Podcast 50 | transcript
Lindsay Washington and now I am a junior at Appalachin State University in Boone, North Carolina. I’m majoring
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in communication sciences and disorders with a minor in digital marketing. Last time I was on the show at the beginning
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of my sophomore year. Now, I’m taking some of the most challenging courses of
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my major. We’ll talk about how I’m doing with that. And I’ve been on the deans list two times. I’m still living in the dorms. I spent last summer on campus.
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And I’m still growing my followers on Tik Tok, YouTube, and Instagram. I’m here with Katherine O’Brien, the host of
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Autism Goes to College, and I am going to hand this over to her. Take it away, girl. Hey, everyone. I’m so excited to
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have Lindsay back on. She has such a sparkling personality and I cannot wait to hear all the updates. Just for fun,
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let’s start with Halloween. You posted a little bit to Instagram. There was some Perry the Platypus action. How did that go?
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Well, it was so interesting and so much fun cuz I was trying to think of something related to my childhood. And
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as you guys saw or if you guys didn’t see from my social media yet, I was preparing the platypus for Halloween
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from Phanas and Furb. And it was so interesting even just walking into my classroom cuz I was dressing up that day
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for Halloween. And I even went trick-or-treating with some of my friends that live in the same dorm as me and we had a really good time.
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That’s so fun. Um, so it sounds like you’ve made some social connections in the dorms and last year when we talked,
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you were definitely trying out different clubs and exploring the social scene.
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Are you still involved in clubs now as a junior?
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Yes, I am. And some of the clubs that I am involved in include inner varsity Christian club and it’s a club where we
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discuss about our pros and cons of the week and we do small group Bible study and neurodyivergent student and allies
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which I did get to decide to go back and join them and we talk about like more awareness and what it’s like to be
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neurode divergent and also the national student speech language and hearing association. ation and that is more tied
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into my major and we get to talk about different disorders and how to treat different patients.
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Yeah. And you’re networking within your field within other future um people who will be speech communication
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professionals. I’m I’m getting too probably.
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Yes. And also people that have been in my major classes as well. I would hang out with them. But the social life is
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still a work in progress. I have joined a couple social events this year such as going trick-or-treating and I also have
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been to a couple of the football games here and that has been a lot of fun as well.
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Yeah. I’m curious because I do remember that when we spoke last you had checked out the neurode divergent student clubs but it just like hadn’t really clicked.
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So what changed? Did you just go back and try again or was there more to that story? So, I wanted to give it another
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try. And plus, there are more members that are in the club. So, there are more girls and there are more boys. And I
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just realized I just need to participate in the club that not only can I just feel relatable to other people that are
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neurode divergent and that could possibly have the same struggles as me going into college and other issues.
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Mhm.
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Yeah, that totally makes sense. And you know, by participating, I bet you also have the ability to shape the club into more of the space that fits you.
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Yeah, absolutely. I have been going to a couple of the meetings for each club, but it also has been hard because I have
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a very full case load. I am taking four major classes and one of my minor classes this semester. But one of the
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things that I would do with the neurody divergent student and allies club is that we would discuss about different sensory spaces on campus. So trying to
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place those in the student union or more the library and more buildings. And also we were talking about like
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neurodeiversity and health which I thought was really interesting and something that I never even heard about before. So I thought that was cool.
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Yeah. neurodeiversity in healthcare settings is very important and how it impacts our holistic health is a a growing area of study. So, I’m glad
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you’re learning about that. Um, just backtracking since you’re getting into your major classes to refresh for people
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that aren’t um up to speed with your story, how did you choose to major in communication sciences? And like is this
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uh sensory spaces bit informed by that major choice too?
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Not really. But the reason why I wanted to go into this major is because I have experienced speech therapy myself
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because I got diagnosed with autism at three and right afterwards I got speech therapy and I really liked what my
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speech therapy did with me to help me communicate and utilize skills that I need for daily life and to navigate such
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as analytic skills and social life to help me be successful in school and to
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be able to join other social um activities that other peers that I’ve been wanting to desire for so long.
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Yeah. I mean, it’s so much more than just making sure that you can talk and articulate your words, although that’s definitely something speech pathologists
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are great at. Um, yeah, it is transformative and empowering to build those skills. So, that makes sense. I
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did I did want to know more about the sensory spaces on campus though. Um what types of things are they working on and and how are you involved?
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So they are working on things like bean bags and little bit of sensory lights.
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So they would have this little container and it’s full of water and there will be fishies and jellyfish flying inside of that container.
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They also have other comfy chairs that people can sit in while they study. And also in one of the study rooms at the
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library, there will be bean bags in the chair in the room and then a comfy desk and a comfy little like sensory with
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fishies and jellyfish. And the ways that I am involved in that is that I was able to give feedback like, hey, I really
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like this. I would like to see more of this. Like for instance, I would like to see like more like sounds like have a
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little speaker and have more sensory sounds like a waterfall or birds chirping in the library room. Although
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it may be distracting to some people cuz the library is just mostly a quiet space for everybody to study. But I think that’ll be really cool to add.
