Succeeding in College with Asperger Syndrome: A student guide -- Contents -- Acknowledgements -- Introduction -- 1 Preparing for College: A Brief Preamble -- Read me first: how to use this book -- A project: preparing for college -- Sources of information -- Making the right choice for you -- Previewing the college -- Examining accommodation options -- Something for mature students -- Review and recommended reading -- 2 Welcome to the Rest of Your Life -- The rest of the book now, please… -- The Foreknowledge Principle -- Academic commitments -- Academic staff and teaching -- Managing your independence may require some form of support -- Communication skills: your need for assistance -- Social groups and social demands -- Getting along with others: understanding the benefits of compromise -- Comfortable routines -- Interacting with the opposite sex: sex and sexuality -- Managing anxiety and stress -- College societies and clubs: finding the right one -- The virtues of AS -- Review and recommended reading -- 3 The College Environment for the AS Student -- Student life: the focus -- The purpose in being there -- Get the right accommodation -- The role of the family -- Operations of a typical college -- Staff -- Services -- Academic responsibilities -- Attendance -- Coursework -- Tutorials -- Group work -- Domestic responsibilities -- Hygiene -- Food -- Clothes -- Money management -- Social life -- You're on your own now -- Acquaintanceship is not friendship -- Managing the challenges -- Drink -- Drugs -- Recommendations -- 4 Attending to Academic Demands with AS -- Is life that different for the AS student? -- Social naivety and exploitation -- The hidden curriculum in college -- Interacting with academic staff -- Departmental staff: etiquette and expectation -- The importance of working to a plan -- Identifying goals -- Organization of resources.

Actions to complete -- Flexibility: it's not a straitjacket -- Working with a schedule -- Basic schedule properties -- Advantages for AS in schedules -- Attendance and work completion -- Getting ready for exams -- Be ready for the unexpected -- Inevitability of stress for AS students -- Asking for help -- Responding to requests for help -- Using the library -- Recommendations -- 5 Working with Student Support Services -- Behaviour is a measure of how we feel -- Departures from routines -- Anger resulting from stress -- Using a daily diary to record anxiety -- Interview with a student counsellor -- To see or not to see the support office? -- When to present oneself -- Asking about interviewer obligations -- What to present -- Listening -- Returning with feedback -- Moving beyond local support -- The role of psychiatric liaison -- Some problems that may be encountered -- Recommendations -- 6 Communication Getting Along with Others -- The challenges -- Talking is important -- Talking at peers vs. talking to peers -- Conversation as a language game -- Developing active listening skills -- Interrupting without jarring -- Nonverbal skills -- The vexed question of emotion detection -- Some solutions: a repertoire of moves and phrases -- Realistic expectations: you cannot pull it all together -- Review and recommendations -- 7 Interacting with the Opposite Sex: Sex and Sexuality -- Casual and romantic relationships -- Be cautious and be alert -- Making a date: a sample plan -- Observing personal space -- Types of behaviour -- Dating -- Sex education: know the biology -- Private sexual practices -- Contraception -- Pregnancy -- Recommendations: important rules -- 8 Managing Anxiety and Stress -- AS and mental health problems -- Recognizing and managing anxiety -- Learning to spot anxiety in situations -- Coping with fear, stress and anxiety disorders.

Treatments for anxiety disorders -- Depression in AS -- What is depression? -- How do I know if I am depressed or not? -- What causes depression? -- Treatments for depression -- Antidepressant medication -- Antidepressant medication and psychotherapy -- Self-medication is harmful -- Alcohol and drug abuse -- Suicide: the illogical choice -- Some other conditions to note -- Managing stress effectively -- Recommendations for thinking ahead: one year from now -- 9 Establishing an AS Support Group -- The dos and don'ts of a student society -- Are there similar societies? -- Clear objectives -- Definite demand -- Drafting a proposal -- Liaison with college services -- Making the case formally -- Membership, money and management -- Acceptance is only half the battle -- Meetings and motivation -- Activity schedules -- Involving other student societies -- Feedback -- Rejection and alternatives -- Developing a group outside formal structures -- Caveats -- Recommendations -- 10 Inspirational AS Thinkers and Scientists -- Traditional association with gifted thinkers -- Playing to AS strengths -- Focus, curiosity and desire to understand -- Openness to new ideas -- Music and mathematics -- Science -- Art and architecture -- Literature -- Philosophy -- Review and further reading -- 11 Life After College -- Career choices -- Importance of career guidance -- Using strengths -- Relationship choices -- Any future plans? -- The issue of expectations -- Marriage and family -- Recommendations -- Appendix 1: Gillberg's Diagnostic Criteria for AS -- Appendix 2: Useful Websites -- References -- Index.