"Sarcasm is my least favourite form of humour". - Iris

Hello, my name is Iris, I am 26 years old and I live in Wageningen, where I also study.
I am currently in the final phase of my master's degree at Wageningen University & Research and writing my thesis, in the field of health and society. I also enjoy playing sports, violin and hanging out with friends.
Lately, I have been feeling good about life. I get a lot of pleasure and satisfaction from my studies and I enjoy living with my housemates. 

Due to my autism, I need clarity and structure. As a result, I am good at planning, but also at working accurately and having an eye for detail. Furthermore, I take a lot of information literally and sarcasm is my least favourite form of humour. Others will characterise me as open, honest and direct. This is definitely true, as I like to share a lot with people and I dislike it when people have different intentions than they initially show. People who do not know me very well will describe me as serious, because I can come across as being reserved if I am not completely at ease. When I am at ease, I am cheerful and spontaneous.

What I am proud of is that, despite my late diagnosis, I took the time to get to know myself better by going through therapy. As a result, I have learned a lot and that has also allowed me to develop into the person I am today.
My tip for people with autism: I actually want to emphasise to everyone that it is important to (learn to) listen to yourself. For instance, know what you like and what energises you, but also what depletes your energy, so that you can make conscious choices about that. There is no right or wrong and do not compare yourself to others, as long as you are satisfied and can act according to what is comfortable for you, it is good.