For the 2nd interview, a little break from Le Moyne is necessary. In fact, let’s look into someone that has barely even been to college. Someone who would give students a perspective that almost none of them have. But ironically, in order to branch out, I had to look only a few doors down from me. This person had a high school experience that was similar to most, but she decided to take a longer path than most to get to a higher education; and how her relationships with family and friends alike helped her make that decision. It was only reasonable that all of this and the fact her cousin is the current Onondaga County Executive (Ryan McMahon) were discussed. This is Alex Donadio, and this is her CNY Minute.
David: Why did your family end up moving to Haywood Road?
Alex: We only moved about 5 blocks away from my first house, only because our first house was too small. I remember I lived next door to my best friend, who was friends with me until we were 13, when a falling out occurred.
David: What do you like about your neighborhood?
Alex: I like that people know me and I know them. I drive around the neighborhood sometimes and wave to people I know.
David: And what do you not like about it?
Alex: The stop signs. There’s too damn many, and I only realized after my ex said he hated driving here.
David: What does being Autistic mean to you?
Alex: It means I have a unique way of thinking and it is an everyday part of my life. I was originally diagnosed with Aspbergers, but I don’t like the name. The guy who it was named after was a Nazi who experimented on Autistic people, so the name has bad connotations.
David: What are your personal advantages\disadvantages of being Autistic?
Alex: I sometimes need to slow down, speed up, or stop at any moment. In terms of advantages, my brain is very systematic, so I’m good at organization/math I guess. My room is very neat, but it doesn’t look like it because I have so much stuff, but trust me, there’s a system. When I got diagnosed, the things that should’ve changed really didn’t.
David: What was your education like? Did you like your graduating class?
Alex: It wasn’t terrible, but it was high school, so it was only okay. Though I only have about two friends left from my graduating class. I was also not given an IEP at all throughout my time there, even though I was having breakdowns on the regular.
David: Why did you decide not to go to college?
Alex: I took one English class at OCC and it was absolutely mind-numbing. Maybe in the fall I’ll take math or science, which tend to keep me a little interested.
David: Would you ever consider going to college and if so, where?
Alex: Yes, and I would probably start at OCC, because I don’t plan on paying for tuition. There’s always student loans, but they really scare me. My mom just paid her off last year! When it comes to majors, I think I would want to do something with animals or psychology.
David: What is your homelife like?
Alex: My parents both work during the week. My dad does general manual labor for Erie Materials, and my Mom is a nurse practitioner at Nascentia. I also have a sister named Olivia who’s 13 months younger than me, and 2 dogs, Stella who’s 10, and Bear who’s 4. All 4 of us work and Liv goes to OCC, so sometimes none of us are home. It’s overall pretty good, so there are no real big issues.
David: What is your relationship like with the McMahon Family?
Alex: I’m not close with Ryan anymore, because he and his wife got divorced. Besides him, we’re really close, especially with their daughter Maddie. She’s like a little sister to me, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
David: What is your music taste/taste in media in general?
Alex: Pop and rock mostly, but I do like some hip-hop too. One Direction was always one of my favorites. I also like 80’s and 90’s music. I watch a lot of Grey’s Anatomy, more for the entertainment value than the quality, but it definitely takes up space in my brain. I don’t watch very many movies, but I have re-watched a lot of them from my childhood, like Matilda and Tarzan.
It seems on the surface that college is a step taken immediately following the end of high school, as if it’s more of a continuation rather than a next step. But for Alex, time is needed in order to fully prepare herself for a future that is still yet to be fully unfurled. It is an attitude that most outgoing seniors don’t have, mostly because their support systems tell them that it’s not the way to go about things. She was lucky enough to have one that not only allowed her to make that choice, but respected her for doing so, which is something that not many can confidently say.
If you want to be interviewed for Central New York Minute, please email either Le Moyne Dolphin or David Kleberg for further info.
