Experiencing Life from a Unique Perspective Anonymous

Bound by the limits of my hearing impairment, it took me three years to realize the clocks at school actually make a noise. As Mrs. Neilson lectures, pressured by the deadline of the AP test, she leaves little room for pauses. Intrigued by every word, I want to take the time to process and analyze, but I must keep going so as not to miss the next point. The movements of my hand have reached a level of unconsciousness as I attempt to record the oration verbatim, though it is impossible when simultaneously forced to visually trace the lip movements of the teacher. The bell rings and I am released from my intense concentration. The remainder of the day brings similar situations.

Fact: My school day is mentally twice as long, due to devoting all my energy towards listening, processing what I hear, retrieving missed information, learning, and then completing my assignments. More often than not my toils are concealed, as I have become exceptionally skilled in compensating for my hearing loss. Up until this point in my life, I have maintained a mindset that having a hearing disability was irrelevant; I was equal to those around me.

Fact: I am different. As I approach the end of my high school journey, I now realize I am not like my...