Today@Dal

What It’s Like is a series launching for Dalhousie Accessibility Week, one that provides members of the Dal community with an opportunity to share their first-person perspective on living with a disability. People are welcome to share with their name or anonymously.

Submitted by Anonymous:


Tell us a little about yourself and/or your role here at Dal.

I have worked at Dal for over ten years in a communications role. I have ADHD, a form of neurodiversity that means I regulate attention and impulses differently from neurotypical people.

What do you wish people knew about your disability?

Conventional advice on things like procrastination, time management, productivity and self-care will not necessarily work for people with brains like mine. Trying to force them to work only creates frustration and self-doubt.

Focus and paying attention might look different from what you expect. Just because I am moving around and not making eye contact doesn't mean I'm not engaged. 

What accessibility changes would have the biggest impact on your experience here at Dal?

Meetings, workshops and employee training that are designed to be engaging and effective for all neurotypes. 

A cultural shift toward being proactive about access needs for everyone, not just accommodating what is required by policy and law.  

Previously in this series:

You can find all entries collected here.

Interested in sharing your own experiences?

We'd love to hear from you. Please take a look at our questions below and how to submit them. Please note that you can choose to remain anonymous if you wish. (Note: names will be visible to individuals receiving submissions by email).

Our questions for you:
 

• Tell us a little about yourself and your role here at Dal. (Note: If remaining anonymous, this prompt can be skipped — or, simply share as much detail as you feel comfortable doing).
  
  
• What do you wish people knew about your disability?
  
  
• What accessibility changes would have the biggest impact on your experience here at Dal?

If you’re interested in sharing your experiences navigating university life with a visible or invisible disability, please contact us at today@dal.ca with answers to the above questions or to set up a short interview.