Story time with Nqchristine18 aka Christine Duong

I have Autism

Hello everyone and today I'm here to talk about my life story of autism. Yes, I am autistic and this is how my life started as an autistic person.

Before I found out that I have autism, I was really quiet and shy to other kids back in elementary school because I'm afraid of what people would think about me or people judging me for who I am.

That is until I discover my passion of art; particularly drawing cartoons. I love drawing a lot, it brings me joy whenever I draw something cool, adorable, or funny. I even draw on a computer with a software called Kid Pix and that's when my personality starts to blossom.

As a child, I would always run around the halls and giggled like an elf causing mischief while my parents tried to stop me, but I always run back to my two favorite teachers in the end. Both of them were my role models back in elementary school. Their names are Mrs. Fitzpatrick and Mrs. Anderson, I would always play with them and draw with them. I also had two friends who have the same interests as I am.

But by the time I entered middle school, I revert back to my introverted self because I felt unfamiliar with other students and I get nervous around new people so I kept quiet throughout sixth grade until I met and befriend a boy named Andrew Thornton. He's like me, quiet and shy, but he's also smart, easygoing, and kind. We both sat next to each other and talk about how our classes were and our favorite YouTube channel, the annoying orange.

Then I befriend another boy named Don Mitchell. He's a black boy with glasses and he has a chill and sweet personality. We both love watching anime and watching cartoons. Yes, I started watching anime since sixth grade and I have no shame.

However that's when everything in my life went upside down. By the time I entered 8th grade, I went to a mental therapy where I discovered that I have autism spectrum disorder. I stood there with a confused look when the therapist said that to me.

"I have autism?" I thought to myself when he and my dad discussed about me having autism. I don't even know what autism was, I thought I was a socially awkward person.

My dad mentioned me about me slamming my head against the wall when I was a baby. He even told him that I have obsessive interests like art and anime, but I also have difficulty of talking to other people. To be honest, I actually agreed with him. I noticed that I have difficultly with talking to other people except that I can talk a few people, I always showed to love art and anime, and I always tend draw or watch anime to coop with my autism. But that is is not the case. Most people perceived people with autism are either don't talk a lot, move weird, talk weird, can't do anything right, or just plain stupid.

To me, that's not really true at all. Yes, I may not talk much, but I also have great friends and I'm trying to improve my social skills. I do not move weird or talk weird. People like us can do anything right, but we're not plain stupid. I felt pretty normal and I'm trying my best to slowly come out of my comfort zone and try to meet with new people. Just because people like me have disabilities, doesn't mean that we're stupid. That is an insult and I don't appreciate people who poke fun or perceived us as dumb people. We're not. We're not that dumb, we're not that strange, we're just normal people with flaws and that's all there is to it. So don't perceive people with autism as dumb people or weird people because we're human beings and we're capable of doing something so amazing.

As I attend high school, my social skills have improved a bit when I start to gain more friends. First there's Hannah Hoshall, Mya and Chance from gym, Sydney from reading class, Cherish, Farrah, and Kirk from anime club. I became much more happier and talkative than before, it really helped me thanks to my family and friends. If someone tries to talk you down about having autism, don't listen to them. Be yourself, be who you are, embrace yourself, love yourself no matter what disability you have, what gender you are, what color you are, what religion you came from, or what you look like, you are your own human being and don't ever let anyone talk you down because you are amazing.

Thank you for reading my story and have a nice day bye bye!