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Noxide
Tufted Titmouse
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19 Nov 2009, 3:06 am

Guys, I totally shut down during labs.
I become the stupidest person in the room, even though that is statistically very unlikely.
Every noise distracts me, I can't focus...

Has anyone gone to disability services about doing labs privately? Is that an option?
Is that too much of a hassle?
Argh.
I almost just ran out of my lab today. I couldn't even read a line in my book.



riverspark
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19 Nov 2009, 1:51 pm

Labs are awful, aren't they? Here are a couple of thigns that I have done:

In labs where you don't have to work in groups, get permission to wear noise-cancelling headphones and play some sort of white noise on an ipod or Cd player.

I have also gotten by in group-work labs by doing the work as best I can with my group, and then waiting until almost everyone else has finished and left the room to do the individual written part (works when the lab is supposed to be entirely an in-class activity).

I would be very interested to hear what others do for coping strategies, since sometimes, of course, you just can't escape... :P



Noxide
Tufted Titmouse
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19 Nov 2009, 3:15 pm

the headphones thing is a really good idea
i got so depressed when i found out i couldn't wear headphones cuz if i know a specific song i can get myself to block it out and focus on what im doing and the noise of the song blocks out all the other stuff



Psygirl6
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19 Nov 2009, 5:11 pm

I have human anatomy lab, and the lab instructor is so understanding that she makes sure that the other students do not disturb me while I am concentrating on my work. I am so into my lab, but because I am very smart that my table mates may ask me questions while I am trying to do work. It distracts me to where I get stuck. It is like I have 2 heads at once. I do not have separate lab, but my teacher allows me to have an extra lab if I need too, just in case I get lost due to other students talking to me while I am studying. But due to my lab instructors kindness and understanding, I do not have to.



riverspark
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19 Nov 2009, 7:02 pm

Good point about others asking you questions while you are trying to work. I have found that if I nicely explain to them that I have a tough time working and answering questions at the same time, and then direct them to someone who is more willing to answer questions (like the instructor, the teaching assistant, or even another of the smarter students), people are generally pretty nice about it. I don't have to go into any explanations about having AS; I just say that my mind isn't able to work that way.



AnotherOne
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20 Nov 2009, 11:47 am

Hm, I also had huge anxiety during labs and it helped when I was really well prepared and when I worked alone (get your own task within the group and concentrate on it). Otherwise, sing a song to yourself, chew a gum.



Gremmie
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20 Nov 2009, 12:48 pm

Sometimes I found it helped to leave and just relax and breathe for 5 minutes. Meditative breathing exercises can be quite useful. Being well prepared definately helped too although I still often ended up leaving about an hour after everyone else. Generally I found the more I knew what to expect from my reaction the better, then I just had to worry about doing things in the right order and not freaking out when I had to find a piece of equipment.