Difficulties of Being Deaf in College Starting college can be a stressful time in any teenager’s life. The pressure to make friends, fit in, and become acquainted with a new area can make for a frustrating first couple weeks. Not to mention the fact that many college freshmen have rarely lived away from home or gone about solving all the problems life throws at them by themselves. While college can be fun, the adjustment period can seem overwhelming. Now imagine, in addition to all the stress a college freshman will have to face, how much more frustrating things would be if you couldn’t hear?
Deaf in College For the majority of people who are able to hear, we rarely think about how difficult it would be for a deaf student to confront all of the problems facing a college freshman. Often, deaf students go through high school with parents, teachers, and counselors to advocate for them and their needs. However, once in college, many deaf students find that they have trouble adapting to this new situation. For instance, while a deaf student might have gotten used to the fact that their high school had interpreters available to assist them, the college where they now attend might expect the student to ensure that interpreters are there to help them. There are countless stories of deaf freshmen who book a tutor or a counselor at college and arrive to find out that they didn’t remember to also ask for an interpreter, rendering the session useless. Also, deaf students might have to get used to using caption calling or other technological assistance if the situation demands it.
The Social Scene The college social scene can also be a challenge for deaf students. Depending on the college they are attending, they can be confronted with a small population of deaf students or a large one. If a deaf student begins attending a college with very few deaf people, it can be hard for him or her to make friends due to the fact that an interpreter will most likely have to be present during all social interactions. This can lead to deaf students feeling alone, not accepted, and even ostracized. On the other hand, colleges which have a large number of deaf individuals are also sometimes challenging for deaf students. While this would seem like a good thing for an incoming deaf freshman, a large population of deaf students can represent an exciting new opportunity to socialize with people who are similar to them. However, this new social life can be distracting, causing deaf students to neglect their studies and fall behind academically.
Being deaf can be a challenge by itself, and adding the stress of starting and adapting to college can become complicated. However, as long as a deaf student takes the time to prepare for the changes that will be occurring in his or her life, college can still be a great learning experience.