[Editor’s Note: The Get Ready with Me (GRWM) article series features the morning routines of people from different walks of life, from their first grabs to the way they get ready for work, and to the items they can’t live without.

Got someone you want GRWM to feature? Just email us at stories@rappler.com with the subject line “GRWM” followed by the name and designation of the person.]

In various TV series and movies, characters in the neurodiverse community are often accompanied by hyper fixation and very specific talents. One of the most common developmental conditions associated with this are people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD is a complex developmental condition wherein individual presentations and symptoms vary widely; most common of these symptoms are affected social interaction and communication, repetitive patterns of behavior and interests, and sensory sensitivities.

According to this 2015 study, autism is sometimes accompanied by creativity, and it certainly is the case for 16-year-old Keith Sy. As the Sy family observed that Keith was inclined to the visual arts, they encouraged Keith to take art lessons and showcase his works at Vico’s Artism Gallery. They are also part of Arte Autismo Filipino, a cooperative of artists with autism and their families that seeks to showcase their artwork through exhibits and bazaars.

Nicole Sy, a proud stage sister, is the online representative of this support. She created an Instagram account exclusively for his art pieces and showcases Keith’s art whenever she can. 

Discover the mornings of these loving siblings below.

First Grab

NICOLE. Nowadays I wake up to the Have a Great Day! playlist on Spotify. On a typical day, I’ll snooze the alarm a few times, which is why I’ve taken to setting multiple alarms, just in case. When I finally do wake up, I’ll usually allow myself a few minutes to scroll through Instagram or YouTube to wake myself up before getting out of bed.

KEITH. Keith is much more disciplined and wakes up naturally every morning at around 7 am. Even on weekends, he grabs his Tigger stuffed toy, and bounces right out of bed  and into the bathroom to get ready. He eats his breakfast immediately after.

Skincare Essentials

NICOLE AND KEITH. The whole family uses pretty much the same products, with a few differences here and there. We all use the Rice Water Facial Cleanser from The Face Shop, and Keith and I use the Kokuryu Acnone toner. For my moisturizer, I use the Innisfree Jeju Pomegranate Revitalizing Emulsion, while Keith uses the Green Tea Seed Essence-in-Lotion from the same brand. Since we’re constantly indoors nowadays, we skip the sunscreen, but usually we’d slather on some Biore or Neutrogena.

Before I Start

NICOLE. I have a whole routine to get myself in the zone. I draw all the curtains open, tie my hair into a ponytail, put on my Bose QuietComfort 35 Bluetooth headphones, and pull up the Chill Lofi Study Beats playlist on Spotify. 

To start off the workday, I will list down all my meetings and the tasks I want to get done in my trusty Moleskine Le Petit Prince planner with my favorite Pilot G-Tec Maica and Pilot Coleto (0.4 always), as a way to center and organize myself for the day. I’ll also always have my Moleskine softcover lined notebook and faithful black Pilot G-Tec C4 nearby for any notes I might need to take.

KEITH. Keith’s everyday has been quite different in quarantine, but he’ll usually have his music player playing random 80’s and 90’s (one of his favorites is the Backstreet Boys) or Disney songs, a sketchpad/notebook with his Pilot H-325 0.5 mechanical pencil and Pilot Twin Markers scattered on the desk along with various other bits and pieces of art materials, ready for his next doodle. 

Since before I could remember, Keith has always had some sort of writing implement by him at any time, he’d even carry around a notebook and pencil in a bag when we’d go out to the mall. It’s not a surprise to anyone who knows him that he’s really grown into his own as an artist.

If I Must Go

NICOLE. If I have to go out to run an errand, I’ll always have my trusty face mask on and some rubbing alcohol in my bag, to make sure I’m keeping safe. I usually go for my favorite pair of Stan Smith sneakers, and my outfit will usually vary with the errand I’m running. If I’m headed to the bank, I’ll throw on some jeans and a cute top, but for grocery runs, I’m usually in some shorts and a generally more casual look.

KEITH. As Keith is under 21, he only ever leaves the house to go to his biweekly art classes at Vico’s Artism studio in Pasig. For those, he’ll usually be in some sneakers, jeans, an old shirt he doesn’t mind getting some paint splatters on, his painter’s smock, a face mask, and a face shield for good measure. He’s very conscious about the virus and will make sure he is sanitizing with the rubbing alcohol he also makes sure to have on him at all times.

If I’m Staying In

NICOLE. This whole quarantine situation definitely has me dressing more casually. My everyday outfit consists of some shorts and a rotating collection of college org shirts.

Keith. Keith likes to keep it simple, too. He’ll usually be sporting some jogging pants and a random shirt he pulls out of his closet.

Fave Delivers

NICOLE AND KEITH. Our family loves dining out, and it’s really our usual time to bond and catch up with one another, especially with everyone being so busy. With that not being an option these days, we’ve taken greatly to food deliveries for our regular Sunday family lunches. Our favorite takeaway places include California Pizza Kitchen and Chili’s, as well as Yellow Cab and Mom and Tina’s. We can’t forget milk tea, which we usually get delivered from Gong Cha or Coco.

Routine Reminders

NICOLE. With the additional time spent at home and not in standstill traffic, I’ve started working out in the morning before work, and taking some online classes here and there. I’ve also started to set aside more time for reading and spending time with my family and dogs.

KEITH. Keith has a pretty set routine from day-to-day. He will usually start it off by drawing cute motivational doodles on disposable food containers for frontliners with his Pilot Twin Markers and Pilot Super Color Markers. 

Some days he will have online classes with his occupational therapist, and some days he will have his art lessons at Vico’s Artism. After we have lunch together, I will usually set up his online typing lessons for him that I started him on during the quarantine, and then he’ll do a few beginner Mandarin lessons on Duolingo. 

I also usually assign him a chapter of a book to read to boost reading comprehension – right now we’re reading Geronimo Stilton and the Secret of Cacklefur Castle. After he reads the chapter he’ll come over to my room and we’ll debrief for a few minutes then have our afternoon merienda, usually consisting of some pandesal and herb cream cheese from Pan De Manila. He’ll then spend about an hour riding his bike in our backyard for some exercise and fresh air, then clean up for dinner with the whole family. After dinner, he’ll usually relax on his tablet while listening to his favorite music.

Come Back Home

NICOLE AND KEITH. Our family makes sure we are being as safe as possible, so whenever any of us comes home, we change into our house slippers at the door and head straight to the shower. We also make sure that our clothes go directly into the laundry, especially our masks.

Nicole and Keith’s items

1. Innisfree Jeju Pomegranate Revitalizing Emulsion (P1,290)
2. Innisfree Green Tea Seed Essence-In-Lotion (P1,290)
3. Bose QuietComfort 35 II ANC Wireless Bluetooth (P1,817)
4. Pilot Twin Marker Black (P85)
5. Moleskine 12 Months 2020 Limited Edition Little Prince Weekly Hard Cover Planner (P1,295)
6. THE FACE SHOP Rice Water Bright Foaming Cleanser (P342)

GRWM recommends

1. Neutrogena sun screen: Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen (P526)
2. Pilot G-TEC C4: Pilot G-TEC C4 Set of 10 (P648)
3. Pilot Maica G-Tec: Pilot Maica G-Tec Pen Set 12’s (P950)
4. Pilot H-325: Pilot H-325 0.5 Mechanical Pencil (P364)
5. Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto: Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto PLHKC15 (P85)
6. Tigger stuffed toy: 18cm Cute Cartoon Tigger (P496)
7. Adidas shoes: Adidas 2018 Stan Smith CQ2201 White/Navy Sneakers (P4,990)

– Rappler.com