Rupy Kaur
Rupy Kaur is a third year psychology student at the University of Manchester.
Getting to university was hard. It wasn’t academically – I guess I’m lucky but I got three As in my A-levels and got onto my course quite easily.
The hardest part was getting the support in place and up and running for me at university.
I’m 20 and I have cerebral palsy (CP). CP is a physical impairment, which means I use a wheelchair. I have 24 hour care to help me with personal care tasks and this was all set up for me at home. When I wanted to go to university, social services gave me a really hard time.
I applied for a scheme called Direct Payments – this means that I can manage my own care, recruit my own personal assistants (PAs) and not be reliant on social services’ staff members looking after me. I can choose people I’m comfortable with (for example, I prefer women carers) and it’s a scheme that has empowered lots of disabled people in the UK to manage their own situation their way.
But social services made things very difficult for me. My social worker didn’t approve of me going to university – even though I got good grades and was really enthusiastic. She wanted me to stay at home and do a Learn Direct course or something from the Open University.
Encouraged
If I wasn’t disabled, there’s no way that I would have been expected to do this type of course – I would have been encouraged into university. They asked me all sorts of difficult and intrusive questions – ‘How many times do you go to the toilet a day? How long do you spend on the toilet whilst you’re there?’
Eventually, after my sister got involved and I wrote to my MP, social services caved in and I got the support I needed. But it was a big fight and I know lots of disabled people are put off at this first hurdle.
I love studying psychology. In particular I like perceptual control theory – it’s basically about how humans interact with their environment due to their pre-existing perceptions. I’m not sure what I want to do when I finish my course but I’d quite like to teach 14-19 year olds – maybe GSCEs or A-levels.
I get up at about 8.30 am every morning. If I’ve got a really good PA who is quicker, I can have a longer lie in – but it depends! Usually it takes about an hour to get dressed, have a shower, do my hair and stuff.
Independent
As I’m now in my third year, I do quite a lot of independent study now, but I do still have lectures two days a week. When I’m in lectures, I share a note taker with some other students and have some equipment that helps – dictaphones, computers and stuff.
I’m also in the library quite a bit writing my dissertation. It’s on dyslexia and anxiety – is there any evidence that they are linked? I’m enjoying writing it but it gets a bit boring at times.
My PAs come everywhere with me – although I sometimes I leave them to do other things whilst I’m getting on with my study.
After my studying is over for the day, I usually eat at home. My PA will cook – and I especially like the ones that can cook well! I eat typical student food, supernoodles and jacket potatoes!
In the pub
I like going out and socialising in the evenings. I’m often to be found in the pub with my mates – sometimes the ‘studenty’ pubs but sometimes in town.
I like going out round Canal Street in Manchester, but not many of the bars have wheelchair access. I like clubbing too – but that can be really difficult. My mates feel guilty sometimes cause they want to go to a club that they know is inaccessible.
I’ve been single since I’ve been at university – I’ve no time for relationships at the moment. I like being with my mates. That's not to say I'm not interested - maybe the right man will come along soon!
Going to bed takes anything from 20 minutes to an hour – dependent on my PA and how much time I’ve spent in the pub that night!
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