Katawa Shoujo has gotten me my first job

[Joe Usher]

After playing through KS in it's entirety, I was spellbound by the subject nature and it touched on something that was very shaky for me until recently.

I always felt extremely put off and discouraged by people with disabilities and have always had trouble interacting with them and the school which I went to enrolled students like that (although it was the minority, it wasn't a special place just for them like Yamaku) I couldn't tell you why, I just really didnt feel at ease around them and felt like I was superior in a way.

Basically, Hisao's feelings at the beginning were extremely relatable to me, it almost felt like the game was created for me because I had come upon similar situations before. After having completed KS and becoming so attached to all the characters in different ways, I felt the need to turn my life around and try my best to make-up for the absolutely abysmal attitude I had in school - I'm only in first year of college, so it was a year ago that I left.

So, as I was looking for a job in the paper I came across a position for a part-time assistant in a school especially for the disabled (both mental and physical) I applied immediately after I saw it, begging to get the job I waited patiently for their reply because this was exactly what I wanted. It serves as a way to make up for all the wrong of my past self whilst delivering happiness to others around me.

Here I am, two weeks in to my job and I realise what an effect KS has had on my life. It wasn't necessarily a direct cause but I'll be damned if it's not one of the biggest factors. All the kids here are just wonderful, they are as bright and happy as any you'd find in a normal school, I wish I could share them with everyone here but obviously there are regulations for sharing the students over the internet and taking pictures and such

Ugh, I just have so many feelings of overwhelming joy and happiness for so many reasons, I feel like I'm living that quote about "You must be the change you want to see in the world"

If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer but I mostly just wanted a place to share my happiness with everyone, regardless of whether they listen.

TL;DR Life is great.

[Xanatos]

Yeah, KS does some neat stuff for people...Ironically, I'm disabled myself and I couldn't stand to work with disabled people when I tried it. Not the mentally-affected ones anyway. I have enough trouble communicating with ordinary people.

[Thatswhatbradsaid]

*slow claps*

well done.

(not sarcastic, promise)

[Joe Usher]

Yeah, KS does some neat stuff for people...Ironically, I'm disabled myself and I couldn't stand to work with disabled people when I tried it. Not the mentally-affected ones anyway. I have enough trouble communicating with ordinary people.

There are more mentally affected students here as opposed to pure physical disability, it can be very hard sometimes but in a way it's more rewarding when they get what it is they wanted. I have only been assisting now for 6 classes though, so there may be problems that arise in the future which I will have lots of trouble dealing with

[Enemy |]

That's pretty great.

[Xanatos]

Yeah, KS does some neat stuff for people...Ironically, I'm disabled myself and I couldn't stand to work with disabled people when I tried it. Not the mentally-affected ones anyway. I have enough trouble communicating with ordinary people.

There are more mentally affected students here as opposed to pure physical disability, it can be very hard sometimes but in a way it's more rewarding when they get what it is they wanted. I have only been assisting now for 6 classes though, so there may be problems that arise in the future which I will have lots of trouble dealing with

I'm autistic myself so I generally run into enough hurdles getting regular people what they want. Piling onto that people who can't properly tell what they want and I just couldn't handle it. I tried. Good luck with the job.

[Loonie]

Since you did say, you're up for answering any questions, I have two.

Firstly, since you mentioned there's a fair few mentally disabled cases there, to what point are you experiencing frustration when dealing with them and at which points? I ask this, because you should know it's okay to feel frustration (it's extremely effective at keeping you from pitying them too much), just so long as it doesn't explode of course into outright rage. A good example of this in KS was, I think, Rin's arc where Hisao feels that frustration all the time and that's just fine. But then it explodes and...yeah...as much as I sympathized with him, he may come to regret it later on.

Second, have you tried to get in touch with some of the individuals from your high school, that inspired you to get this job? Maybe you should, but it's up to you to decide I think. Bottom line is that even such people are still just people and as such some might be moreso appreciative of the fact you learned something from encountering them, others might see this move of yours as merely a chance for you to dispense more pity onto them and make yourself feel better (which I'm sure is not the real goal of what you're after, but as said - people might hold such an opinion from what they remember of you from high school so that's why I said it'd be up to you as to wether you get back in touch with them).

[hernytan]

This is just awesome. Sir, you just won the whole internet. No sarcasm intended either.
Really, you know, most people just talk about their feels and all that, and while that's not bad either, it's really breathtaking to hear of people for whom KS actually made such a difference.
So, Kudos to you!

If you wouldn't mind, maybe you could tell us more about your experiences there as things go on? It would be nice to know what working in an actual school for the disabled would be like.

[Silentcook]

KS didn't get you your first job, YOU got yourself your first job.

Congrats.

[gRaViJa]

That's great to read man KS helped me deciding to change my life too. Starting an internship tomorrow, that i wouldn't have accepted if i didn't play KS.

[Beoran]

Silentcook, please don't be too modest. He did find his own job, but KS kicked him to do it. You guys made a VN chock-full of catharsis. You can be proud of that.

Anyway, great to hear this, keep at it. I'm sure more good things will come your way if you stay the course.

[newnar]

What I feel after reading this is combination of being appalled, incredulous, jealous and excited. Good on you.

[Pseudogenesis]

Good read, good man, good luck.