Welcome to Osgoode!
My name is Ali, and I run a club called the Disability Collective of Osgoode (DCO). The DCO is a platform used both to build community amongst Osgoode students with disabilities, and to engage in collective advocacy, because our voices are stronger together than they are individually.
The start of law school can be an exciting period, but I also know it can be a difficult time for a lot of students for a variety of reasons. For me, as a disabled part-time student, I found the start of my 1L year really challenging. I felt like I was different from everyone around me, I couldn’t participate in all the events being offered, and I was dealing with a variety of structural challenges that impacted my ability to enjoy my time at Osgoode. As a result, I began dealing with pretty significant mental health challenges in my first semester.
Part of the reason I started the Disability Collective was because of this experience. I felt alone, and like no one else understood what I was dealing with. It wasn’t until the end of my first year that I connected with other students with disabilities at Osgoode and realized that my experiences were more common than I thought. If you’re experiencing anything similar, please don’t hesitate to reach out—to the Disability Collective, to upper year students, to Osgoode’s mental health counsellors, or to external supports.
Law school can be a challenging place for students with disabilities. If you’re looking for help navigating school processes like academic accommodations, accessing support like mental health counselling, or just want to talk to someone with shared experiences, I’m always happy to chat. You can find us on Facebook (Disability Collective of Osgoode), where we’ll post details about our first meeting soon. We’d love to see you there, and talk with you about any accessibility-related concerns you may have, or about your experience at Osgoode so far.
As cheesy as it is, know that if your transition to law school is difficult—as mine was—it often does get easier. Over time, I developed a strong support network, learned how to advocate for myself, and found my place here at Osgoode. I believe that you will too.