And Then He Graduated Community College

When Tommy was younger and having constant meltdowns, I worried about him. How would it be when he got older? Would he be okay?

He's okay.

Having autism can be difficult at times. But it hasn't held him back. Sometimes he does things different. Sometimes he doesn't always relate to his peers. 

But he did it. He graduated with his Associates Degree in Video Cinematography. As an Honors Student, thank you very much.

He did not want to go to the commencement. He doesn't like to wait around. He didn't want to be amongst people he didn't really know. Mostly it was the waiting around though.

So we went to his college and took photos. He showed me his favorite spots. He pointed to where his classes were. 

"I relaxed here," he explained. 

He didn't have the typical college experience. He graduated High School in 2020 when Covid was still a worry. College classes were online for the first year. He was finally able to get to campus the last year and a half. 

It wasn't always smooth sailing. He had to repeat his math class because he was two points shy of the required points needed to move on. Math has never been our strong suit. But remember: it's okay if you need to try again. It doesn't mean you're dumb: it means you needed extra time to learn. And there's nothing wrong with that. 

I was glad he was still at home. Pushing kids out before they're ready is never a good thing. But his next adventure will be living in a dorm this fall. Am I worried? Yes, a little. If he's having a rough day, he can't easily relax and decompress in his room. But I know he needs to do this to grow. To learn. 

I have to let go.