that, however, I must be able to do daily things without any help. Therefore, I must find other, different, ways of doing things that I may not be able to do the way others do. One thing I have learned to help me do this is to not care what those around me think of me. Even though I may eat differently or walk differently, I cannot let others who stare or laugh get to me. The older I get, the more I see that the attention my disability draws l lessens. I remember as a kid thinking how in the world was I going to go to college or live on my own. This depressed me greatly. I allowed others to shape the way I thought. Now, if there is something that I want to do, I just do it. I wanted to go away to college, and, even though there were setbacks, I did it.
I believe that for the most part, we live in a society that enjoys lending a helping hand to each other. I am someone who, from time-to-time, needs help from people that I do not know. Most people are very quick to see my situation and help me out. Other people want to give me too much help when I don’t need it. Normally, I do not mind this because I know that they are just trying to be nice and helpful. However, when someone does do this, it makes me wonder whether other people see me as someone who needs help. I do not want to be seen as a helpless person because in reality, I do almost everything that I need to by myself.
Even though I strive to be as independent as possible, there are times when I just need help because I can’t quite do something. I have found that when I do venture out looking for help, even for something as small as tying my shoe, I get varying reactions. Some people are quick to help me and do not turn it into a big deal. Others have looked at me sheepishly or just ignored me completely and walked away. I honestly completely understand this reaction. When something different or unexpected occurs in our everyday life, we might tend to get nervous or flustered. Some people may care too much about what other people will think about them when they interact with different people.
Independence is one of the most important words to me. Since I was a senior in high school, I have always strived to do things as independently as possible. This is not because I am too stubborn to ask for help or care what others will think about me if someone is helping me. It is because I want to someday live completely on my own. In order to do that, however, I must be able to do daily things without any help. Therefore, I must find other, different, ways of doing things that I may not be able to do the way others do. One thing I have learned to help me do this is to not care what those around me think of me. Even though I may eat differently or walk differently, I cannot let others who stare or laugh get to me. The older I get, the more I see that the attention my disability draws l lessens. I remember as a kid thinking how in the world was I going to go to college or live on my own. This depressed me greatly. I allowed others to shape the way I thought. Now, if there is something that I want to do, I just do it. I wanted to go away to college, and, even though there were setbacks, I did it.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
The PETO (Part 1)
When I was in grade school, maybe 6th or 7th grade, my parents began taking me on life changing journeys to a city called Budapest, Hungary. Sometimes we would go as a family, and other times it would be just my mom and I. It took about 6-8 hours to fly to London, and then another hour or two to arrive in Budapest. Once we landed in Budapest, we would normally catch a cab to the flat we were staying in for the two months. Then, once we unpacked a bit, we would take a quick trip to the grocery store so we would have food for the next few days. In Budapest, there are so many ways to get around: trams, buses, taxis, walking, etc. It is much different from the suburbs where most people just drive to where they are going in order to get there.
I have been to Budapest about four or five times. Now, with that being said, you may be wondering why I went there so many times. In Budapest, there is a school called the PETO Institute. This is almost like a normal 8am-3pm school for children and young teenagers except, instead of being taught math, science, or history, they are taught basic life skills that will help them succeed at living on their own. The children that attend the PETO, need this instruction because they have some type of physical disability. The skills that these children are taught include, but are not limited to, tying a shoelace, feeding themselves, clothing themselves, strengthening different muscles, improving one’s speech, and anything else that can allow someone to achieve a greater independence.
The PETO is run by people called conductors. These are specially trained “teachers” who work with the children one-on-one or in small groups. Since the PETO is attended by children from all around the world, the conductors tend to know different languages. I know that while attending the PETO, I picked up a little German, Hungarian, and Spanish! I met people from all over the world too...some very famous! While I was there, I met the Queen of Spain, John Starks, and Kareem Abdul-Jabaar. Each day I went, which was usually Monday through Friday, I always knew that something different and special was likely to happen.
Being at the PETO for eight to ten months of my life had a positive and dramatic impact on me. I learned skills there that I will have and use for the rest of my life. As a child, I never dreamed of being as independent as I am today. I remember having long and lonely nights thinking “how will I ever live on my own or go to college by myself?” The PETO helped me overcome this mindset and realize that the sky is the limit for me. While at the PETO, I saw children that were much worse off than I was. This made me realize how lucky I was and motivated me to work even harder.
This is just the beginning of my story of the PETO and my tales of living in Budapest. My mom actually was so impressed with the progress that I made there that she ended up bringing Hungarian conductors here to the United States and started her own program here in the United States. This allowed kids who had physical disabilities to get the same treatment here in the US who may not otherwise be able to because of financial stipulations or other restraints. I will be continuing this in a later blog detailing life in a foreign school discussing how hard each day was, how I annoyed the conductors by bringing my own “American food” because their food sucked, and how I “kicked the doctor into the wall”.
Stay tuned for Part 2!
I have been to Budapest about four or five times. Now, with that being said, you may be wondering why I went there so many times. In Budapest, there is a school called the PETO Institute. This is almost like a normal 8am-3pm school for children and young teenagers except, instead of being taught math, science, or history, they are taught basic life skills that will help them succeed at living on their own. The children that attend the PETO, need this instruction because they have some type of physical disability. The skills that these children are taught include, but are not limited to, tying a shoelace, feeding themselves, clothing themselves, strengthening different muscles, improving one’s speech, and anything else that can allow someone to achieve a greater independence.
The PETO is run by people called conductors. These are specially trained “teachers” who work with the children one-on-one or in small groups. Since the PETO is attended by children from all around the world, the conductors tend to know different languages. I know that while attending the PETO, I picked up a little German, Hungarian, and Spanish! I met people from all over the world too...some very famous! While I was there, I met the Queen of Spain, John Starks, and Kareem Abdul-Jabaar. Each day I went, which was usually Monday through Friday, I always knew that something different and special was likely to happen.
