I am visually impaired and it is an interesting question to ask. I also come from a low income household out in an area that lacks public transportation.

For me it has been rough. I have yet to be able to gain a job, but because of the pandemic, remote work is at least becoming more accessible. Rides have been my biggest issue.

So for me, transitioning into adulthood has been stressful, but I find there are far more understanding and accepting public support systems vs in grade school where people did not believe that I had low vision.

My personal transitioning to adulthood is rather not-so-interesting but you'll hear stories from all walks of life here, I think!

For me it was actually quite an easy transition. I was raised like I was a fully sighted individual. I learned the basic Independent Living skills at the appropriate ages. By 17 I was cooking meals occasionally for the entire family. I went to a mainstream school so after high school I went to college. Starting in a community college, followed by a four-year degree and finally my master's degree. My only downside was that there was no public transportation in my hometown. I did have a job from 18 until I was twenty-five at the same nursing home but my parents had to drive me to and from work or I had to get a ride with a co-worker. Once I finished my bachelor's degree I moved an hour and a half away to my current city where I then pursued my master's degree four years later. I am currently working and I own a home with my spouse. I did orientation and Mobility training before moving to my current city so that I could comfortably take the bus system. Due to the pandemic I started using Paratransit to make commuting a little bit safer. I love to cook and experiment with different dishes. So overall I've had a very nice transition into adulthood.

I lost half my vision as a teenager. So my transitioning to adulthood consisted of a lot of learning to navigate the real world without using a car, and running into poles.

Other than that, my transition to adulthood was the same as anyone else's.

For me it was the lack of public transit that really hurt. I lived in the country and had to get a ride to and from work in the city, also any time i wanted to hangout with any friends. I also had a hard time finding jobs since my vision limited me from doing several of them. Now I'm in university though and my only problem is not being able to read what's on the chalkboard 😂.

Totally blind here.

My parents are middle class and always in that bracket at one point more lower middle class but now more upper middle class.

When I turned 18, I went to school up north a ways in frisco I live in sunny southern california, so I went to school about 8 hours up north and stayed in the dorms.

I learnt on the job how to be independent and how to do everything.I had ideas and at home I was allowed to do limited things and had ideas and I am a careful observer or watcher.

Learning on the job and just being independent on the go was stressful, but fun but also exhilarating and I learnt a lot. It was an exciting time. I felt free and could do whatever I want and truly myself and could fly along.


I was stuck at school for a year or year and a half before I decided to go out and explore the city on my own. I had mobility and orientation training but specific routes to only certain places but they couldn’t show me around the city.


Despite being a brave kid and being known and recognize for it to the point of being on local media and being an examplar and doing some advocacy work because of this I couldn’t even get out to explore the city. I go out and explore all the time now. Though covid has made me hesitate again, for very obvious and different reasons. But I’ve now been to the eastern seaboard by myself and 6 different states and traveling alone with minimal help with days packed full of activity.

I walked around campus alone, went to the local store to buy groceries but that was it. So I decided one day well if I want to do it then I should. Am I going to stay stuck here. If I am upset about it I should do something. So I did.

I started to get out and explore it street by street and memorized the streets and created a mental map for myself. From that point on you couldn’t stop me from getting out and exploring, food hunting, trying different places, going out and traveling, etc….. you couldn’t stop me even if you wanted to.


I also had to learn to do my own acomodations, talk to the teachers and advocate for myself and to work with the disabilities office. It was again a challenge but I bumbled through my first year or two then figured it out.


Previously my parents did all the advocacy. Especially my father who fought the district for me.

The teachers would do a good job in doing all the talking to the teachers, getting my materials ready, and to the brailleist. Now it was suddenly and almost dauntingly oh yeah, my turn, it’s my responsibility.

I have really embraced it and advocate for myself and others and teach or try to help them to be more independent figure out acomodations and advocate. I enjoy it now and love all the responsibilities. I am an older student and have been in school for like 10+ years. And have to associate degrees. Getting a third one and hopefully being in the tech field.


I had to figure out what worked for me, how to do it, and made some mistakes which people were not happy about. Again on the job. It was really sink or swim but the entire experience was. And I swam and not to shabbily either.




Also figuring out stuff like how do I as a blind woman who’s pretty small and not that strong how to carry all my groceries back. How much do I buy at a time. My parents bought me a push type cart at one point, and I had to get use to how much do I buy to fit in here and how to transport it home.

It took a lot of problem solving and figuring out.


This may be less blind but I’ll throw in a bonus in here fun story. And a coming of age trying to figure it out struggle.

This is why at the beginning I mentioned I was middle class. I have always been comfortable and not too worried about money and finances. I couldn’t work and go to school it was too stressful and too much work. So I lived on ssi and at the time this meal plan at school.

My parents didn’t teach me how to deal with finances. I knew to be honest so if I didn’t have a penny I didn’t spend. I had to learn through the school of hard knocks to not spend all my money until the end of the month or to budget it out even if it’s just in my head. I almost but thank God I didn’t taste what it meant to be hungry for a few days. I had spent almost my last panny but fortunately I had my meal plan mo ney.