Maria 'Maria' McRobb-Roldan

I have realised, after my first year of being at Southampton University, it that it is not as accessible as it seems. After having to spend nearly 2 months on crutches and suffer from chronic knee pain, finding accessible entrances, locating lifts and getting to a lecture on time can be near impossible. Then when asking for help locating elevators, staff can be just as clueless as you. That is not okay.

Accessible entrances are often round the back, not well sign posted and can mean simply getting where you need to be becomes ridiculously complicated. That is not okay. 

Then when you ask for help, it can be weeks till you can speak to someone from the disability team. Speaking out, saying that your struggling, you get told just to suspend your studies, instead of first trying to find a solution. That is not okay. 

Having a hidden disability myself, I understand the struggle it can be trying to study at a university that prides being disability friendly, but when it comes down to it, the reality is much different. Having lectures question why I'm taking the elevator, when I seem, at first glance to be perfectly capable of taking the stairs. I want to bring in more training for lectures and for students if you wish, as well as clear signs for lifts and accessible entrances. I want to work on cutting down the wait time to speak to the disability team so when there is a problem, you can get help when you need it from people who do not just make assumptions.