First-year college students have a lot to deal with; those with ADHD are guaranteed to have more on their plate than the average student. Are you heading to college and trying to figure out how you will cope with your ADHD symptoms? Take comfort in the knowledge that millions of students who faced a similar struggle have tried and tested the best study habits for ADHD.
This article will highlight the various adult learning difficulties posed by ADHD and how you can manage them to have the most productive and enjoyable college experience possible. ADHD patients who have experienced the overwhelming and often distressing feelings caused by missed deadlines and failed expectations borne of unmanaged ADHD. Since you are already seeking online resources to avoid such an outcome, your college journey will go exactly as you plan.
Let’s get started on how ADHD will make your college experience unique and the tools you can adopt to ensure it doesn’t get you down.
How ADHD Will Make Your Academic Journey Different
If you were diagnosed early on, you probably already have some resources that helped you make it through high school. College academics will pose a different challenge because your schedule will be entirely up to you, unlike high school (where you have plenty of accountability partners, e.g., parents and teachers, to keep you on track). You will need to marshall all your tools to ensure you focus during lectures, submit assignments on time and pass all your tests.
While academics are essential, it is crucial to manage your time efficiently to ensure you maintain a healthy balance between your academic, social, mental, and emotional wellbeing. Do not succumb to the temptation of devoting all your time to academic or social life because overemphasizing either is not advisable.
ADHD and Academic Success in College
No longer is it assumed that your admission to higher education disproves your need for unique resources that will ensure you are the best you possible. Traditionally, college students like you were thrown into the deep end to face the increased social and academic demands with diminished support mechanisms. Luckily, even though the IEP and 504 federal laws do not extend to college, many of them have taken positive steps to ensure that students with special needs are not subject to conditions that manufacture adverse outcomes like challenges to treatment adherence and increased risk for stress, anxiety, and mood disorders.
Asking for help is rarely easy (especially when you have to approach literal strangers) but it is almost always worth it when you reach the right people. Contact your campus in advance and inquire about the resources extended to students with ADHD. You will be surprised to find a supportive community comprised of students, faculty, and tailored solutions like classroom accommodations for ADHD. You may not have to bear the burden alone. Where such support networks do not exist, indicate that you are prepared to create them for the benefit of current and future students.
ADHD and Social success
Moving to a new environment is overstimulating for the easily excitable ADHD neuropathy. While you may enjoy discovering the new sights in your college town, remember that ADHD students often have a tougher time than their peers when seeking to create and maintain fulfilling relationships.
Remind yourself to curb your ADHD impulses (like interrupting people or zoning while they speak) during initial encounters. You want to avoid cringe-worthy moments that are so-you, e.g., glossing over your roommate’s name! Alternatively, once you get past the initial ice breakers, you could share your diagnosis and ask your friends to signal you when the ADHD begins to take over.
ADHD and Your Mental/Emotional Well Being
You may have heard it a million times, but we will mention it nonetheless. A healthy routine is the best tool you can adopt to ensure you keep most ADHD-related challenges at bay. Routine reinforces healthy behavior while discouraging divergent ones like substance use. Getting a solid eight hours of sleep is easier said than done when surrounded by excited freshmen, but you will have to find a way. Purchase blinders and noise-canceling headphones just in case your environment gets wilder than you are prepared for.
After securing the right amount of sleep each night, you will be challenged with finding healthy food options and getting regular exercise. Joining a sports team is a great way to ensure you are motivated to meet all these goals. Sticking to your routine will ensure you do not get overwhelmed by the tasks.
Routine and ADHD are antonyms. It is important to acknowledge that you will not succeed at maintaining your routine all the time (unless you install a brain chip). Your brain will fight it tooth and nail (but I will get easier as the routine sets in) Acknowledge that there are instances where breaking routine is not only unavoidable, but perhaps also necessary. Try to reflect on what happened, how you felt afterwards, and if it was worth it! Some things just are, and that’s okay. As long as you can get back to those health habits or maintain them most of the time, that’s what we’re going for!
Keeping Up with Your ADHD Treatment
Finally, (and most important), you will have to keep up with your ADHD treatment, which may include talk therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and prescription medication. When moving to a new area, ask your primary doctor to refer you to a doctor or therapist they consider capable of handling your treatment. Where necessary, you can keep consulting your usual healthcare providers via telemedicine because changing careers at such a high-impact moment may make your treatment less effective.
Most college students mistakenly assume they are alone when undergoing feelings of depression and anxiety when nothing could be further from the truth. Plenty of students (even those without ADHD) face these feelings. Your campus counselor is well-equipped to handle any emergencies. Do not hesitate to contact them. Most colleges have group and individual therapy sessions that respond to particular student concerns.
Storing Your ADHD Medication on Campus
Anyone using stimulant ADHD medication for some time has probably received inappropriate requests from friends, family, or acquaintances to share or sell their pills. This is likely to worsen on campus, where many students are eager to try the perceived benefits when facing a large workload. Ensure you store your medication in a safe place like a small lockbox or a location unknown to your roommates.
You require your medication to succeed in college, so do not give in to any illegal temptation to sell or share your medicine. Advise students who seem to genuinely need the medication to seek help from a mental health professional.
Relax and enjoy your college journey safe in the knowledge that many students with ADHD have aced their studies, and you are likely to follow suit.