Living in the Residence Hall

I keep coming back to the human aggregate, as it applies to such a crucial environment in the first year, the residence hall.  Some institutions have deaf living-learning communities, both BG and OSU do not offer that condition.  In my previous post, I’d talked about how technology can help to bridge and begin communication between Lindsay and her roommates or floor-mates.  I think this would be essential so that they can have that honest conversation about maybe what Lindsay needs, in terms of communication or studying, etc.  I would hope that whoever is Lindsay’s roommate would be open to making these adjustments and being open to that.

I was very frustrated looking through Ohio State’s website for both Office of Disability Services and Housing because there was nothing about housing accommodations.  As a deaf student going to a very, very, large institution, I would be nervous not knowing any accommodations could be made for my disability, etc.  I’m sure that if Lindsay emailed the office, or had her family call to discuss her options, they would be personable and helpful, but for someone as text-based as Lindsay, I’m sure the hope would have been to be able to find these things online.

So, it looks like, Lindsay will be in a residence hall, with a random assignment, and probably a hearing student, with a floor and community of hearing students.  She may feel out of place, if all the other students connect with each other and form and automatic community without her.  Though Lindsay has been with hearing populations her whole life, she may now find that she will be pushed to the Deaf Community, which is interesting.  While she may feel sad about it at first, I think that this is actually good for because it will really force her to acknowledge and develop her identity as a deaf (and now potentially Deaf) woman.  And in the end, of all the places, Ohio State is located in an urban area that has a significant Deaf Community.  This is the place for her to explore.