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Never have I felt so at home in a learning environment

During classes, Lee knitted a whole cardigan and scribbles whole sketchbooks full of drawings. As long as she can keep her hands busy, the Music & Technology student can better focus on class. ‘If I’m idle, I just start staring and dream away. Staying focused is simply hard when you have ADHD.’ The fact that it was no problem to knit class actually surprised Lee. ‘And I already was pleasantly surprised by the provisions HKU offers to special needs students. Especially by the wide range of all the available options.’
Never have I felt so at home in a learning environment
Lee has always had a huge fascination for music, so an education in that direction only felt logical. ‘HKU turned out to be the best choice, due to the combination of music and technology.’ Officially, the student of Compositions is still in the first year, but due to the use of the ‘planned delay’ it is actually a combination year. ‘The year is essentially spread out. Last year I completed a number of first-year modules. This year I’m doing the rest, together with a few second-year modules. This planned delay allows me to divide the huge load in my head into bite-size chunks, with enough time to get some rest in between. I really need that to recover from all the stimuli.’

Purple cape

Lee feels at the right place at HKU. ‘Never have I felt so at home in a learning environment. When I entered here during the introduction week, I already saw more boys with eyeliner than girls. There’s just so much diversity in expression, in terms of clothing, style, and appearance. I have two strange pony tails and always wear crazy outfits, but never get any funny looks. One classmate came to school on Purple Friday wearing a whole cape. On my earlier academy, she would have attracted a lot of stares. But at HKU, the only thing people said was: “Wow! Nice cape! Turn around and show us!” That’s just lovely’.

The composition student adopted the name Lee after turning 18. ‘All my life, I’ve known that I was actually non-binary, but I never had the word for it. I never felt like a man or woman, but simply something in-between. After I turned 18, I started identifying as non-binary and tried out different names. Lee was eventually the one that stuck. It looks like my birth name, so I’m still honouring it in this way.’

‘Studying began to overwhelm me'

Along with the location and the atmosphere, the Music & Technology course itself was also a perfect match. Even though Lee sometimes needs a bit more time and space. ‘The course material is very diverse. That is interesting, but not too good for my ADHD, because I have to focus on too many things at once. But I do enjoy learning many things simultaneously.’

A few weeks ago, Lee also received the diagnosis of autism. To Lee’s great delight, actually, because it explains so much about Lee’s life and childhood. ‘Autism never was that much of a struggle until I started studying here. It meant I had to travel by train for an hour each time, and train travels are hugely overstimulating for me. So all that travelling to and from the academy, along with all the modules I was doing: studying really began to overwhelm me.’

This ordeal lead Lee to the provisions that are available at HKU. It was a huge surprise, because at Lee’s former academy, MBO Sound Technology, the only option was to request extra exam time. ‘And for the rest, you were on your own. The ‘planned delay’ scheme helps me a lot here, along with the fact that I’m allowed to keep my hands busy during class. But even then it sometimes happens that I have to run out of the classroom all overstimulated. There’s a rest area where I can go then. And when I return, nobody asks why I left or where I was. I really appreciate that; nobody bats an eye. Furthermore, I get help from teachers with setting priorities. Usually I just need an example; I guess that must be my autism. ‘Write a report’ is simply not enough instruction for me. What exactly should I do then? What structure should it get? Must it have a table of contents or not?’

Lots of camaraderie

If the available provisions weren’t there, Lee is sure that she would suffer a lot mentally. ‘Because I am willing to work hard, it would make me go into isolation, which can eventually lead to a burnout or depression. I’ve been there before. I just need a bit more time and space, that’s all. Paying a year’s extra tuition fee to get that, is a price I’m willing to pay.'

Lee would definitely recommend HKU to other new students. Even if they might need some extra help during their student years. ‘There are ample provisions here, along with a strong sense of camaraderie. You notice that, for instance, during the ‘dinner with’-sessions, where students with autism get together for a chat and a bite. I really think you will find your place at HKU. I for sure have.’