Social Interaction

Dealing With Paparazzi/Unwanted Attention: College O&M

Dealing With Paparazzi/Unwanted Attention: College O&M

Shortly before my second year of college, I received a few orientation and mobility lessons for learning how to navigate with low vision and a blindness cane. These lessons were helpful for learning general travel skills, but I noticed they didn’t get into specifics about…

How To Write Alt Text For Gifs

How To Write Alt Text For Gifs

As a user with low vision that is sensitive to strobe, flashing, and fast-moving animations, I frequently rely on others knowing how to write alt text for GIFs or how to describe GIFs so that I can engage in social interactions or posts without triggering…

Ten Templates For Emailing Professors

Ten Templates For Emailing Professors

Over the years, I have had several friends reach out to me asking for advice on how to email professors, including how to ask professors for help, how to request assignment accommodations or modifications, or how to ask professors for permission or assistance with various…

My View On The Word See And Other Disability Language

My View On The Word See And Other Disability Language

I have low vision, or vision loss not corrected by glasses, here is what I think of the word see and other terms used to describe vision and vision loss

School Cafeterias and Low Vision

School Cafeterias and Low Vision

Sometime around sixth grade, I came to the conclusion that the combination of school cafeterias and low vision contributed to a great deal of frustration for me at school. Other than the school gym, the cafeteria was one of the places at school where I…

Incorporating Blindness Canes into Halloween Costumes

Incorporating Blindness Canes into Halloween Costumes

When I started using a blindness cane (white cane) in college, I felt a bit self-conscious about using my cane because I felt like I stood out wherever I went, especially since I was still learning to get around and answer questions about my vision…

College Game Day and Sporting Events: College O&M

College Game Day and Sporting Events: College O&M

Shortly before my second year of college, I received a few orientation and mobility lessons for learning how to navigate with low vision and a blindness cane. These lessons were helpful for learning general travel skills, but I noticed they didn’t get into specifics about…

Supporting Patients With Low Vision In Medical Environments

Supporting Patients With Low Vision In Medical Environments

I have low vision in addition to a few other medical conditions, so I have spent a lot of time visiting hospitals, doctor’s offices, outpatient testing facilities, and other medical environments. Since a lot of my conditions are unrelated to my vision loss, I get…

How I Talk About Disability With New Friends

How I Talk About Disability With New Friends

I’m often one of the first people that people at my school meet that has low vision or that lives with a chronic illness. While there are several other students that have vision loss or that live with other invisible disabilities, I have chosen to…

Using PicsArt To Simulate Low Vision

Using PicsArt To Simulate Low Vision

When I experienced a significant vision decline in high school, one of the most common questions from my teachers, case manager, and teacher of the visually impaired (TVI/TSVI) was “so what can you see?” I was the only student identified with low vision at my…

Decoding The Colors of Blindness Canes

Decoding The Colors of Blindness Canes

The meaning of blindness cane colors and what the color of a blindness cane can tell you about someone’s sight loss.

Dealing With Anxiety About Disability Accommodations

Dealing With Anxiety About Disability Accommodations

When I was in middle school and high school, I frequently experienced anxiety related to receiving IEP disability accommodations for visual impairment. There were times where I felt my disability made me stand out a lot and that it was obvious that I had trouble…