Send this message to the e-community of protégés and mentors.
Subject: Taking risks
Taking risks requires that we accept the fact that we might fail. However, as stated by one student who is blind, "Life is nothing without risk. Risks can help a person be successful in the long run." In an electronic discussion, individuals with disabilities shared their risk-taking experiences.
- One risk I took when I was younger involved driving my wheelchair down a steep hill. It was crazy, but I was a daredevil at the time. Well, it cost me a scratch on my cheek, but it was fun until I reached the bottom. I think it's okay to take a risk as long as it doesn't risk other peoples lives. (high school student with a mobility impairment)
- This summer I took one of the biggest risks in my life. I was given the opportunity to attend two educational camps, a computer camp and a camp to learn about government. I was afraid to attend the camps because they were geared for nondisabled students. The computer camp was the biggest concern because of getting accessible books and computers. The risk paid off. I learned a lot from both camps and made friends to boot! (college student who is blind)
- A very big risk that I took was my work at a museum. I have very poor people skills. It's obvious to whomever comes in contact with me. I am also wobbly mentally and physically—mentally in that I am unsure of myself and physically in that I can topple at any moment. I had to face the risks of dealing with people and tripping on something and ruining a fragile exhibit every day. The initial job was for class credit. I took the added risk of extending my job over the summer. That added the worry of transportation. I am happy to say that despite these risks I did the job and I did it well. I gained friends, experience, and something to put on a resume. (college student with mobility and health impairments)
- I keep going when people tell me I can't. I am not afraid to try things and I don't give up. My parents took me everywhere and I did everything like a normal kid. I have a good friend from kindergarten who is able bodied and she knows me so well that we do all sorts of stuff that people might not think I could do, but we come up with a flexible plan and we do it. (high school student with mobility and speech impairments)
Describe an experience where you took a risk to achieve something you wanted. What was the outcome? What did you learn from the experience?