Accessible Date

Ashlynn Toney

March 19, 2013

Human Services 3300

Ms. Overstreet          

Accessible Date

            My date for the accessible date assignment is in a wheel chair because he is paralyzed from the waist down. We decided to go grab an early dinner, play a game of putt-putt, and then head back to my apartment so we can have a quiet place to talk. For dinner we went to Chick Fil A in order to be quick and cheap. There were not too many problems here because they have many different seating options for those who are in wheelchairs and they were not very crowded. We were very grateful that Chick Fil A allowed for great accessibility so that my date could move around easily without messing up anything. In other words, Chick Fil A had great adaptability because the workers offered their help if we needed anything changed.

            After eating, we headed over to the Monster Golf place by Barrett Parkway. Once we paid and began to play, we realized that their music was playing really loudly making sociality a little more difficult because it was harder to hear. There were other people there playing whom we were trying to talk to, but that ended up not working. The music also made it harder for us to talk to each other, which is why we planned to go back to my apartment for a quiet place. On the other hand, the music put together with the black lights and glowing and moving objects helped both our sensory stimulation. We could be mesmerized by all the colors and interesting objects. The surroundings were also great for taking pictures.  

            A couple of downfalls to the Monster Golf location were the crowding and accessibility. They were very busy which made the golfing greens very crowded with people. It quickly became a little uncomfortable and even stuffy. The wheelchair accessibility through the each of the holes was already low, but adding in several other groups of people made it even worse. My date struggled to get around some of the corners and decorations. Since the decorations and objects were planted to the ground, there was little adaptability that could help my date to have better accessibility. Overall, the Monster Golf was not a great experience because we could not change anything to better accommodate my date.

            After leaving Monster Golf, we drove back to my apartment on campus. Once we got there, I realized that we were going to have problems getting the wheelchair to my room because I live on the third level. There are no elevators in thee building to make access easier. So once again, we are faced with an accessibility issue. With the help of some of the boys who live next door, we pushed my date and the wheelchair up the stairs and to my room. I really wanted to spend time together in my apartment because it is a place that has meaning to me. It is decorated to my taste and personality, which will also help my date to get to know me better. My apartment also gives me control because it is my own environment where I live and decide how it will be changed. Since the environment is mine, I was able to adapt it in order to better accommodate my date’s disabilities. Of course, the major reason we wanted to come back to my apartment was the privacy aspect. Finally, we were completely alone where we could say or do anything we wanted with out worrying about what others would think. We were able to really get to know each other’s personalities through these private conversations.