Being at the PETO for eight to ten months of my life had a positive and dramatic impact on me. I learned skills there that I will have and use for the rest of my life. As a child, I never dreamed of being as independent as I am today. I remember having long and lonely nights thinking “how will I ever live on my own or go to college by myself?” The PETO helped me overcome this mindset and realize that the sky is the limit for me. While at the PETO, I saw children that were much worse off than I was. This made me realize how lucky I was and motivated me to work even harder.
This is just the beginning of my story of the PETO and my tales of living in Budapest. My mom actually was so impressed with the progress that I made there that she ended up bringing Hungarian conductors here to the United States and started her own program here in the United States. This allowed kids who had physical disabilities to get the same treatment here in the US who may not otherwise be able to because of financial stipulations or other restraints. I will be continuing this in a later blog detailing life in a foreign school discussing how hard each day was, how I annoyed the conductors by bringing my own “American food” because their food sucked, and how I “kicked the doctor into the wall”.
Stay tuned for Part 2!
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Welcome!
Having cerebral palsy is quite the challenge. It is a round-the-clock job that requires dedication and a great deal of hard work. This can get very tiring and frustrating as it sometimes feels like you never get a break. I, for one, can attest to this. My name is Jason Carr and I was born with cerebral palsy. During birth, the umbilical cord became wrapped around my neck and I was unable to breathe. My brain did not get enough oxygen and the doctors had to intibate me. As a result of this, when my brain sends messages to the rest of my body, it sometimes misfires and causes my body to do things that I do not want it to do. As you can probably tell, this can, and does, get very frustrating. It takes a large amount of patience and perseverance to get through each day...some of which can be quite overwhelming!
As I continue to age and mature, I try to get better at living with my disability. I find new ways to deal with the things that came up as obstacles the day before. I have explored many different options throughout my lifetime with the hope of making my life more easy and enjoyable. I will discuss these options in later posts, but some of them include a baclofen pump, oral medication, hyperbaric oxygen treatments, and tons of different therapies. Some of these have worked, while others have not. This is information that, although each case is unique, may save you time and money in the long run.
I can honestly say that two of the hardest things about having a disability are dating and a lack of good communication skills. These are also subjects that I will devote entire blog posts to as I think they are important. There are so many things that people take for granted and who do not realize that not everyone has. I do not see myself as being “disabled”, so it is hard to understand why others look at me differently. As I grow older, however, I see that people are starting to respect me more and have a greater appreciation for what I have to go through. This respect, however, does not come without hard work on my part. I have had to become more outgoing and better able to stick up for myself in order to gain this respect.
My disability has also brought me blessings as well in the midst of all my struggles. For example, I have been able to travel around Europe to countries such as Italy, France, and Hungary. I have met very famous people such as the Pope, the Queen of Spain, and Kareem Abdul Jabar. I also have succeeded in my goal of graduating from a college away from home. This was very important to me because I want to be as independent as possible. I was able to live in a dorm room, on my own, and, by doing this, I proved to myself that, once I find a job, I can move out from my parents house and live on my own.
Now, I am in the midst of a job search, which I have found is not easy at all. It is difficult for people without a disability to find a job, let alone a person that has one. I have no doubt, however, that if I continue to pursue it, I will find one...hopefully in the near future. Right now, I am looking into a job in college administration or with the federal government. I would love to work in Washington DC or on a college campus with disabled students.
Well, I truly hope you enjoyed the introduction to me and my blog and that this blog provides those that read it with inspiration, information, and knowledge that they did not already have. I also want my readers to come away from reading my posts with the feeling that they always have the ability to accomplish anything, they just have to keep at it!
As I continue to age and mature, I try to get better at living with my disability. I find new ways to deal with the things that came up as obstacles the day before. I have explored many different options throughout my lifetime with the hope of making my life more easy and enjoyable. I will discuss these options in later posts, but some of them include a baclofen pump, oral medication, hyperbaric oxygen treatments, and tons of different therapies. Some of these have worked, while others have not. This is information that, although each case is unique, may save you time and money in the long run.
I can honestly say that two of the hardest things about having a disability are dating and a lack of good communication skills. These are also subjects that I will devote entire blog posts to as I think they are important. There are so many things that people take for granted and who do not realize that not everyone has. I do not see myself as being “disabled”, so it is hard to understand why others look at me differently. As I grow older, however, I see that people are starting to respect me more and have a greater appreciation for what I have to go through. This respect, however, does not come without hard work on my part. I have had to become more outgoing and better able to stick up for myself in order to gain this respect.
My disability has also brought me blessings as well in the midst of all my struggles. For example, I have been able to travel around Europe to countries such as Italy, France, and Hungary. I have met very famous people such as the Pope, the Queen of Spain, and Kareem Abdul Jabar. I also have succeeded in my goal of graduating from a college away from home. This was very important to me because I want to be as independent as possible. I was able to live in a dorm room, on my own, and, by doing this, I proved to myself that, once I find a job, I can move out from my parents house and live on my own.
Now, I am in the midst of a job search, which I have found is not easy at all. It is difficult for people without a disability to find a job, let alone a person that has one. I have no doubt, however, that if I continue to pursue it, I will find one...hopefully in the near future. Right now, I am looking into a job in college administration or with the federal government. I would love to work in Washington DC or on a college campus with disabled students.
Well, I truly hope you enjoyed the introduction to me and my blog and that this blog provides those that read it with inspiration, information, and knowledge that they did not already have. I also want my readers to come away from reading my posts with the feeling that they always have the ability to accomplish anything, they just have to keep at it!
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