September 10, 1993 

Well – here I am in lovely [historical city for college]. And once again I’ve fooled myself. 

Kalpita Pathak
Age 18

Ah, the autistic friendship cycle. This one didn’t take long to get to the bad place: less than three weeks after my freshman year began. There is a reason why my best and longest friendships have been with characters from my favorite books, tv shows, and movies. And my dogs.

Not Another Autistic Advocate well-describes the painful, confusing, and lonely cycle of friendships many autistic people experience.