Portfolio Assignment 3 - Being the "Other"

I put a lot of effort into being the other. I broke my ankle and suddenly found myself in a group I'd never imagined I'd be in, especially during college. I have had to learn to an extent, what it is like for those facing a disability to get around, particularly on BYU campus.

Crutches (and my knee scooter) have become my new best friend

This is all the metal that was added to my ankle

When I initially came to BYU, I complained about about the many stairs on BYU campus and how much walking I had to do. That is nothing compared to the challenges a person with disabilities has.

BYU Ramp

BYU Stairs (of Death)

After my injury, I had to run a few errands on campus. The campus that I had loved and become accustomed to seemed to have changed drastically. Ramps that I frequently ignored became lifesavers. It was hard to push myself and my leg on the scooter up hills and ramps that I had speedwalked up only days before as it took so much more energy. Even though I had "better parking" because of my temporary disability pass, the amount of energy it took to get anywhere on campus was draining. People were passing me and I felt like I was holding some people up as I struggled to get myself up the hill. Some people were nice and told me things like "you can do this" and "what a workout", and held the door open for me. Others, basically ignored me. In this case, being the other meant that there were some around me who were more inclined to help because they saw my injury, while everyone else went along with life as usual. The hardest part for me about being the other was having to adapt my route or take a longer route (to find elevators, ramps, and curb cuts) in order to get to places on campus. I coped with otherness by accepting help from others, adjusting the expected amount of time it would take me to get to and from places, and adjusting my expectations of what routes I can take. To my students who are experiencing school as a "foreign place", particularly those who have disabilities, I would make sure my classroom and its setup is accessible and a comfortable place for them to be in. I would encourage inclusion and help from others, not only to help the person with the disability, but to hopefully help those who are helping to have empathy and understand what that person is going through.

Notes:

Observation	Interpretation	Feelings
Going up a hill, some people encouraged me while others passed me	Some people try to reach out to those with disabilities/injuries, but others focus on getting where they need to go	This was hard for me, not only did I take more time than usual, but I also felt like I was blocking people or holding them up because I was going so slow
Turning around corners, especially when it's crowded is very difficult with a knee scooter	Some people would move for me to get by or turn, while I had to work to navigate around the rest	I'm seeing a different side of people and how they respond to people who have a disability (even temporary!)
Waiting for/finding an elevator was pretty tough in the Wilkinson Center. I had to trek across the building to find the elevator	The best route for those with disabilities is sometimes the longest route	Even though an elevator in this corner of the building might not have been "cost-efficient", I would have definitely appreciated it.
With my knee scooter, I fouond that I couldn't take routes I was used to - I had to alter my normal routine to get from place to place	With a disability, the shortest distance between two points may not always be the best route - you have to find the route that has the adequate acoomodations (elevators, ramp, etc.) that allow you to navigate	I was a bit discouraged and disappointed because of the lack of accommodations in my typical routes. In the past I haven't really thought about the couple steps I'd go up or down to reach a class or an appointment, but now I have a whole new challenge - not just of getting myself around, but also figuring out the best ways to get around - which elevator to take, is there a ramp nearby, etc.
Going through doors was difficult, especially when there are two sets before you can get through and no disability button to open it automatically	It is really hard to be completely disability friendly, especially when the majority of the people using the buildings don't notice any difference	This has been an enlightening experience and has given me an even greater respect for those with disabilities, and those who utilize principles of universal design.