<p>The good news is that academically students with Aspergers can often do well in college, since they are finally in an environment that will allow them to follow their passions without feeling quite so different from their peers as they may have often felt in earlier years. The more difficult challenge will probably be the social piece and dealing with new people and new situations without the supports around you that you may have received in the past. At the same time, as you mature yourself, it becomes easier to understand the social side as well although it will probably still take a lot of work (and may do so for the rest of your life). But it does not have to be a scary world and you do not have to navigate your way through it alone.<br>
Vikinggas post in your other thread offers some very good pieces of advice with respect to getting involved in ECs and developing a strong support system. I have a son with Aspergers who is now in his third year of college (although he has another 2 yrs before graduating since he is in a 5-yr program and doing co-ops during alternating semesters). When we were looking at colleges one of the things we looked very closely at was what kind of activities, clubs and organizations were available. Be sure to check these out and try to get involved in something early on; this can be a group centered on a specific structured activity, perhaps even volunteer work of some sort, or one that relates to a strong personal interest - it does not necessarily need to require good social (or athletic) skills to participate in or require that you have mastery in some skills, something that will not be stressful and that you will have fun doing. In hs my S was involved in a couple of different bands symphonic, jazz band etc and although he was a good but not great musician, this was something he wanted to continue with in college. Participating in bands at his college has been a nice organized social outlet for him for the past 3 yrs. </p>
<p>Will you be living on campus or commuting? If so, do they offer any theme housing? This can be a good way to get to know other students with similar interests or form study groups. Although some Aspie students may benefit from a more gradual transition to college life by living at home where they will continue to have the support of their families during their first years of college, it can also be more difficult to make new friends and connect with your school when you are not living on campus; proximity can sometimes naturally lead to friendships or inclusion in social groups, (even if not the bff type). The main thing is to try not to isolate yourself too much and to allow yourself opportunities to reach out and try new things. DS discovered that playing pool in the student lounge in his dorm during times when he was just hanging out was a good way for him to meet other students, since he could play alone, and others would often ask to join him or he could join in with others. During his second yr, he and some of the other kids in his dorm got together and coordinated getting a ping pong table in their dorm (along with the pool table that had to be in all his dorm choices, some dorms did not have student lounges or pool tables) and he has helped coordinate social events in the dorm such as pool and ping pong tournaments.</p>
<p>Also, if your parents have been your strongest support system in the past, it may be helpful if they can continue in this role for a while as you learn to navigate your way on campus. Although this is a time when you will need to learn to advocate more for yourself, you do not have to do this alone or all at once; parents can still offer guidance and direction as well as emotional support, even long distance, if they are also at least familiar with the school policies and procedures and your general daily schedule; because they know YOU better than anyone else they can still offer many insights in areas that are new to you. And please remember that you can always turn to them for emotional support - they will always be your parents. </p>
<p>One of the things that you CAN do with relatively little effort is try to become more familiar with your campus, and the resources it offers. Spend some time looking over your schools website to familiarize yourself with whatever information is available that might help you get to know your new home better. This will make the first few weeks a little less overwhelming. Some schools have great websites that provide a lot of information which can be useful for individuals who have difficulties seeking help in person. I am not familiar with UCCS at all but it looks like it could be a very good school for students with Aspergers with many special programs and opportunities available to help students transition to college. Be sure to check out their freshman orientation and first year experience programs; from their website it looks like they have a wide variety of tutoring, mentoring, advising and personal coaching/counseling services available. Be sure to use these resources as needed they can and should become part of your new support system. And, if you are receiving accommodations, you (and your parents) will want to work with the disability office over the next few months to become more familiar with their procedures and get these arrangements in place before school starts.</p>
<p>(ok, sorry, I just realized how long this post has become… I do wish you all the best!!)</p>