Caroline Kneeley, 2021

Caroline Kneeley (she/her), talks with Rebecca Sime Nagasawa via Zoom from New York about her journey with concussions, strabismus, and struggles with reading. This ultimately brought her to CARDS in her sophomore year, where she received reading accommodations, such as CAPTI and Bookshare. She describes her personal changes since sophomore year, in particular that she is no longer as “timid” and is able to stand up for herself with professors regarding her accommodations and needs. She also describes her transition from pre-med and EMS to studying history, and her forthcoming plans to teach English in Italy. She also mentions that self-love is important for incoming students, and reflects on the transition from being an “exceptional” student in high school to an “average” student at Barnard. Caroline also remembers needing to “buy out” of norms and expectations about how much time she should spend studying and working in consideration for the time spent managing her health and wellness. Rebecca then discusses “disability management” in the context of an elite school where one is expected to “burn the candle at both ends.”