Understanding My Autism Diagnosis

Getting diagnosed with autism at 21 finally made everything make sense. People just saw

me as the quiet student, but inside, my brain was working overtime to cope.

Social events would drain my battery so fast I’d have to disappear to recharge.

I found comfort in my routines, like arranging things in a specific order, because unexpected

changes felt like chaos. I spent years masking my struggles, trying to act "normal,"

which was completely exhausting. The diagnosis wasn't a label; it was permission to finally

understand myself and accept that my brain is just wired differently. It’s not a flaw.