I found out I was autistic — at age 35: Inside the world of ‘masking’

Growing up in West Caldwell, NJ, Jennifer Cook wouldn’t play pretend with her Barbies. Instead of making up social scenarios for her dolls, she’d use her toys to recite grim stories she’d heard on the news. 

Though Cook, 45, would go on to be the social chair of her sorority and a cheerleader in college, interacting with others didn’t come naturally to her. In elementary school, “I distinctly remember asking my mom how to make a friend,” Cook told The Post. “She just kind of looked at me.” Decades later, she’d learn the source of her struggles. At age 35, Cook was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.