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[loud scary scream]
[Alfred Hitchcock music...]
Is it snakes?
Spiders?
Or other creepy crawlers?
Or maybe it's a vicious dog?
Scary clown?
Or that unexpected bump in the water?
Everyone has something that they fear.
Hi! Welcome to the North Carolina Rehabilitation Center for the Blind.
My name is Randy, and I'm a student here.
And I created this presentation for you,
hoping it will help you deal with
some of your anxiety about being here.
When I came here I was very anxious.
I had never been away from home for more than a week at a time.
And I learned that I would be here for up to 15 weeks.
I knew no one, had no transportation,
and couldn't get home if I wanted to.
I want you to know that you are not alone in you apprehension.
The first step in conquering fear
is to understand what is bothering you
to learn exactly what it is you're afraid of
and then you can begin to analyze it and figure out the best way to deal with it.
It took almost two weeks for me to realize
that I was in a safe environment
and no one here had my destruction on their agenda.
As I adjusted to my schedule
I made a great discovery.
The staff here genuinely cared about me
and was trying their best to teach me the things I would need to know
to live without sight.
They were kind, patient,
and would do whatever it took so that I could learn
and perform the tasks
to help me live as independently as possible.
Once that sank in I became much more receptive
and began to take advantage
of the wealth of information and techniques available here.
I encourage you to do the same.
The sooner you realize what is happening here
the quicker you can begin to utilize
all that is available for you.
You will come to realize that you are not
the only person to ever be in this situation.
It helps to surround yourself with others
who have similar problems and goals.
You will not only learn from your instructors
but you will learn an immense amount
from your fellow students.
My advise to you is to leave your anxiety
and self-destructive behavior at the door.
You will make friends and memories here you will never forget,
so enjoy the time you spend here,
and glean all you possibly can from the program.
Oh, and one last thing.
Don't be afraid to pay it forward.
Help those who are not as far along the path as you are.
I hope this will help you,
and I wish you the best as you progress.
Stay focused, and keep reaching for your dreams.