College Plurals!

[lb_lee]

Hey guys, we got a message from a collegiate plural in Virginia hunting for resources and info, specifically about "navigating classwork (how to keep everyone in system up to date/on the same page) and coming out. support groups may not be a bad idea [...] resources are scarce as far as plurality so anything on the east coast/through zoom would be okay"

Our own school days are long behind us (thank goodness) so we have little of use to say. But we know there are some college folks who read here who might have decent advice! Leave it in the comments!

Comments

[starfallhaven]

For some of our college career we had certain people sign up to attend certain classes. I think a planner/group notebook is pretty invaluable here. Stuft to write down what the homework is for each class each day, and something to write notes to one another especially if the person that say signed up to do Physics can't make it.

Taking notes in class is such a lifesaver for people in general but for us it was necessary. Thorough notes = able to review the content even if that person wasn't personally present to witness that class. Practice shorthand if you need to.

We only ever came out to our close friends and our group therapy people/our campus therapist. I think if you have access needs it wouldn't be a bad idea to tell teachers, but in that case have the backing of a campus therapist/psychiatrist you can get written permission with, because some professors will be absolute dickheads.

-Sombra (she/her)

[hungryghosts]

In addition to this, if you aren't comfortable disclosing plurality, you can explain things in more "mundane" terms. For example, "I struggle with dissociation and have difficulty staying present and remembering things" or even "I have issues with fatigue/depression/ADHD/[something else that you might actually have, but that isn't the entire story] and it does a number on my memory."

Our college days are well behind us, too, but we do have similar discussions with our managers at work. Some people are just absolute dickheads, but those who aren't will often not insist upon knowing Your Exact Diagnosis, so long as you're making an earnest attempt to Make Things Work.

[starfallhaven]

True, and agreed. Having a cover story is always a good thing. -Sombra

[monsterqueers]

Yeah when we were in college we didnt specifically disclose to anyone, but we did take notes as much as possible, kept a to-do list of all the stuff that needed to be done and when, and tried to have people who didnt usually front for that class/the homework also look at the notes and do some of the homework in case they got stranded in front during a test.
It helped that we were in college during covid and that made a lot of teachers do open-book tests. That makes things so much less painful.

[lindsworldtree]

Bit late in reply, but we feel like the crisses would likely be specialized well for this issue, as lifecoaches and such

we recall that you've mentioned them in past so dont feel like hunting for links to their stuff, but can if anyone wants!

[mint_phalanx]

R: I take online classes, and I did share I have tulpas. I downplay it, though. No one seems to make a big deal out of it.

On that note, make sure the headmates fronting can do the work. At RRCC Online, F.M. did the finals for our fall semester and failed them. Brian was able to pass them. (Right now, we're doing online classes at a different school.)