So apparently I'm a loser...
According to many NT's. Let me describe my life as is at the moment. I just graduated high school last summer and I'm taking a year off before I have to go back to school for another 4 some odd years. I work at a movie theater part time, though sometimes it gets pretty close to full time (the amount of shifts varies, as it is a movie theater and there are peak times when they need lots of people to come in). Almost all the money I'm earning from this job is going to tuition, and I'm planning on quitting close to when my first semester starts (September). I was actually thinking about working the same job throughout college but I don't think I can take much more of that place, and I'll explain why in a second. Anyways, I don't have much of a life. Only a few friends, and I only go out when I have to work (which is just right down the street) or when I go out with a friend or two (which only happens once or twice a month). I also go do things with my dad like hiking and such. I play a lot of video games too. I just don't get out much. At work, a lot and I mean a lot of people dislike me. This includes co-workers and even guests. This is primarily because of my awkward demeanor. I've been called loser quite a bit, and even "the weirdo". It makes me feel awful sometimes, and I've been really thinking about finding another job. However, my experience at this place kind of makes me scared at working some place else. Most entry-level positions around my area are retail/customer service and I don't think I can handle another job that requires "people skills". So, because of this I have decided that once I enter college that I will not work. This might be a smart decision, and it may not. I will be taking 5 classes per semester (maybe more later on), which is 15 credits so it will be a heavy load. I'll use the money that I'm saving up to pay for the first year or two and then in my third year enter an internship/co-operative program to earn some work experience in the field that I am interested in, and some money to pay off the student loans that I will have to take out.
Anyways, thoughts ? I've babbled on long enough and this post is probably going to make me come across as very insecure, but whatever.
EDIT: Oh, and this may or may not belong in Social Skills. I kind of went overboard from what I originally wanted to say. My bad.
EDIT2: In fact this may belong in The Haven. If any mod can move my topic, that would be cool. Thanks!
EDIT2: In fact this may belong in The Haven. If any mod can move my topic, that would be cool. Thanks!
I think it's okay where it is. Unless you want it in the 'Work and finding a job' section?
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Where will you work when you graduate?
You will still have the same lack of social skills if you do not acquire them in some way.
Customer service is hard for aspies. I have 10 years of waitressing and hundreds of panic attacks and nights swearing I would never go back again, but it made me able to function better. I still can't socialize, but I can have work based conversations and communicate quite well as long as it is "purpose based" conversation.
For me college was more intimidating than work because it is almost all young obnoxious people, whereas in the workplace is more adult focused.
Sometimes a new workplace will be better. Each place has a different dynamic. You would not be already labeled as "weird" at a new place.
You will still have the same lack of social skills if you do not acquire them in some way.
Customer service is hard for aspies. I have 10 years of waitressing and hundreds of panic attacks and nights swearing I would never go back again, but it made me able to function better. I still can't socialize, but I can have work based conversations and communicate quite well as long as it is "purpose based" conversation.
For me college was more intimidating than work because it is almost all young obnoxious people, whereas in the workplace is more adult focused.
Sometimes a new workplace will be better. Each place has a different dynamic. You would not be already labeled as "weird" at a new place.
P.S. You are not a looser. Good luck in whatever you do. Some things do improve with time!
This might sound really weird, but not working in college makes me feel more isolated because everyone I know has a job. The reason I don't work isn't because of AS but my other disability. 5 classes may seem like a lot, but the amount of time I spend in school + studying is much less than a full time job. Sometimes I worry when I do need to work 40 hours it will be a hard transition. I always feel other people I know had an easier time getting jobs after college having a lot of work experience even if it's unrelated because it shows things employers like. I feel when I graduate in June I will hav to work much harder not just because of AS but because the last time I worked I was 16.
Thanks for all the comments guys. I forgot to mention that I've been working at this particular job for about a year now, and I've had about 6 months experience at a retail store in the past as well. I wouldn't say my social skills in general are terrible (I mean, well they're not great) it's just that I feel really awkward in the kind of environment that I work in.
I get the impression that I'm a loser. I got low grades in my GCSEs, I was in all the bottom sets at school, I'm still on job-seekers now, I don't know what to do with my life, I'm scared to meet a man and marry him because of my anger and outbursts, I haven't got the ability to get chatting to people if I go to a bar, or if I go on holiday.....
All that comes under the ''loser'' umbrella.
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