Hi from (not so) sunny Melbourne, AU!

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Hi there!

My name is Jay, I'm 21yo girl from Australia. I probably don't have AS, but theres alot of stuff I relate to here so I thought I'd join up anyway. I've never been diagnosed with anything other than a cold, but its always just been accepted that I wasn't like the other kids.

You can skip my longwinded story if you like. I've tried to be concise but failed!

Essentially, I was always a loner at school, from the start. There are many possible reasons. Mr Mick (principle/teacher) was really awesome about it all, he would often pull me aside to tell me it was ok that I wasn't like the other children. I'd get upset sometimes because I just didn't get it, why I was different. I did well academically, scored well on the national standardised tests (95th percentile + usually), could speak Italian just by learning it at school. I wasn't allowed to skip grades because I was already a year younger than everyone else, and it worried the school, probably because I already had social issues. My mid teens saw a change in school, where I did better socially. I had friends... although I often wondered if they were really friends, since I didn't know them, despite hanging out with them for 3 years. University was better again, my friends were very patient, even though again I feel like I don't know them well enough for friends. They tried to teach me how to express myself better, but I'm just not good with conversations, and they also allowed me to watch them walk so that I could fix up my gait. I have had boyfriends and things, but generally I just don't know how to be close to people, friends or otherwise, if that makes sense.

I have a few quirks...
Pet hates:
- Eye contact, which drives some people mad - seriously, do I HAVE to look at you to show I'm paying attention?! If I have to look, I swap between eyes or look between their eyes. I feel like I'm staring otherwise.
- I hate hate hate unexpected touching. Light is worse than firm. I will often squeal and/or jump away. I really don't like it. I also don't like it when my friends hover their hand over me like they're going to touch me.
- I can't stand the telephone, its ok talking to people I know, but when ringing up a shop or something I get muddled and stuff. Cant stand any ringtones.

Weird stuff:
- I had a weird walking gait as a child. It drove mum mad, she'd make me practice walking normally. By my teens it was mostly undetectable, but I didn't get what was wrong with my normal gait. It wasn't until my college friends (very patiently) allowed me to watch them walk without being freaked out that I completely mastered "normal" walking gait. My friends say its completely normal now, they can't see my weird gait even when they look for it.
- Clumsy, yet have fast reflexes. Strange.
- I have synaesthesia, music -> colour, people -> colour.
- I have sensitive eyes and ears. I feel more comfortable in low light conditions, I hate clubbing, noise just hurts my ears unless I'm recovering from an ear infection... Can't stand yelling and will start yelling back if they won't stop, even if its not at me. Migraine prone.
- I fence! As in the sport, swordfighting. I like it, and most of the fencers are quirky too, so I don't feel weird.

There are more, but you're probably bored...

If you made it through all that, heres a cookie. Edit: no urls allowed yet, so no cookie. Sorry.

I don't think it is uncommon for female aspie to "fly under the radar",especially if they aren't hyper and can do well in class. Kids get noticed more for being disruptive in class, not being "weird". The point of any DX is supposed to be that it is causing problems in your functioning....not being able to have a social network, obsessive interests interfering with going to class or work, problems maintaining relationships, problems keeping a job, not being able to take care of daily needs, issues of depression or anxiety become over whelming.

In other words it's a "spectrum". You may fit some where on the spectrum but because you have a more supportive environment, the negatives haven't happened yet. You may have just been fortunate to attract some "nurturing" females.
Other then feeling "weird" how do you feel you might be effected by aspergers traits...socializing,reading non-verbal communication, executive function, obsessive interests, sensory issues? The later may only surface as a problem when you have to "dress" in uncomfortable(painful) clothing for a job and try and concentrate in a noisy cubicle with gossipy, lazy co-workers interrupting you every 5 min. I had much fewer problems in college because i could wear what I wanted and study in isolation. I paid for my classes...I didn't have to audition for them, (job interviews). I could pick my hours and I didn't have to drive to my classes. Life was less complicated.

If you want to take an aspie quiz, there is a good one you can find by googling ......RDOS test.

Welcome to WP

Welcome jay_is_me!

I just did the rdos test, before I saw your post!
------------------------
Your Aspie score: 145 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 58 of 200
You are very likely an Aspie

AQ-score: 38 of 50
------------------------


I also did another test (similar to AQ) where I got 39/50, it said likely Aspie too.

