Late Introduction
Hi, I'm Laura.
I am 20 years old and in the middle of college. I go to school in Florida but live in Maryland with my family during breaks.
I bypassed this forum when I joined a couple months ago, so I didn't get a chance to say hello to everyone.
My special interests have included Harry Potter and autistic savants.
I went to my first Autreat last summer and really enjoyed it.
I am very sensitive to sound (I am wearing my soundblocking headphones right now because my roommate is ignoring her alarm clock, and it is really loud because she's hard of hearing). I love hugs, however, and don't usually mind being touched except by strangers (like the TSA people at the airport).
My username comes from my birthday (the X is just a Roman numeral) and my avatar comes from a Pokemon game. I love those games, and have learned that the guy who created them has Asperger's like I do.
My mom said I was slightly hyperlexic when I was younger. I started reading when I was 4 and haven't stopped since.
I had OT for a few years when I was younger, and I didn't like it very much because I didn't like having to go when my NT friends and younger sister didn't.
A few days ago I finally got my first boyfriend and it is very exciting!
Sometimes I write poetry but I have difficulty writing anything very long and require a tutor when writing papers for school. My posts are rarely this long, but I wish these forums were a little more active.
Welcome to AWN Laura - very happy you introduced yourself. Harry Potter is one of my favs as well.
I'm so envious you've been to Autreat. I have several good friends who attend Autreat every year, and I am making plans to attend this year. Again, welcome to AWN and I look forward to your continued posts here at the forum.
It is very convienient that Autreat is within a 6-8 hour drive of the DC area. My mother brought me as I have driving anxiety and do not have my license yet.
I wish I didn't have to fly to get between school and home, but I am glad that dealing with the aiport and security and all isn't as stressful as I know it is for some people.
I met Savannah and Ari at last summer's Autreat, and recently I have been working on having Ari come speak at my college, which should happen in a couple months.
Last fall I made a flyer for Autistics Speaking Day about why I don't support Autism Speaks and why they aren't actually doing us much good. I posted it on my Facebook as well: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150117477515884
Hi Laura! Nice to meet you. 
I was born in September too! Actually, September 16, so our birthdates are pretty close. I'm just a few years older than you, because now I am 25.
How is college going for you? I studied psychology in undergrad too! Although I got my masters in public health. I think it's so cool you want to work with girls with ASDs as your career!!! Do you know Dr. Shana Nichols? She is a psychologist in New York doing just that, and she is brilliant. You may know her book, Girls Growing Up On the Autism Spectrum. She's also in the process of writing another one.
Keep in touch about how it's going with your boyfriend. I don't have too much experience in the romantic relationship arena, but I have a little bit. Enough to have learned some things. Anyways, relationships are tough! I hope you are doing well...
All the best,
Stephanie
Well, the boyfriend decided he really wanted to focus on his schoolwork and doesn't want to deal with romance right now. But we are still very good friends. He has some mental health issues of his own, so I also think he wants to keep that under control, and not have to constantly worry about if he's doing the whole relationship thing correctly. I was his first girlfriend, so neither of us had much experience.
I plan to look for someone else next semester, and I'm okay with that. I'm not someone who has a big problem with us breaking up if he feels it's causing him too much stress to be involved with someone. He's certainly far too sensitive to ever consider cheating on me.
Schoolwise, I wish it was next week so finals would be over, and all the people that annoy me here would go home for the summer. I am staying for summer school because I'm taking a class that is part of an international school trip. They have different ones every year, and this year we are going to the Galapagos Islands!!
Hi,
I just joined and I've reading other people's posts. It's cool that there's someone else here still in college! And my birthday is in September as well.
which of the Harry Potter books is your favourite? If you have a favourite? What do you think of the movies (I haven't even seen the last few...)
Hi,
I just joined and I've reading other people's posts. It's cool that there's someone else here still in college! And my birthday is in September as well.
which of the Harry Potter books is your favourite? If you have a favourite? What do you think of the movies (I haven't even seen the last few...)
hey September I was just reading over your intro I like Harry Potter too. I just f got done with college after being there 13 years.
My favorite HP books are Goblet of Fire and Deathly Hallows. The last movie was my favorite one, although I haven't seen films 4, 5, and 6. I didn't like Half-Blood Prince as much as I was hoping to because Harry is obsessed with wanting to date Ginny, and I wanted Harry and Luna to get together. But I do like Harry being obsessed with stalking Malfoy.
I liked the first two movies, but the last few were too flashy, I thought (and the 3rd one completely missed too many major plot points). The 6th was very dark. I don't think Gambon does Dumbledore as well as Harris did. But Luna was one of my favourite characters, and I really liked that she became more important as the books went on - and she is always really funny in the movies as well! Though I never did the shipping thing.
I really like Luna and Neville as characters because of their social outsider status compared to someone like Ginny Weasley.
A few months ago, I was bored and decided to change the names in my cell phone contacts to Harry Potter characters. My grandfather is Dumbledore, my father is Mad Eye Moody, and my sister is "Half-Blood Princess".
Nice to meet you, Laura! I loved Harry Potter.