Advice Please-URGENT

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Hi all,

I'm new here, I'm starting college (year 12) tomorrow as I didn't get the chance to enroll in the summer because I was in a psychiatric unit in birmingham (i live in London). So as you've probably guessed I'm starting late. I am doing a stress free course Art Design and Media and I really enjoy doing arts and crafts and want to become a community arts worker one day and help people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) express themselves through the arts. There is also no exams only assignments in Level 1, 2 and 3 and it is a Diploma. I only have one issue. I haven't been in a mainstream school since year 8 and in all the schools i've been to I have been bullied (even the ones for kids with mental health) and this is a mainstream college, even though they have a great inclusion team and inclusion mentors and LSA's and trained tutors sitting next to you in class if you ask and need it, and I am under the inclusion team there even though I haven't studied at the college yet. Another problem is I have recently been diagnosed with ASD and I suffer really badly with anxiety (mainly social) the inclusion mentor is going to meet with me before class tomorrow and I only have 1 class tomorrow and she's going to introduce me to the teacher before the class and explain my difficulties to the teacher and LSA but I'm panicking about it and on tuesday (my 17th birthday) I'm going to have to go in from 9-12:40 and I have to spend lunch there and im panicking and I don't know what to do and I need advice!! !

LivingwithASD

Well, I can at least give you the advise I can think of. Now I cannot say that there won't be any difficulties, but I can say that the feeling of anxiety can make create worries beyond what will likely to occur. Try to focus on what you need to do and try to figure the relevant information you can to help orient yourself.Now it may be intimidating at first, but in time you may get more used to it.
I myself know that social interaction can be rather stressful. Now that you can try to approach gradually. Start by focusing on the more basic interaction involved with things like participating in class and talking with school officials. This type of interaction often has rather predictable an general elements, which can be picked up on. Then you try to gradually attempt other types of interaction, and work on gradually developing skills and a somewhat greater comfortability with interaction. Now this can be a long and unclear process, and even with it you may still have difficulty interacting, but with effort and experience, one may gradually get more able to interact with others in the world.
Now if you are scared about eating lunch, then perhaps see if you can find a small empty table to sit at or some more remote area.
Let me know if you would like any more advise from me.