So, I’ve been a weirdo for, like, almost all schools I’ve been on, and I wanna try to fit with my new class this year. Anyone’s got hints on how to fit with Neurotypicals and how to avoid being seen as the “autistic weirdo”?
So, I’ve been a weirdo for, like, almost all schools I’ve been on, and I wanna try to fit with my new class this year. Anyone’s got hints on how to fit with Neurotypicals and how to avoid being seen as the “autistic weirdo”?
I was taught the ‘tennis match’ method of conversations, each thing you say is hitting the ball across the net to the other person in the convo, the best quality conversation is going to be one where each person is serving back and forth evenly, and not one person saying everything
Neurotypicals are pretty decent with active listening, so they’ll indicate by saying short filler phrases or like nodding their head if they’re down to just let you talk
So, keep a low profile?
Keeping a low profile by learning how to make the NT’s comfy around you is a hard to learn but worthwhile skill.
You’ll find that NT people view you as chill but quiet if you just listen along and occasionally show that you’re retaining some information, especially if you remember what people are into and ask them simple open questions about it.
Another part is what others here have said; aim to do the casual conversation with the types of people who enjoy it, but don’t feel bad or cut out someone altogether if theyre having a day when they’re not feeling talkative (everyone’s trying to work out how to be a human when they’re a teenager, NT’s are just better at hiding that they don’t know :D )
Also some people will try to goad a reaction out of you. At what point never underestimate the power of asking “What do you mean by that?” To someone over and over