The summer school holidays can be frustrating to navigate when you’re a deaf teenager in a hearing world. It’s a time for festivity and closeness, but it’s also a time when there are a lot of opportunities to be social. Eeek! With so many people to deal with it can be exhausting trying to keep up with conversation, lip reading and trying to be understood. Here are a few tips for navigating social situations during the holidays.
1. Stay Connected With Your Friends
An easy way to keep up to date on social plans is to use an app like Houseparty, WhatsApp, Snapchat, or some type of chat group message. Planning social events through text makes it a lot easier for you to catch up, and you can let your fingers (not your hearing) do all the work!
Suggest activities that you’re comfortable with – it might be online gaming, or a hike or bush walking. Don’t hold back in putting forward ideas of what you and friends can do together that isn’t so taxing on you.
Planning social events through text makes it a lot easier for you to catch up, and you can let your fingers (not your hearing) do all the work!
2. Have a Go-To Spiel for Standard Questions
People of all ages can have blind spots, and may ask you inappropriate questions about your hearing loss. Be ready!
People might ask you things about your hearing loss, or what your plans are for next year, or kick off with general chit-chat conversation starters. A quick way to deal with this is to prepare a short, go-to spiel before you meet up. From there, you can be in control of the conversation and move the topic to something you’re more comfortable with.
This is especially important if you don’t speak freely about your hearing challenges. People of all ages can have blind spots, and may ask you inappropriate questions about your hearing loss. Be ready!
A quick way to deal with this is to prepare a short, go-to spiel before you meet up.
3. Schedule Some Time for Self Care
The holiday break can be exhausting. If you already find social interactions a little tiring, it’s likely that you’re going to need more rest time. Schedule it in and work within your limits. You don’t have to keep up with everything, and your friends and family will understand when you need a little recharge time.
Schedule time for self-care and work within your limits.
4. Connect With Other Deaf Teens
Do you know many deaf teens? There is a lot to gain from having a social circle where you’re surrounded by others who have been through similar experiences. You’ll can share experiences, vent and learn new strategies for dealing with everyday challenges you face as a deaf teen.
Our mentors have the benefit of having been there, done that. If you would like to meet other deaf or hard of hearing teens and join some of the fun activities we offer (filmmaking, t-shirt design, rock climbing) then check out our programs and workshops.
Our mentors have the benefit of having been there, done that. There’s a lot to gain from having a social circle where you’re surrounded by others who have been through similar experiences.