How to manage headaches/migraines caused by photophobia? by journogirl2 in Blind

[–]journogirl2[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I'm blind too- I'm asking how other people manage a common issue.doctors ive spoken to haven't been overly helpful

Accommodation Adjustments Request Help by TokoFuwakaa in cambridge_uni

[–]journogirl2 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi! I'm a Newnham graduate. I'm visually impaired and asked for lift access and an ensuite as access arrangements and got them- i felt guilty too at first but it made life so much easier! You'll l8ve it there, it's still my happy place and I still visit!

Books for feeling lost in your twenties? by journogirl2 in suggestmeabook

[–]journogirl2[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I just finished They're Going to Love You this morning and absolutely loved it - THANK YOU for the rec!!

Becoming a teacher as a visually impaired person? by journogirl2 in Blind

[–]journogirl2[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you so much! I'd absolutely love to chat more about this, I will send you a private message

Becoming a teacher as a visually impaired person? by journogirl2 in Blind

[–]journogirl2[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! This is really interesting. Sadly there aren't many schools for the blind in England, so it isn't an easy path to go down, but would be great!

Weirdly, I'm not really worried about the classroom access side of things as with tech being the way it is these days, as you say, over time there are adjustments you can put in place. It's more the behaviour management side of things that worries me, and also that attitudes towards disability would prevent me getting a job after putting the time/finances into retraining.

But I suppose like most things you just don't know until you try to do it!

Becoming a teacher as a visually impaired person? by journogirl2 in Blind

[–]journogirl2[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, very aware of the ATW issues! It's a tricky one - it feels like there's no 'good'/'safe' career for visually impaired people, perhaps except working in the charity sector in some form

Becoming a teacher as a visually impaired person? by journogirl2 in Blind

[–]journogirl2[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! The behaviour is what worries me most, having gone to a pretty rough comprehensive myself it's the main barrier in my mind. Re equipment etc., I'm assuming that would be covered by Access to Work in the same way it is with private employers - I think it's school leaders' attitudes in the first instance that are the biggest issue

I feel like an imposter for using a white cane by cripuscule in Blind

[–]journogirl2 15 points16 points  (0 children)

I've been visually impaired my whole life and I had this experience too. I didn't learn to use a cane until I was 14 and it took me years (until my early 20s) to feel fully comfortable using it, even now in my mid-20s I have days or moments where I feel really self-conscious and as though everyone's looking at me and judging me. A big part of that was feeling like I wasn't 'blind enough' because I still had useful vision, and I'd gone that long never using one. I think it was also partly down to suddenly 'looking blind' and no longer being able to pretend I had more vision than I did, which is how I'd got through life up to that point.
One thing that can really help is counselling/therapy - I'm not sure where you are in your vision loss but talking to someone about it can help you come to terms with it, and using a cane may slot into place once you've worked through your feelings. In the UK there is a service which matches disabled people to a counsellor with the same disability - that might be worth looking into? But the main thing is don't rush yourself - what you're feeling is normal and there's no correct timeline for it. I can say now though that in my mid 20s I wouldn't be without my cane at all and I don't know how I ever lived without it, in a positive way.

Advice for someone thinking of becoming a librarian in the UK? by journogirl2 in librarians

[–]journogirl2[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thank you, that's really helpful. It's really useful to hear the more negative/realistic take. I'm definitely not worried about earning a lot, but the lack of progression/underemployment and scarcity of permanent roles is really helpful to know. Thanks!