Dealing with social situations and loud/noisy places

[nikaxnika]

I've been hard of hearing all my life and pretty much grew up in Deaf/hearing culture and have the best and worst of both worlds. I decided to go to a hearing school because Deaf schools don't have the major I want to major and and personally I didn't always fit in with Deaf people because I'm not "Deaf" enough (but i do have deaf friend) . I hang out with a lot of hearing people at my school which is great and all and I have great number of friends. But my friends love to go out during the weekends which I wish I could enjoy. Its when I go to off-campus parties, college parties (not the red-cup frat parties) with them, Its freakin' impossible for me to keep up a normal conversation. So i get really quiet and i'm not having fun. I want to enjoy theses parties, i want to talk to people and i'm pretty social too. Its just the noisy music and people talking in the background. When I catch a guy's approaches me and tries to talk to me I feel like an idiot that i might be saying the wrong thing. And this lowers my self-esteem. I don't want to be a hermit and isolate my self from the social world but i already feel isolated once i'm at a party. Idon't know what to do and what are the best way to approach this when i go to parties/places like these. what do you guys normally do? Any ideas?

 

[Serenitygirl]

Hi. I hope some more people respond to your question, because I think a lot of people can relate to your situation. First of all, let me say that I am not deaf, or hard of hearing. I don't want to come off as someone who " knows what it is like..... " I found this site because even though I can hear, I have a medical condition where I lose my voice ( for a week, or month at a time) if I talk too much, or too loud, or sing, so i started learning to sign. That is why I decided to respond to you. If I am at a " party" or outdoor sports event, it is too loud for me to communicate. I honestly tell people upfront, because most people do not know or understand, so I have to tell them. I say " I can't talk here. Can we move somewhere quieter to talk?" Of course, be safe about going somewhere too secluded with people you don't know we'll. I hope that helps. Tell your friends what you need, even the new friends you are trying to make. Be proud of who you are, and give them the chance to get to know what a wonderful person you are.