Juggling June

Join our Project Coordinator, Chris Nusbaum, and our Director, Carlton Walker, as we dive into the “soft skills” we need in order to avoid a HARD landing!

• June 4: Prioritization
• June 11: Task Time Budgeting
• June 18: Managing Calendars
• June 25: Travel Time Budgeting

In this final installment, Bridges Project Coordinator Chris Nusbaum shares some strategies from his personal experience to help you use your time most efficiently while getting where you need to go. Note: Since most of these strategies were learned from firsthand experience, he has chosen to write in the first person.

Keeping It Real

Let me tell you a story. When I was in college, I applied to join a professional fraternity. I really wanted to be in it; many of my friends were members, there were numerous networking opportunities, and their events seemed like a lot of fun. I had an interview with their selection committee early on a Saturday morning in a building where I had been many times before. Despite that, I was running behind that morning and didn’t budget my time accordingly. So, I got there about 2 minutes late. Though I profusely apologized, I figured I knew the people, so it wouldn’t be a big deal. Later that day, I was told I wasn’t accepted. I was devastated.

Later I learned that the decision not to accept me was somewhat controversial, and those who voted against my acceptance did so in part because of my lateness to the interview. They felt that a professional organization could only accept members who would take it seriously enough to stay punctual. At first, I was bitter—how could they reject me over such a small matter? But over time I have realized they were right. By being late, I made a negative first impression (no matter how well I did in the interview itself), and I couldn’t expect them to make an exception to their punctuality policy because of my blindness when they knew as well as I did that blindness had nothing to do with it.

I tell this story for two reasons: first, to admit that timeliness is not my strength, and second, to illustrate the importance that employers, college professors, volunteer organizations and others place on timeliness. I’ve learned many of the strategies listed below the “hard way” over time, though I have benefitted from the experiences of other blind and low-vision friends who have shared their experiences and strategies with me.

Prepare for Success

Walk It In Advance

Some college students ask their orientation & mobility (O&M) teachers to come to their campuses before the semester starts to work with them on the routes to their classes. I didn’t have that benefit, but I did have friends who were willing to walk around with me. I found it very helpful to walk around with someone who knew the campus better than I did at a time when it wasn’t busy. As I walked from building to building, I could clock (either in my head or on my phone) roughly how long it would take to get to each. The same idea works well when moving into a new area. If you prefer or don’t know a person who would be willing to do this with you, you could use a virtual service like Aira or Be My Eyes. However, my preference is someone who already knows the area and can provide information from firsthand experience.

Allow for Some “Getting Lost” Time

This is especially important when we’re new to an area, whether a neighborhood, a college campus or an office. Over time the amount of “getting lost time” we’ll need to budget will lessen, but, in the beginning, it’s always a good idea to schedule a little extra time in case we get twisted around and need to problem solve or ask for help getting back on track.

Top Tips

Prioritize Efficiency

When we plan our travel and decide how much time we’ll need to take into account, it’s always helpful to be aware of the options available to us, our personal characteristics, and the most efficient way to do what we need to do in the time we have to do it. Here’s an example: During my sophomore year of college, I had the dreaded combination—an 8 AM class on the opposite side of campus from my dorm. Fortunately, I learned early in the semester that a college staff member whose office was in the building next door was in the same class. So, we decided to walk to class together. All was right with the world until she texted me one morning to tell me she was sick and not going to class. At that point I realized I made another mistake: I didn’t remember where the class was. Oops! So, while I still think traveling with a friend or colleague can be time-saving and fun if it works for both people, I also think it’s important for us to know how to get to our destinations anyway in case our travel buddy isn’t available. That way, we’re on time no matter what.

Leave Time for Elevators

I always forgot this one in college, and I still sometimes forget it at conferences. I may know how long it takes to walk from point A to point B, but a long time can be added to that if I’m waiting for a slow or crowded elevator. For example, it was about a 5-minute walk from my dorm to the chapel, where our choir rehearsals were held. But rehearsal started at 5 PM, so the elevator (which was already slow) was busy with people going to dinner. So, by the time I waited for the elevator or eventually gave up and took the stairs, then got around the dinner crowd and made it to the chapel, I was late. Eventually, I learned that I would be late if I didn’t leave by 4:50 at the latest.

The Transportation Buffer

Finally, I’ve learned that, no matter what form of transportation I take, it’s always a good idea to schedule it a little early. This gives both myself and the transportation service a “buffer” in the event of a driver becoming unavailable or us having trouble finding each other. This is especially true for Lyft and Uber in areas or at times when there may not be a lot of drivers around. I might end up at my destination earlier than expected, but that’s a good problem to have.

We hope these strategies are useful to all our readers in your daily travels. As you can tell, they come from lessons learned. If you need more resources or want to strategize about your own situations, contact our free Bridges Helpdesk!

Please check out the Bridges Technical Assistance Center Resource Library today!

Contact us

Follow the Bridges Helpdesk Facebook page for more transition tips, and please contact the Bridges Technical Assistance Center’s Free Helpdesk for Maryland Blind/Low Vision Transition Students, Families, and Educators anytime using:

• Our Accessible web form
• Email: Helpdesk@IMAGEmd.org
• Text or Leave a Voice mail message: (410) 357-1546
• Bridges Helpdesk Facebook page or Facebook Messenger

This unique project is being coordinated through The IMAGE Center of Maryland, a center for independent living in Towson, and it is funded by a grant from the Maryland Department of Education Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services.

Bridges Technical Assistance Center Resource Library: https://imagemd.org/services/bridges-technical-assistance-center/bridges-resource-library/