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Yeah, absolutely. I actually have been involved in a similar project here at uh UC Riverside. And one of the things we
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talked about is having the space be able to be divided up because um you know people have different needs. So some
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people might prefer very dim light and some people might prefer very bright light to help them stay alert and both are like valid sensory needs but they
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kind of can’t coexist in the exact same spot at the same time. Um, so it’s so interesting to just learn about what’s going on on other campuses and I’m
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encouraged that multiple universities and colleges are working on these spaces for us. Um, for sure and it’s also very
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important to utilize those sensory spaces because I know that it has helped me to be calm and relax while I’m
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studying. Also, another thing I would have to say that they should improve on is providing more sensory toys like
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fidgets, like more balls and needles for the room.
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Weighted tools like weighted balls, lap pads, um pillows are great too in that regard. I have a lot of I have a lot of
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thoughts about yeah, sensory equipment and how we can ensure people have access to it. Um, so
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thinking about your major classes in communication sciences, I know that there’s a lot of um intensive
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course load for the communication science major. Can you talk to us about the class schedule and how you’re managing?
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Of course. So, just to give you guys a little bit of an overview of the class that I’m taking. So I’m taking neuro anatomy and physiology and that’s
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basically the class where we get to talk about the normal human functions of the brain versus what it looks like when it’s abnormal and the different type of disorders that is associated with it.
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Next I’m taking acoustics and speech science which is relating to like phology and phonation disorders. I’m
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also taking aology which is focusing on the anatomy and physiology of the normal human hearing versus abnormal human
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hearing and I’m also taking language disorders in children and it’s get where I learned the different like normal
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communication within language domains and then abnormal communication and the type of disorders that are
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associated and then as one of my minor classes is I am taking principles of marketing which actually has been one of my hardest
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classes and that is because we are learning a lot about analytics that are utilized for marketing to make sure that
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your business is standing out and that you’re standing out to your target audience.
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But my two favorite classes right now are neuro anatomy and I really like language disorders.
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And one of the ways that I do try to manage all of it is that I would work on some subjects one day like I would work
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on at least three. So for instance today I may work on neuro anatomy I may work on acoustic stuff and aiology stuff if I
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can try to fit that in. If I cannot try to fit three subjects in subjects in then I would try to just mainly focus on
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two and then so on like the other day too I would try to okay work on language
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disorders one day and try to focus on marketing but it’s also very hard because most of the times during the
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weekdays I will be focusing on my major classes because my major classes are already taking a bulk of my time
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and I would try to focus on my minor class during the weekends, but I try not to like do that now, especially with it
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being the end of the semester, which is so hard to get motivated. And by the way, it’s completely normal.
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It does. It definitely piles up.
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Yeah. So, have you found any strategies to help with the classes that are harder this semester? because it does sound
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like there’s just a lot of work and a lot of complex content to master.
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For sure. So, what I would do is that I would try to utilize all of the sources that are on campus and try to talk to
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most of my classmates for my major classes. And if there’s anything that I’m confused on, I would mostly
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communicate with them. And I’ll also go to office hours with my professors and ask them anything that I need help on.
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Yeah, I really love office hours and I do find it helps to go in person if you can so that you can, you know, do the
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problems out together or things like that. Have you connected with classmates as well in terms of, you know, having study groups and things of that nature?
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Yes, definitely. Sometimes we would study together in the library to prepare for the upcoming test. And the way that
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we would do that is that we try to communicate the material out and the classmates would either tweak the
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information or the way that I’m interpreting it to make sure it kind of aligns with like the objective
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or I even do the same thing for them. I try to adjust what they should say and say, “Okay, like you got this right or
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you’re very close, but it’s actually this.” Yeah. So, you can fine-tune each other’s understanding. And I think there’s also
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a lot of benefit to teaching something that you understand a little bit to get a deeper understanding. That always would help me a lot when I was studying
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in groups. How are the interactions with professors going? I know you’re going to office hours and last time you said you
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always introduce yourself at the beginning of the semester. Um, is that still going well? Honestly, it has been still going well.
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Sometimes it does feel a little bit nerve-wracking cuz you are by yourself with the professor and sometimes it can
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feel weird cuz you’re with a stranger, but otherwise it has been going well.
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It’s nice to kind of talk to them about like how you’re enjoying the class and also research opportunities which is one
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of the things that I am starting to look into this year as I’m getting closer to graduation now which is absolutely crazy
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cuz I’m about to end my first semester now and I’m going to go into my second semester pretty soon and then after that
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I will be a senior and so I’m trying to look for internships that relate to my major or if not related to my major than my minor.
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I have looked into my school’s clinic because my school does have a speech clinic and they get to work with
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different kids and different adults there and I am looking into one day observing just to kind of see what it’s like.
