If you’re anything like me then the thought of navigating ADHD while being in a completely new place invokes feelings of anxiety and worry. With even less supervision and structure than there was in high school, adjusting to college life seems like a daunting task with countless ways to mess up; however, I was able to figure out somethings that worked for me and hopefully will help you as well. Here are # ways to deal with ADHD in college.
Number 1: Listen to videogame music while studying! I cannot count the number of times the Skyrim soundtrack has come in clutch for me at my darkest hour. Videogame music is specifically written to induce focus and creativity in players, and we can get those same benefits from it while writing papers and other schoolwork. In addition to this, videogame music often doesn’t have lyrics (I get so distracted from singing sometimes) so it’s easier to get into a good headspace for college level work.
Number 2: Wear noise cancelling headphones! For me, the smallest sound can intrigue me and prompt me to go investigate, from noises from cars on the street to conversations happening in the hallway. With noise cancelling headphones, I found myself a lot less distracted and able to focus for long periods at a time. They are on the pricier side, however, so regular ear plugs also work to get rid of auditory distractions!
Number 3: Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!!!! You know that feeling of confusion and inability to focus on anything, often called “brain fog”? Well that is a symptom of dehydration! Drinking an adequate amount of water will help to relieve this feeling and allow you to do focus and work. Remembering to stay hydrated is one of my biggest issues, so to combat this I bought really brightly colored reusable straws which seemed to help. I don’t know the psychology behind this but having an easy way to drink water without having to go through the whole motion of sipping out of a cup made it easier to remember. Just sip away while you work!
Number 4: Try drawing or coloring while listening to audio! Whether it’s a pre-recorded video lecture or an in-person class, drawing and coloring gives our fidgeting hands something to do and makes it easier to internalize the information we are hearing. Some of the best classes I ever attended were those where I colored rather than taking notes and was fully able to absorb what was being taught (notes are still important though).
Number 5: Turn off phone notifications and set to greyscale! My phone was my biggest distraction, but when I turned off all notifications, I found that I was distracted considerably less. In addition to this, turning to greyscale while in a work session takes away a lot of the appeal to check you phone as the lack of bright colors doesn’t stimulate our monkey brains, who only want to forage for fruit and berries in the forest.
Number 6: Breakdown what you have to do into smaller, do able steps. Every Sunday I would write down everything that was due the week ahead in my notes app and then figured out what I absolutely HAD to do each day. By doing this, I was able to break down my work and focus on my day-by-day rather than the overwhelming amount I had to do for the whole week. For bigger projects, you can break it down even more and decide how much to do each day.
Number 7: Get a body double! By far one of, if not the best, pieces of advice I have ever been given to manage my ADHD is to get a body double while I work, which is essentially another person who also works on their projects in the same room as you. People with ADHD naturally mirror the actions of those around them, so having another person in the room focused and productive will actually cause you to be focused and productive as well, not to mention the silent support that having a friend around offers. Seeing someone else in your space being productive also works to remind you to stay on task, significantly reducing distractions. Just make sure your friend is productive as well!
While I hope these tips work for you, its important to find things that specifically cater to your needs. ADHD can often feel unmanageable, and it is not always going to be easy so please remember to be kind to yourself when you “mess up”. One thing I always remind myself of is that I have overcome every obstacle I’ve already faced; I’ve been stressed and anxious about schoolwork and even when I fail it has turned out alright in the end. I’ve been there before, I’ve done it before, and I can do it again if I need to, and so can you.
.png){kind=small}
Comments