Career aspi(e)rations...

I come here for help on this because it's the only place I feel I can be truthful and not get told to get over myself (please don't let me down).

I want to do something in conservation but I don't really know where to go with it as I don't have a degree, a car or much money. I love the outdoors and I'm also fantastic at researching and organisation, I can also be good with people sometimes depending on the setting. For example I'm not good with hanging out in a pub or a similar "normal" social setting but I'm great at teaching strangers about nature and animals.

I've attempted uni twice but I really can't deal with the whole student thing (students and their social expectation terrify me). I know I also struggle with working with certain types of people e.g. I had two really low-paid jobs this winter and held one for 2 days and the other for 3. One had a boss that told me to do things that as an aspie I couldn't do and the other I was working with bin men who kept saying some pretty awful stuff and although it wasn't said with maliciousness, I still struggled with.

I'm currently living in London and really like the people I live with but can't handle living in London (again, it's the people but the ones outside my house). I plan to move back in with my parents in September but I'm gonna be pretty lonely and not sure what kind of jobs I can get with what kind of people and whether I'll be able to handle those people. I think if I manage something in conservation though hopefully I'll be able to manage the people since I worked in a zoo when I was younger and managed that. 

Basically I have a number of issues with being around people that stem from three main things:

1) The fact that I'm socially awkward and autistic.

2) The fact that I'm *** and used to *** friendly environments so can't handle much cis-het macho bulls**t (low-key homophobia, sexism and transphobia).

3) The fact that I've gotten used to being a squatter and so find it hard not to judge people that are well off and live in a very hierarchical structure and society and linking back to the autism I don't handle being bossed around very well.

I'm not sure if there's any solution to any of this but I'm super frigging lost. Anyone any advice on any aspie friendly conservation jobs?

Parents
  • I hope you manage to get some leads in Kent or elsewhere to get you started in conservation and you have better experiences with people.

    You can launch out in this and maybe later return to university as a mature student when you are above the undergraduate culture and expectations so you don't feel peer pressure to join in and you will either naturally find your intellectual level of people there or be left in peace to do your studies and to your own devices. Maybe all you need is a college course.

Reply
  • I hope you manage to get some leads in Kent or elsewhere to get you started in conservation and you have better experiences with people.

    You can launch out in this and maybe later return to university as a mature student when you are above the undergraduate culture and expectations so you don't feel peer pressure to join in and you will either naturally find your intellectual level of people there or be left in peace to do your studies and to your own devices. Maybe all you need is a college course.

Children