"Because of my autism I can get overstimulated very quickly." - Sterre

My name is Sterre, 13 years old. I was diagnosed with ASD when I was 10. I would describe myself as humorous (especially sarcasm), sweet, creative, modest, sometimes sensitive and curious.

I never understood why many children my age can be so insecure about their appearance or lives. I accept myself and others namely for who they are and I do get bothered if people don’t respect others.

I love to draw (tablet), paint, hiphop, my cats and can give you all the information about Marvel in no time. I also like to dye my hair a lot; and differently every time.

Because of my autism I can get overstimulated very quickly. People think that this comes from doing too much. For me this is not always how this happens. Overstimulation is like getting a headache which appears after being exposed to light, lots of sounds, new situations, etc. It really feels like being ill. For me it helps to be alone, without interruptions of other people. I usually watch a series. It also can be helpfull to know what my day will be like. Rest makes my head less likely to fill up.

My autism also causes, that in contact, I copy the person who is facing me. This means for example, that my answers are based on what I know from the person who is with me. Therefor you don’t always see who I am and what I want. This is something I am still working on.

I am very proud at: At primary school I got adviced to go to intermediate secondary school. Now I am in the second class and I can level up to higher pre-university education. My guess is that this is possible because at this school they are more in tune with how I learn. I get more time and am seen for who I am. This level is superconvenient for my possible endgoal: becoming a forensic pathologist. I have a special interest for horror since I was very young..

My tip for autistic people is, to still keep doing nice things and besides that, making sure that you can take enough time to rest and learn to stand up for yourself. To get to know yourself really well and to set your boundaries in advance.

My bonustip: for me it works really well to have something with me where I can fidget with. This helps me keep my focus. Like a bracelet, a fidget toy or something else what feels comforting for you.