There is no easy answer here. No one can tell you how to motivate yourself.


What I can tell you is that you are right, university is achievable A hell of a lot more than university is achievable, in fact. Perhaps one of the easiest things you can do though is find some other contacts. Having someone else going through something similar, or someone else who has gone through something similar, is the best way to maintain mutual support. Or, find a way to interpret your vision loss in a positive light. If you can make it so that it's not a negative connotation, things will be a lot easier. For example, I found a particular area in life in which know one who is blind has ever achieved. That was a positive thing for me, as it gave me a challenge and something to strive towards. If you can find something similar you'll find you don't need to motivate yourself as much.

I've found sitting at home leads to sitting at home. Getting into the habit of leaving the house helps to motivate over time. Sitting and stewing isn't healthy for anyone; visual impairment or not.

Let me first reiterate what /u/Jsevrior said, they are totally right. There is no simple answer for how to get motivated, but having support definitely does help.

 

I'm 18, about to turn 19 in January and I am also heading off for my first semester of college this Fall. For me motivation comes easily because I have a very clear vision of what I want. I love working with and designing things so engineering is what I want to do. I've shifted around a couple of times but I have ultimately settled on a mechanical engineering major, and I hope to work in aerospace. Having that dream in my head has been super important in getting me through high school with good grades in upper level courses and I imagine it will be very important to getting through engineering school.

 

Think of what makes you excited, what you want to do with the rest of your life, and don't let that idea out of your head for a minute. You have to want this, more than anything. If what you are considering doing with your life doesn't make you excited every time you think about it then it might be time to think about what does. That's the way I personally get motivated.

 

The other thing is to keep positive. Having vision loss sucks, there isn't a super easy way around it, but it doesn't have to be debilitating or limit you or your potential. I try to keep it light, I encourage blind jokes among my friends because you can either feel depressed about it or laugh about it, I choose to do the latter. I also take a proactive approach to handling the challenges, I work with local organizations and agencies to make sure that I have the tools and training I need to stay competitive with my sighted peers. It all comes down to your approach, keep it positive, be competitive, and seek out what you need.

 

Having a support network helps a lot too. I have some awesome friends and family that have helped pick me up when I've been down. In addition this sub has been awesome for me personally. You can get advice and learn from people who have had to deal with some of the things you have to deal with already. In addition I know we have at least one other student here. If you need advice, or just someone to commiserate with there are plenty of people here to help you out, that's what makes reddit, and this sub in particular so great.

 

Best of luck though :) If you ever need to talk feel free to PM me since we are in a very similar situation.

My vision went from not great, but what I was use to and do-able, to blind/low vision/ legally blind/ visually impaired whatever you want to call it, but I was lucky or unlucky to have it happen in less than a minute. (CVI caused by brain damage).

I dealt with it but thinking it is what it is nothing is going to change that. Crying over it does me no good. Living is the only thing I can do no matter what is going to happen.

To add I want to also point out I am also 19, and while I need no more classes I still need to take my GED, SAT/ACT to go to college, which I plan to in the fall at the very least. I keep my head up by having goals. One is getting the things I need finished, another that once I get them finish I will be able to apply to guide dog schools, and talk to more to the one who has already said that once my living situation changes I can, hopefully get a class date.