Aspie or not, I don't care. I'd probably rather not be Aspie, to be honest, but if I am, then its part of who I am, and thats much much more important than a label. I just want to understand why I am the way I am, and learn how to deal!



To answer krex's how do I feel about stuff (sorry for wall of text!):

Socialising/friends - I'm ok in small groups 1-2 people, usually know when its my turn to talk, but I forget to say hello/goodbye alot and do talk out of turn enough to be scolded! I get growled at for saying "wrong" things that sound ok to me, they take it out of context I swear! I can pick up body language, but since I don't like looking at people when I'm talking to them I probably do miss alot. I've also done body language courses at school, where they teach you what stuff means. I do get nervous about what body language I'm giving. I actually feel like other people ignore my "go away" body language alot of the time. As for friends, I see "A" once a week for our exercise walk, and my fencing coach. I've mostly lost touch with all the others, haven't seen any since new years. My friends tell me I remember bizarre details from conversations - word for word, but stuff they don't expect people to remember.

Relationships - I dont feel close to people, almost ever. I lived with a guy for 3 months, we'd been talking and stuff for 9 months prior, and I still felt that I wasn't close to him, even though I liked him. He was ok with it, but I was upset because I wanted to be close and didn't know how... I'm 21yo and I've had 2 boyfriends and 1 sort of fling thing. Of all the "aspie"-type things, this is what brings me here. I never feel close to people but I -want- to be, what is with that?!

Sensory Issues - I'm often overwhelmed. I don't like bright lights, and sudden/loud noises make me more jumpy than my friends. When I'm upset I like to watch winamp visualisations, although I haven't done it in a while because I never think of it. Its how my friends calm me down sometimes. I love patterns! Colour patterns in fabric, ceiling tiles, grain and knots in timber, leaves, even the weird kinks on my dogs long fur. Number patterns give me cheap thrills too - my mobile/cell phone number is awesome! When my friends get noisy and several conversations are going, I don't understand and either get upset or switch off (which usually results in me napping inappropriately - blame insomnia)

Clothes - I live in jeans and a tee, with jumper/sweater/jacket with a kangaroo pouch at the front. I can dress up, but it usually doesn't feel right, even if the clothes fit. I have to cut tags off everything usually. I never wear makeup. I do change over and wash my clothes regularly, I have several pairs of the same jeans etc.

Working - I don't like being interrupted. I can multitask, but I find it very stressful and need quiet recuperation time. Shelfpacking at the supermarket was great.

Home - I live alone and mostly take care of myself ok. I eat regularly, bathe daily, brush my teeth before bed etc. I like my house neat. It does get messy sometimes.

Sleep - I'm often not a good sleeper, I have bad patches (like now!). I have trouble going to sleep and I wake several times through the night. Most times I get back to sleep ok, but when I'm having a bad patch I don't.

I'm currently studying science at university. Most of the lecturers I've worked in close contact with know I'm a little odd, they seem really good about it. Most people say they think I'm nice and friendly, just a little... unusual. They can't usually describe what I do thats not quite right. I like studying by myself too, and my unit is really close to school. I got into my course based on my school scores alone, so interviews weren't an issue. I usually do well in job interviews though, I know what they want to hear and what they'll ask, my parents prep me well.

Growing up I was somewhat mis-handled by boys/men, which I always thought was why I didn't connect properly with people, but apparently its been going on all my life. I usually am not afraid people I like will hurt me.

Hello!

Nice to meet you, jay_is_me.

To WrongPlanet!! !

Heya! Aussies are popping up all over the place! I'm from the Gold Coast.

Hi jay is me, Welcome to WP

Welcome to WP!

Welcome to WrongPlanet from another Australian. I'm in Brisbane.

Helen

Hi there Jay, welcome to Wrong Planet!

I'm from Melbourne too.

Excellent. Perfect attitude.

Hi Jay,

welcome to WP.

The same thing has happened to me. I thought that was the reason why I was "different". Although my mother said that I had been different my whole life, so I guess it's not the reason.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy posting here.

Hi jay_is_me welocme to the "right" Planet :

This thread may help a little AS Symtoms (Full Official Criteria) and includes AQ Test...
http://asplanet.info/index.php?option=c ... &Itemid=63

Hi, Jay!

Welcome to Wrongplanet!

That's an interesting name for a girl, and it's also my dad's name!

I hope you enjoy posting here!