When I found out that I am autistic, a lot of puzzle pieces suddenly fell into place. Looking back, I could suddenly see all the different special interests I had developed over the years.

Dolphins

As a young child in primary school, I was obsessed with dolphins. I would even voluntarily make school projects about different dolphins. I also chose to give my presentation on my own so I could talk about dolphins. I had dolphin stuffed animals and encyclopedias.I can still tell you a lot of facts about dolphins, and I do so with great pleasure.

Anime

As a teenager, I developed different kinds of interests. That’s when I discovered anime. I didn’t watch anything other than anime anymore. The pacing of the series was ideal for me. I also thought it was really cool how good Japanese voice actors are. They can convey the emotions of the characters so much better. I even started collecting manga. This was also an interest I could share with a good friend of mine. It brought me a lot of happiness at that time.

Music

A few years later, I developed a special interest in music. Music has always played an important role in my life. I danced for 17 years in different styles. Music has always been a great outlet for me. I was very interested in the history of music: from vinyl records to MP3 players, and when different genres emerged and what they meant culturally for the world.There was a long period during my teenage years when I didn’t feel at home anywhere. I felt different. I often said the wrong things and couldn’t find any overlapping interests with other people. Then I discovered punk. The music immediately grabbed me, especially the message behind it. Eventually, this grew into a love for alternative music, from indie to metalcore. When I went to my first metal concert, I finally found a community where I felt at home. The funniest thing is that everyone looks really intimidating. But they’re all shy and incredibly sweet people.

When I started studying nursing, I developed an interest in human behaviour. I find it fascinating how people behave, partly because I often don’t understand it. But that’s a story for another time.

What are your special interests? I’d love to hear about them. Let me know and tell me all about them.

Lots of love,

Marissa