Phyxius,

If you had MENSA qualifications in the past, you have a great background to work with. The likely biggest change you are trying to understand is due to that intelligence. Most MENSA types have that skill due to extraordinary memory functions. With those memory functions, they develop outstanding processing skills. Those processing skills are not necessarily gone, just different. Also, MENSA types often develop lousy study skills because they need so little study time.

I crashed hard in college. I hardly had to crack a book in high school, except for my sophomore year when I decomped. By the time I was in college and taking honors courses, I was ilequipped to study . My math and technology/hard science courses were a breeze. My courses that required study were miserable. I decomped in second semester and almost failed.

My suggestion to you is to slow down. Get help from your Disabilites Department. Tutors, extra test time, quiet study areas, etc will be very helpful and should be made available by your Disability Department. Your Disabilities Department needs to understand that your wheelchair is just your obvious disability. You need to tell them about your brain injury disabilities. Remember, our brain injuries are often invisible to others.

I would highly suggest writing up a one page explanation of your cognitive/memory struggles and possible accommodations that can be provided. Keep a few copies of this page in with your daily school papers. People will understand you better if your comments are in writing. Verbal requests do not get favorable responses as often. Hand them this page and ask them to read the whole page before they give you a response.

You might want to memorize a line like this: "I need you to read this so you can understand how to help me." If this line is memorized, it can be said without anguish in your voice. And, remember that it will take longer to memorize so take your time.

A standard four year plan may be too much for you, especially early on. Once you learn some work-arounds and accommodations and get the Disability Department assistance you need, you may be able to pick up the pace. Many have gone on to academic success, even if it just took a bit longer.

Don't let others try to force a square peg into a round hole. You are different now. In time, you will likely notice new skills that were not available to you as a MENSA type. Value these new skills, even if they are just an ability to sit and observe others as they scurry about like hampsters on a hampster wheel.