My experience at Gallaudet

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nutmeg

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I'm not here to "trash talk" about GU. I went there for a semester in fall of 2001. I had a hard time deciding rather to go to RIT/NTID or Gallaudet. I decided on Gallaudet. I don't regret my experience and my time there. I made a great friend who I can relate to. She is still there and she is happy there. But unfortuanly, I didn't find my cliche' there. Even though my friend and I could relate and have similiar feelings and experiencing a lot same stuff at Gallaudet and anywhere in the deaf community. The difference between us, she has found her cliche' there.

It's a great school but not for me. I was "shouldin'" on myself big time. I haven't tried NTID yet, not sure if I ever will but I have always wondered would the education there would be better for me. Would I get a taste of both hearing/deaf worlds? Instead, like Gallaudet, its strictly "deaf world only"! While I was there, I got questions like "Why don't don't take have you hearing aid?" Blah blah. I was scared. I got pretty mean looks. I thought someone was going to grab my aid and break it in half!

I was there to study American Sign Language and learn more about the deaf culture and community. At the time, I wanted to be a sign language interpreter. I went there to really get a good feel. I thought it would be the best place in the world to study ASL/Deaf Culture! Great place to do that, you know?

But don't you kinda need your hearing aid to hear what people are saying so you can interpret for them, so deaf people know what's going on? I guess not, some students at Gallaudet are strictly in the "deaf world". "We don't need any connection to the hearing world", coming from a stubborn student. It's all about them, they don't consider you!

All deaf at Gallaudet, no half way, even HOH is not good enough! Maybe it will be different at RIT/NTID? I have wondered.
 
Perhaps you should have given it more than one semester. Many people experience culture shock when they first arrive.
 
I know the feeling.

There are some students who transferred from Gallaudet to NTID, but still have that "Deaf Pride" attitude. There will always be someone like that out there.

One time, I brought up an issue in a local deaf student government meeting. Another deaf student tried to "shoot me down" saying that I had no right to bring it up since I'm not "deaf enough". :roll:

I would rather be in an environment where I am equally exposed to deaf and hearing people. :)
 
Because the Deaf World welcome to Gallaudet University. Who have loss of hearing. You don't have to wear deaf. Gallaudet want to know what your loss hear. You go to doctor check your loss hear. I believe many deaf student not want wear hearing aid. Galladuet is not strict them.

Many deaf are very nice and encourage.
 
I experienced the same thing as u did during my first semester at Gallaudet but I didnt quit. After 2 semesters, I met so many wonderful people who accepted me for who I am. My experience at Gallaudet has been more positive than negative.

I am sorry that u felt that way but like Jillo, I think you experienced culture shock.
 
Perhaps I should gave at least a year but I couldn't handle that much, esp. after realizing I really wanted to do Architecture, home sick and also going through Sept. 11. I thought RIT/NTID is a place that offers both worlds.

That is a good point! Gallaudet does not discriminate that's why I didn't trash talk about the University. I think I just came across some narrowminded people!
 
nutmeg said:
Perhaps I should gave at least a year but I couldn't handle that much, esp. after realizing I really wanted to do Architecture, home sick and also going through Sept. 11. I thought RIT/NTID is a place that offers both worlds.

That is a good point! Gallaudet does not discriminate that's why I didn't trash talk about the University. I think I just came across some narrowminded people!
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Yea, those narrowminded people who put me down cuz I didnt grow up using ASL despite being deaf since birth, ended up respecting me more cuz I told them to "f*ck off" right away. I became friends with one of them..lol!
 
nutmeg, from what I recall NTID is supposed to be better for hoh and oral kids.
 
I got accepted to Gallaudet! I was pretty impressed with Gallaudet's Open House few weeks ago. I don't have much experience at Gallaudet yet but I'm certainly will have blast time in Rockfest events tomorrow at Gallaudet! ;-]
 
x10oT said:
I got accepted to Gallaudet! I was pretty impressed with Gallaudet's Open House few weeks ago. I don't have much experience at Gallaudet yet but I'm certainly will have blast time in Rockfest events tomorrow at Gallaudet! ;-]
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Dont forget to party like there is no tomorrow ;)

Authentic, if you are reading this, you forgot to stamp your copyright infringement! :lol: Guess another damn, eh?
 
I got pretty mean looks. I thought someone was going to grab my aid and break it in half!
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LOL. I thought that was funny sounding. That doesn't sound like a good school. No one should be made to feel like an outcast.
 
