High School as an Undiagnosed Autistic Teen
I'm autistic (shocker) and I go to a public school; I have my whole life, and I've been in the same district my entire life.
I haven't been able to get an official ASD diagnosis even though I'm about as sure as anyone can be that I do have it. Of course, I don't base that off of random things I pull out of thin air. I've done years of research and consulted others with ASD, and every time, my peers and I come to the same conclusion--that I am autistic.
I have been officially diagnosed with ADHD and various other issues. My ADHD affects me to the point where it classifies as a learning disability. I also have severe anxiety that impairs me socially. Due to that, I am in special education, and I have been for a long time.
Even though I am in special education, I mostly go to regular classes. The only real special education classes I'm in are algebra and study skills (study skills is essentially a homeroom period to get caught up on work and such). There is a special education teacher who co-teaches my English class, but the class itself isn't special education.
Although it's extremely difficult, I manage. I'm passing every class but algebra (my father's side of the family has a math curse. Every single one of us has barely passed any kind of math class).
Because I'm disabled, I need extra breaks. They're very helpful for me. Since I have ADHD, taking breaks to reset myself is needed. However, this means I work at a different rate than my peers, especially in my normal, non-special education classes. I often feel overwhelmed, because it always seems like everyone is either ahead of me or very far behind me.
Middle school was the worst period of my life. Hospitalization, fall-outs with friends, almost not graduating, so on and so forth. I really, really hope high school will be different. I'm only a freshman right now, so I suppose only time will tell.