First Thoughts on College

When I was first deciding which colleges I wanted to apply to, my mom and I had a few ideas in common about what kind of college we were looking for. We both were looking for smaller, liberal art colleges, where the classes would be smaller, and where I could have plenty of outside resources to help me if I struggled with the transition from high school to college. I have now been at Skidmore College for a month now, and I have to say I think I have found the perfect college for me. The student body is diverse in culture and background and all of the students are very friendly. Within the first week, I made so many friends. Looking back, I laugh at myself for being afraid that I would have a hard time making friends. The professors that I have in my classes, are both intelligent and clearly care about how the students do in class. The classes are small in size. The professors ask questions and lead discussions that every student in the class takes a part in. The campus is beautiful and right on the outskirts of Saratoga Springs, a great town with a lot of great shops and activities to do on the weekends.

There was one other very important reason that my Mom and I wanted a smaller school and eventually chose Skidmore. We were both worried that I might face difficulty in college because of my deafness. We both wanted to make sure that I would be in a school where I would have the least amount of trouble when it came to hearing, whether in the classroom or out, and where I could have help if I did struggle. Now that I am here, I can say that being deaf, and having cochlear implants, has not had a big impact on my college experience here at Skidmore College.

I came to Skidmore a little worried, but also curious about how having cochlear implants would play into my college life. I can now say with confidence. Nothing. I have been to all my first semester classes, and I have had no problem hearing and taking notes, as I follow the class and what other students have to say, and once in a while adding my own thoughts. I can hear the professor and the other students perfectly well, and I feel right at home in my classes. The Dining Hall, the only one on campus, is both loud and boisterous, but I have no trouble hearing and holding conversations with my friends in there, unlike a lot of restaurants that I have been to. Of course, college life would not be college life without the parties. I thought that parties would be some place where I would have trouble at college. Having attended a few parties, I feel like for the most part I can hear fine, and when I do have difficulty, its not so bad. Sometimes I do ask for friends to repeat themselves. Overall I am very happy with how it is going at Skidmore, I am having fun, and learning a lot from my classes.

Another really cool thing to point out is that I have noticed two other people at Skidmore who have cochlear implants, and a few others with hearing aids, one of my teachers being one. I don't feel that different from the other students, and while people are curious about deafness and cochlear implants, they don't treat you differently. I am glad to see that so many people are completely open to students with hearing loss and the idea of cochlear implants and hearing aids. Hopefully this attitude will be adopted by more people who are part of the Deaf Culture and those who take part in the cochlear implant controversy. The same thing goes for the English professors who have a bone to pick with blogging and internet text.