Starting in the Fall semester of 2024, I have been a wheelchair user—specifically, a battery-powered wheelchair user. I deal with a rare medical condition known as Mitochondrial Cytopathy, which causes chronic energy problems, muscle weakness, and neuropathy. You may have seen me around campus before. If you’ve seen a random woman wearing all black in an orange powerchair, that was me. Anyway, I thought it’d be beneficial to use my membership within the NCSU Chapter of Her Campus to share my story of how our school’s accessibility for those who use wheelchairs or powerchairs is inadequate, especially now that this semester has come to an end.
For starters, Spin scooters. I hate them so much, and I’m not the only mobility user that does. I once had to grab one and carry it out of the way as it blared its alarm in my ear because someone parked it in the middle of an accessibility ramp to my dorm. I’ve had to knock them over so I can cross the road and prevent them from hitting me. I get it, they’re convenient and affordable ways to travel across campus swiftly, but please be mindful of where you parked them for our sake.
Another factor is the bricks all over campus, they’re not exactly known to be maintained that well. Throughout my basic routes, there’s a lot of uneven pavement, missing bricks, and loose bricks. A handful of times I’ve almost fallen out of my chair from uneven bricks at NC State. On top of it all, the doors with accessible entry don’t always work. You hit the button for the door to open and it’s not always guaranteed to work. I’ve only been in a powerchair for four months and I’ve had this happen three separate times already on campus, including my residence hall.
It is without a doubt that NCSU should maintain its walkways better on campus, not just for disabled students but for all of us. It is easy to trip on campus whether you use a mobility aid or not. Any concerns you have about accessibility can be sent to the school’s Disability Resources Office. But be sure to tread lightly, as it can take a lot to get what you need and deserve from them. You can read stories of some students dealing with the DRO office on the NCSU Reddit Forum, specifically the post from a user that goes by mad_skyentist who asks students about their experiences.
There is also an advocacy group on campus known as Pack disAbility Advocacy Club you can join that promotes self-advocacy. It also supports inclusion and provides a supportive community for disabled students. They can also help with handling the disability resources office on campus if necessary.
You can follow my journey as a wheelchair user at North Carolina State University under my Instagram account named @Cutie_In_A_Wheelie. There you can see the places and events I can go to thanks to my powerchair as someone with a physical disability. If you ever see me on campus feel free to say hi!