As an undergraduate student at the University of Arkansas, I had a really wonderful opportunity to be a peer mentor for the Autism Support Program on campus. This program is similar to Bear POWER, as it encourages inclusion and independence for students who may have previously been considered unable to attend college. The ASP provides increased support and experiences for students to explore their interests, and succeed at a collegiate level. As a mentor for the ASP, I spent two school years meeting individually, and in groups with students in the program. My peers were U of A students on the Autism spectrum to varying degrees, and our main focus was on social skills. My goals for my students were simple: develop a friendship, and do normal “college kid” stuff together.
We worked together on time management skills, on navigating Fayetteville public transportation, and on their daily frustrations with college or roommates. I could talk more about those things, but I have so many fun memories of time spent with ASP students, I want to share a few of my favorites. One student was a senior, and he was about to graduate with a degree in History. He loved video games, which I knew nothing about, and we often went to the campus tech center to play Mario Kart. He desperately tried to teach me to be a successful ‘gamer’ but I never picked it up quite to his satisfaction. I always tried though, and he always pushed me to do better. He was so patient and encouraging while teaching me that it always amazed me. He got frustrated with me for sure, but always followed up his frustrations with a positive, and turned it around. I really loved that, and learned from it. At the end of the year his parents invited the ASP staff and myself to attend his graduation fish fry, which was filled with so much joy and love. His family was so proud of him; their happiness and excitement was infectious, and it was so rewarding to see his hard work pay off.
Another great memory was taking a very withdrawn and homesick student to a local used bookstore. This student was not able to drive, and spent most of his time on campus. He was far from home, and really did not want to be at the U of A. He wanted to go home, was struggling in his classes, and was struggling with some health issues. I had no idea how to reach this student, and spent a lot of time trying to awkwardly make conversation over snacks in the Union, getting nowhere. Then one day, I decided to try something new. The Dickson Street Bookstore is enormous, and has books on every subject imaginable. It is one of my favorite places in Fayetteville, and as this student was always reading something new, I decided to take him there. We spent our entire meeting time getting lost in stacks and stacks of books. For the first time I connected with him, and found something he genuinely enjoyed. I had such a hard time reaching this student, but this helped kick start our friendship.
I think what was so profoundly impactful for me in this position was that my students helped me to see the world from a much different perspective. Before this experience I had always been very cut and dry: a perfectionist. I was inflexible, and honestly a bit consumed with my own schedule, goals, and interests. I had a difficult time seeing the world from any perspective that wasn’t through the lens I had so rigidly formed. I was fortunate to be a mentor because my peers taught me more about myself in our time together, than I had previously learned about myself in college. Spending time each week with ASP students forced me to consider ways of doing things, opinions, and hobbies that were vastly different than my own. Each student was intriguing in their interests, their quirks, and their individuality. They all saw the world in a different light, and it was very special to be welcomed by them and to see it from their point of view.
As a peer mentor, I think this program offered a weekly escape for students from the daily stressors of college. It allowed ASP students to experience college life in a way they were at times hesitant to explore on their own. Our friendships opened up doors to different perspectives than any of us previously considered, and I think we learned a lot from one another. The biggest takeaway from being a peer mentor for me is that I learned an invaluable amount about friendship, flexibility, patience, and video games for sure. That might sound strange as those with Autism are typically stereotyped as being without much emotion, being inflexible, and having strained interpersonal relationships. However, those assumptions are just that: assumptions, and are far from the character traits I would use to describe my friends. One thing to really consider as we move forward with Bear POWER, and as we take on a whole team of Bear Blazers: you have to get to know people, truly get to know them. I would like to challenge our team members, and our community to focus on that. The things that on paper make others seem different from you should be explored and celebrated. It will change your perspective on disabilities, the world, and yourself.
-Britt