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Social Issues Hey everyone out there, please don't despair. Just because you have CP it's not the end of the world, especially for young people. It just means the right people will come by a little longer and sere the true person you are. I'm 34, am Asian and have a disability., a double whammy you think to have positive relationships with anyone, right? Wrong!!! To this day, I've been building up my positive network of friends, been working full-time for five years, and have even dated several times in my lifetime. You see, some of this has to do having the proper social skills to interact with age-appropriate people, and that can take a really long time for young people with CP who are usually excluded from certain groups esp. the in-crowd and don't have many friends to socialize when school is out. I was in a similar situation in high school and college. Summer vacation would come and nobody was around. Although i did have A FRIEND OR two, I wasn't very adept when i went out with THEM Also, I stayed at home during my college years, a definite no-no for anyone with a disability. However, when i went to grad, school, things were different.. I lived on campus, and most of the students we're about my age (25-30). It was a more mature and older crowd that easily accepted me as a person. I got to party every weekend, mostly with women and out of that experience, developed into a really caring person who to this day, have some lifetime friends both women and men. Another thing is to develop hobbies that will make you an interesting person to others. I like to go to museums, dine out, listen to music, live performances, and computers. And please, for college students get involved and join clubs that really interest you. Remember, you are not only there to get an education, but to experiment and try new THINGS. . However, most importantly for us, socialization takes time to develop and refine. It doesn't just happens overnight or a few months. Honestly it takes years. The more you interact, watch for cues and the way the conversation flows , the better you will get. Well, that all I have to say for now, but I certainly hope my vignette is helpful for someone, If anyone wants to e-mail me, please feel free to do so. |