When I began pre-k I did as every other child does and I did not feel different in any way. Yet the school called my nana and asked if there was anything they should know. Nana told them I was not on medication for Moebius so that there was nothing to do except treat me as any other child. They persisted and eventually my nana accepted to attend a meeting. My nana was so used to how I talked and moved that it did not appear different, but when compared to others, my speech and gait was. After this meeting it was agreed that I would have a open individual education plan (IEP) for speech purposes because it was difficult for others to understand what I was saying and certain letters I could not pronounce, also I walked and wrote slower than others, and continued to modified the IEP as issues arose until I graduated.

When I began college we were told that they did not use an IEP, that I had to advocate for myself without my nana’s assistance and that my accommodations from high school could transfer over. I am not sure how many of you will read this in college or planning college, but I am sharing this because I truly almost decided not to go to college that day. I was overwhelmed with the fact that I did not know how to advocate for myself, nor had I lived on my own, and did not know anyone at that college, yet that is what I was facing. So to make this adjustment my nana suggested that I take one class in the summer prior to fall semester, live on campus and go to a small community college for my first two years. I would suggest this plan to anyone in a similar situation. I also became involved in TRIO that first week of college and they were there for me over the next 2 years. I will go through this again next fall attending a 4-year college but I have confidence now and am looking forward to it. This picture is at the college campus.