MAJOR Meltdown issues today with college.

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1st) I did the homework assignment wrong so rushed to finish it! I was so upset I skipped my Spanish class.

2nd) I went to ask the Speech professor about the upcoming speeches There are 6 and we are done with #2 fixing to do #3. WELL I had questions for speeches 3,4,5,6 ALL the rest of them! She said no do you have questions ONLY on #3. I stuttered and was confused. I took time out of my day to stay later just to have ALL MY questions on ALL the upcoming speeches NOT just #3 BUT 4,5,6 TOO! Also it didn't help she shoved down your throat "You're nervous and need to improve this is your mid-term etc." UH! That just added to my nervousness. I told her I had a power point type program and she asked if they were bulleted I said no and choked up and said I had to go. I ran out of there in tears.

AWFUL AWFUL DAY!! !! !! !

On a postive note the 4PM bus home was alot calmer than the 2PM bus and outside of the professor offices is a couch to sit and study. I'm not one for busy libraries with lots of people computers whizzing or outside with cars rushing by. I was able to read the Spanish chapter 2 information 2-3 times while waiting for the speech professor so maybe I can make this my "study area." Sadly that was THE ONLY GOOD thing that came out of today!! !! I'll try to disucss my emotional concerns Monday and perhaps after next week start with a 4PM bus.

She lacked social skills.

She should have said something like, 'Oh, Wow, so you've really been hoping to talk about all the speeches, not just 3. I see. Okay, I am pressed for time today. Why don't we talk about 3, then maybe I can answer one or two questions in general. Then, perhaps we can rescheduled? . . . ' That is, she could have handled the situation a heck of a lot more graciously.

It's like she got scared and bailed. Now, the thing to do is graciously give her space. Even though she's in the wrong, I mean, don't even think about that. She needs space, give her space.

And it certainly doesn't help that she essentially "counterattacks" by saying that you're nervous. Wow, I can see how this would be a very difficult situation.

I see from your profile that you're diagnosed. This might be a time to consider playing the aspie card. Maybe meet someone from Student disABILITIES and see if they'll be willing to go to any future meetings with this professor with you (and also start to meet this advocate and get a read for how much of an advocate he or she is likely to be)?

And about the power point type program and her asking if they're bulleted . . . wow, as if that's the most important thing?!? This is just rich. I mean, does it really make that much difference whether they are bulleted or not? Well, if the point of school is to get us to fit in with megacorp I guess it does, formality above all us! And yes, we on the spectrum can learn to be bilingual in this sense and give a nod to formality and be both substantial and formal, but I just hate to see this filter down to college as the first and primary concern (I have struggled with a lot of literature papers for this very reason).

When these kind of meetings go bad, I think it's important to bring it to an early close and put one foot in front of the other and leave the room. Don't let the meeting drag on longer. Now, as a guy, I kind of work on James Coburn like tough guy skills and maybe say 'However you want to look at it.' I view this as taking a potential argument to the side and basically agreeing to disagree. I almost wish I could cry and maybe an ambiguous 'thank you' and leave the room. Anyway, I think this one squarely counts as a functional meltdown. You said you had to go and you ran out of there in tears. Hopefully, she'll get the point. Although I wouldn't count on it. She might be one of these stiff, cold, formalistic, 'perfect' professors. Please think about any future meetings with an advocate or perhaps by email. Or maybe ask a classmate if they can help, shouldn't have to do this, but maybe in this case, you do.

Good luck with a difficult situation.