I had to leave class today

Post Reply New Topic

The day started out a lower than normal functioning day. I went to class, even though I didn't want to, I had to be there to get the assignment. But after a brief overview of the requirements the Professor decided to spend the last 45 minutes of class as time to work on the project. I think I was the only one to choose to work by myself (as usual) but then everyone else started to discuss what they should do for their project and it's a rather large class. With everyone talking all at once it got really loud. So I put my earplugs in to try and concentrate but it was still so loud I lasted five minutes and then had to leave before I screamed or slammed my head against the table. I walked out and sat at the top of the stairs and did my work there. Has anyone else had to do this? I don't even think the Professor noticed. I walked back in a few minutes before class ended. The extra horrible news is that he wants to do the same thing next week. Was I rude to walk out? I feel really bad about it. I've never walked out in the middle of class to be gone for most of the class time.

Wow - that sounds exactly like my class experiences.

Try talking to the Professor to see if it would just be okay for you to go work somewhere quiet, like the library or whatever. Tell him you will check back in before the end of class to prove that you haven't packed up and gone home for the day. Explain that the noise is just too much and you can't focus. You don't need to go into any further detail if you don't want to. Sometimes you will find a sympathetic Professor. The worst that will happen is that he'll be a douche and say NO. Nothing gained, nothing lost. Just brace yourself for that possibility. I tried it with a Prof who told me to stop complaining. Weirdly, those were the first words I had said to anyone in the class. I tried it again with another Prof who was extremely sympathetic and let me work (during group activities) wherever I wanted just so long as I checked in and gave her a progress report. It may be worth the risk.

Good luck with the class!

happens to me a lot i guess about once a week on average. it's often on days that start off badly, but sometimes it creeps up on me, i can be having a bad day but not realise it until it's all got too much.

all my tutors know about my autism, i just wonder what everybody else thinks. they've probably guessed by now

Thanks Squidy. I will be sure to talk with him before class next time. I suppose I should have done that this time...just didn't occur to me then.

I know everyone knows I'm different, it's beyond obvious (which is how I know ), but everyone in this department seems to be accepting of that (meaning no one has yelled at me yet for stimming in class).

I can't do any work in the class. I really just turn up to see which parts to learn and which to skip.

Hey, what are anonymous internet discussion board friends for?

There is no way it could have occurred to you at the time. At least, not if you're me. I have to have one major episode in a class before I even think about talking to the Prof. Sometimes not even one is enough. It depends on the day, the class, and how intimidated I feel by the instructor. But, hindsight is 20/20, right?

Good luck talking to the Prof. I hope it all goes well for you!

Honestly, if the class is THAT big, the professor won't notice or give a crap. With those huge lectures, you can really come and go as you please. Next time, just do the same thing.

Maybe I worded it wrong. The class has about 30-35 students where attendence and participation is required. I said it was rather large but that is being compared to other classes I am in that have only 20 students or less. These are high level classes in a small department, so more than 25 students is large in my opinion. This is not a very big university.

well im not diagnosed yet with anything but im constantly asking people if they can please stop talking for a while. to me alot of conversation seems forced. especially at school where i can figure out alot of work without outside help thank you very much. lol.

What Squidy said in response is dead-on.

And hey, give yourself some credit for getting out of the room before you started yelling or banging. I usually think I can hold on a few more minutes when I can't. Points for you!

Ooooh.... I was thinking 200+ people. At my university we have lectures as big as 500.

No, I want to but it feels embarassing for me to ask the teacher if I can leave the classroom for 5 minutes quiet (I am allowed to ask.) The classroom noise can be really unbearable, especially when the teacher wants silence because I hear the horrible sound of the teacher shouting sometimes, and I hate shouting.

I would recommend speaking with the professor before or after class. How much information you divulge may depend on the professor's willingness to accommodate you. Most likely, all you will need to explain is that you have difficulty coping with the noise level when the class splits into groups. It is possible, though unlikely, that you may need to provide the professor verification of special needs through your school's version of a disability office. Doing this once may prevent any need to ask for further accommodation in the future.

As an aside, professors DO notice when students leave, even in those large classes.

I'm just mad that in elementary or high school, when that happens to an innocent child, the student isn't ALLOWED to walk out.

I've walked out of many lessons. People are generally understanding about it. I now have bits of laminated paper in my bag that say "I have had to leave the room" so if I freak out, I put one of those on the table and go outside and then the teacher knows what's happened.
I've not got to uni yet so I don't know how things work there so much.