This is a clear case of aiming far too low. Next time, try for real.
I think they called it an empathy exercise or whatever. I don't recall but it seemed like they had good intentions.
My friend suggested people try a schoolday as simulated type 1 diabetics. The prompt was pretty simple: Simulate blood glucose checks, generate a random blood glucose number (within reasonable range and adjusted for food intake), make a note of it, keep track of nutritional facts of the foods they intended to eat, pretend to take some insulin by just making a note about their "dose" and base their food intake decisions based on BG value and timing concerns.
Literally, just limit what you eat and when based on a number that you can't directly and instantly control. The whole exercise was designed (by a diabetic!) to be as incredibly easy and approachable as possible. It was the absolutely training-wheels version of an experiment that intentionally left out a lot of the more difficult problems when it comes to managing T1D. Their program did all of their work in one classroom all day, and my friend was there to help with number generation and to help in general, the whole time.
The whole thing fell apart by lunch for literally every student other than the only other T1D in class.
I think 1. People probably aren't great at designing these things for themselves. And 2. Even when somebody else can give them a tiny actual approximation of constraints, it tends to break down because people don't actually want to stray too far from their baseline state of comfort, no matter what.
Each person has different limits and each experience outside of your comfort zone pushes their own personal limits further. I think it's good that people want to learn about what their limits are as well as challenging those limits.
That's not what the OP said he was doing. He said he was wanting to find out what it was like to experience blindness.
None of their listed reasons for doing the experiment were related to gaining insight into the life of the disabled.
If that was the goal, I would agree it was a poorly designed experience.
And definitely try crossing a few streets. Grab a cane, and off you go.
But never ever try to sell staying at home with a blindfold on as a challenge.
Why go to a cafeteria or cook food? They are hard challenges.
Should you solve a Rubik's Cube when in a sensory deprivation tank?
That opposes their objective as I saw it.
They never stated they are trying to intersect with a blind person life.
* Read a book with your fingers. At least 300 paperback pages. That will be about 2000 braille pages. * Cross a road which lacks pedestrian lights. Use your ears to find out if you are going to die. * Write a 2k+ lines program, pick a language of your choice. For extra points, use a speech synthesizer only, no braille. * Go to the groceries store and buy the food for a week. Go with whoever you get assigned as assistant. If their IQ is likely not above 80, continue and try to explain to them what you need.