Life After High School: Navigating the Transition to College with Autism

The bell rings one final time. Graduation caps soar through the air. For most students, this moment marks an exciting transition to independence. But for those of us with autism, that excitement often comes mixed with a unique cocktail of uncertainty and apprehension. You see, while many view autism primarily through an academic lens - as a learning disability that affects schoolwork - the reality is far more complex.

More Than Just a Learning Difference

When I graduated high school, I didn't just leave behind classrooms and textbooks. I left behind an entire support system: teachers who understood my needs, counselors who helped chart my course, and a structured environment that made the world feel manageable. Suddenly, I found myself facing the "real world" - a place where the rules aren't always clear, routines can change without warning, and social expectations seem to shift like sand beneath my feet.

The Reality of the Transition

The fears that many educators and families express about autistic individuals adjusting to adult life aren't unfounded. We face genuine challenges in:

• Building and maintaining social relationships outside structured environments

• Managing independent living responsibilities

• Navigating employment and career development

• Advocating for our needs without institutional support

• Planning and organizing our daily lives

These challenges don't define us, and they certainly don't limit us. Let me share my story.

I'm Khalid Sirad, a 24-year-old autistic individual who's spent the last 12 years understanding myself. Growing up, I always felt different—my thought processes diverged from my peers, leaving me uncertain and struggling with self-trust. I frequently felt like an outsider, believing others lived more complete lives while I remained isolated.

Navigating social norms became complex. I often defaulted to following others, using my autism as a shield against deeper understanding. This pattern created significant challenges: Was I misinterpreting situations due to my limited understanding, or was I being systematically misunderstood and unsupported?

The most frustrating aspect of being autistic is encountering gaslighting. My neurodiversity is frequently weaponized against me—seen as a vulnerability that others exploit. People interrupt, dismiss, or delegitimize my experiences, treating me as less capable due to prejudice and ignorance about the daily realities of neurodivergent individuals.

The key addition here is highlighting the systemic challenge: not just personal misunderstanding, but a broader issue of societal support and recognition for neurodivergent experiences.

Finding My Way

Success is developing strategies to work with challenges, not eliminating them. Each small victory—a job interview, maintaining my living space, building meaningful friendships—proves autistic adults can create fulfilling lives on our own terms. Some days are harder, but confidence grows through persistent, intentional navigation of life's complexities.

A Message of Hope

To my fellow autistic young adults: our path is challenging but unique. Independence isn't linear—it's a complex journey with unexpected detours, moments of struggle, and profound personal growth. Your timeline is yours, and your successes, however small, are milestones of resilience.

To parents and educators: your love is powerful, but true support means recognizing our potential beyond your fears. We will face difficulties—social complexities, sensory challenges, and systemic barriers—but these are not limitations. They are opportunities for innovative adaptation and extraordinary personal development.

Support us by believing in our capacity to navigate our own paths, not by trying to smooth every obstacle, but by standing beside us as we learn to climb them ourselves.

Moving Forward

This blog will be my unfiltered journey through adulthood - the triumphs, the setbacks, and everything in between. I'll share the strategies I develop, the lessons I learn, and the wisdom I gain along the way. Because while the path may be winding, I'm living proof that autistic individuals can not only survive after high school - we can thrive.

Welcome to my story. It may not always be pretty, but I promise it will always be real.

The next post, Part 1: planning for the future, is an absolute must for anybody coming out of high school and leaving the confines and safety net of the K-12 system.