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I think that’s a great idea. I actually am now on the other side of it because we have undergraduate research
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assistants in our lab and clinic and we also like I teach and have office hours and I have to say professors love to
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work with students. I’m glad that you’re showing up. I bet that that’s valued by your professors. Um for sure. And one of the main things
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that I would do in all of my classes is that I would try to sit in the front and I would always participate.
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Mhm. Yeah. That’s a great way to both help yourself stay engaged and to demonstrate to others that you care about the material.
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Definitely. Cuz caring about the college material and making sure that you are understanding the different concepts is very important.
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one of the main reasons we’re there. Yeah.
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Um, you know, not to say that all of the wonderful things that happen outside of class in the dorms that doesn’t matter, but the classes are really the core of
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the degree. Um, can you share some highlights and and if you’re comfortable maybe some low lightss or tough moments
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since we last talked to you uh during sophomore year? I bet there’s been a lot to talk about.
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Oh my gosh. Of course. So, first of all, I have made it on the chancellor’s list for two semesters, and I’m so excited.
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And then I stayed on campus this past summer, and I finally got my first job, y’all, on campus. So, the second
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semester of my sophomore year, I was working at one of the dining halls that’s not that far from my dorm, and I
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was cleaning and wiping down tables, and I would work there three days a week.
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And then I was staying on campus over the summer and I was also working at another dining hall, but it’s not so close to my dorm. And I was working there 3 days a week as well, 72 hours.
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And I was still cleaning and wiping down tables. You were busy.
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I was so busy. Love that for me, you know.
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And also, it was night. Hopefully, it’s it’s rewarding both in terms of confidence and in terms of money for work.
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For sure. You know what? That’s actually the best part about having your own job is getting your own money. And most of
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the time I like shop and then I put most of it in my savings.
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That’s why also Yes, for sure.
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I would say some of the tough moments I’ve had during my sophomore year is still the social life. Trying to define
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the difference between who is a friend and then define who is a classmate and also trying to balance a social life and
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a personal life and the academic workload. Yeah.
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And also another main highlight is that I finished my gen ed.
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Oh nice. So, that is a great step on the path to graduation. Congrats on that.
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Thank you.
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Wow. So, you’ve been busy and I bet, you know, staying on campus this summer helped with the the independence and this, you know, connecting to opportunities.
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For sure. And I would try to manage to come home every other weekend like I would do during the school year.
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That’s wonderful to stay connected. Um, I’m curious more about your research interests. What are you hoping to do
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with research? And, you know, does that connect to maybe what comes after graduation in terms of work or maybe
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even grad school? Yes, I would love to talk about that. So, I am looking into grad school. Um, I am looking at
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specifically the speech pathology program. I’m going to do that for two years and after I graduate, I’m going to go straight into it. And then after
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graduate school, I am planning to try to find a clinic or whatever setting um I
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am placed in to work with kids and adults because that is something that I am really passionate about. And some of
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the research that I’m interested in doing is about neurons because in my neuro anatomy class, we’ve been learning
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a lot about the neurons and how they transmit from like the spinal cord to up to the brain and like the different
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parts of the brain co. So I really would love to study that and I would also love to study different language disorders as
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well. I would like to study about developmental language disorder a little bit more. dyslexia, ADHD, and also Down syndrome.
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Yes. Okay. So, lots of things that speech language pathologists, which is what you aspire to be, can help with in
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terms of uh giving people pathways to success. I think that’s really inspiring and I love that you kind of want to come full circle and give back to the
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profession that helped you when you were little.
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Thank you. And then I’m also planning to still continue doing my social media and growing my social media. I do want to start creating my own business one day.
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I have been thinking about that for a while. Yeah, I’m thinking of making so
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like some jewelry, making some t-shirts, kind of representing the Linsters family cuz I kind of want to expand it even
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more and even selling um hoodies.
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Yeah. Yeah. And even have like little phrases like, “Peace out, Linsters.” I think that would be so cool.
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I can see it. Yeah. And I feel like that really connects to your minor and and to your um what you’re studying. It’s it’s
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all like connected to your passions, which I think is super inspiring. Thank you.
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Do you have any like tips or or thoughts that you want to leave uh our audience with now that you’re kind of in the
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second half of your undergrad career and really succeeding? It sounds like in a lot of ways.
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Sure. I do have plenty of tips. You know, you guys got this. I know this end of the semester can be very tough for
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everyone as it’s hard to find motivation. It has been hard for me. So remember to give yourself grace and take
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it each step at a time or take take each day by day and also enjoy every moment
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whether that’s like a late night or early um day studying or even the social events cuz college genuinely does go so
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fast. So make sure to just soak it all in.
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Okay. Well, congratulations on the many types of success that you’ve had, Lindsay. We’re just so I’m so happy that things are really going well at
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Appalachin State for you. And hopefully uh maybe next spring we’ll be taping a graduation episode.
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Yes, please. That’ll be so fun. Oh my goodness. And also be sure to follow me on Tik Tok, Instagram, and YouTube. I’m on my way to 500.
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Heck yes. Check her out, people. Yes.