When I attended Gallaudet, my experience has always been positive. I remembered when I first arrived, I was in a culture shock. It's funny because I attended and graduated from a deaf school. I thought I was totally prepared for Gallaudet. Boy, I was totally wrong. Part of the shock was seeing ASL in use 24/7/365 at Gallaudet. Even though ASL was around at the deaf school, I was accustomed to having some barriers to deal with some staffs that had limited knowledge of ASL/Deaf Culture. I was in awe and it was overwhelming because I had never been in such environment where signing was in constant use.

But, Anyway, There will always be cliches at every school and certainly, there were cliches at Gallaudet. There are people who does not agree with one wearing cochlear implant, there will be some people who are not in favor to be friends with oralists, there will be some who are into deaf pride, so and on. The list goes on.

I'm sorry you had to experience that kind of treatment while you were at Gallaudet. Not every place is fit for everyone. You can look into different options and see which place is fit for you.

I believe in equal treatment. It's all about respecting one and other. Treat others as you wish to be treated to.
 
x10oT said:
I got accepted to Gallaudet! I was pretty impressed with Gallaudet's Open House few weeks ago. I don't have much experience at Gallaudet yet but I'm certainly will have blast time in Rockfest events tomorrow at Gallaudet! ;-]
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Congratulations!!
 
I may sound like an old fogey here, and I *am* a gally grad (class of 2002) - It is exceedingly important that students put their education first before anything else. But, yes, it is great if they can gain a lot from networking socially. GU is good for that. I haven't heard of anyone being a leader in the Community from NTID/RIT or CSUN! ;)

Nutmeg, you may want to find a mentor or experienced advisor regarding your goals and circumstances. You will find your niche. Some people just get there in different ways. Nothing wrong with that.

One semester must be like an eternity to a student, but it is really not long. Perhaps you will find the success you desire at other colleges like RIT or CSUN, too.
 
Hmph. I've always had bad experiences at Gallaudet from the beginning. The first time I went to Gallaudet for their open house with my mom. (I am considered to be oral deaf). So when we went there to tour the campus, we were split up into groups to tour different class rooms so we decided to try out Sociology. So when mom and I were in that class room, the teacher starts signing and there was no voice interpreter there (my mom doesn't know sign language) so it was frustrating and a lot of the parents were like ummm? what is going on here? this is so stupid. So finally, the teacher stops signing because she notices a lot of angry parents, she starts talking!!!! She said, I am hearing but I decided to turn off my voice because I want the deaf students to have more equality, not to hear sound together. That made me SO angry that me and mom got up and left the class room. That was my first experience at Gallaudet, so ever since I didn't want to go there because of that. I chose RIT instead.

My second experience at Gallaudet was when I went to their homecoming weekend during the protest last year. (I have a friend that goes to Gallaudet, so I was visiting her as well). The whole time when I was there, my friend would introduce me to her friends and she would say that I'm from RIT. They looked at me funny and just said, oh then stopped talking to me. It was SO rude. After my two experiences, I vowed not to go back to Gallaudet ever. It was such a horrible experience.

However, my experience at RIT has been great because I feel more united with different kinds of people (hearing, oral, deaf, etc) rather than one group (deaf only). I think everyone is different and has different needs. RIT was just the perfect school for me same as Gallaudet would be the perfect school for some people. By the way, congratulations x10oT for getting accepted to Gallaudet, I hope it goes great for you.

That's just my opinion. I just thought to share that with you guys. :)
 
Ha, and since the murders at Gally in 2000 ... It was in TIME magazine on June 25th, 2001. Looking back then, I realize that they deserve public embarrassment. Gally won't ever get my support, period. Hell, I even WANTED Gally to lose their accreditation because then the deaf students would not have any choice but to attend local/state universities. Deaf culture do NOT, and should not, evolve around their lives, period.

Thanks, undecisive gurl, for warning me. I'm oral too as well.
 
SnAzZyStyLe2002 said:
Ha, and since the murders at Gally in 2000 ... It was in TIME magazine on June 25th, 2001. Looking back then, I realize that they deserve public embarrassment. Gally won't ever get my support, period. Hell, I even WANTED Gally to lose their accreditation because then the deaf students would not have any choice but to attend local/state universities. Deaf culture do NOT, and should not, evolve around their lives, period.

Thanks, undecisive gurl, for warning me. I'm oral too as well.
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There have been many murders at state and local colleges, as well.

Why would you wish for Gally to loose accreditation? It serves the needs of the students who choose to attend. Are you saying that those who choose a signing environment are not as entitled to education as those who don't?

If Gally doesn't suit your needs as an oral deaf individual, then that's fine. Don't go to Gally. But for you to demand that they change their environment for you is a bit over the top. Gally ha always been known as a signing environment. You know that when you walk on campus. It is up to you to adjust to that. If you don't want to, or can't for some reason, then it is best that you choose somewhere else.
 
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