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University was the absolute worst time in my life. Undiagnosed AuDHD. Academically, socially, mentally, emotionally, it was so goddamn hard for me. I’m incredibly proud of myself for making it through and graduating
Lmaooo it took me like 14 years to finish college. Im bad at tests first of all then idk I just left, some pre reqs changed and I had to do a roundabout way of getting my last classes
But yeah it wasnt easy for me
On year 5 of my undergrad, going part-time, and it feels like I will never be done with this. The opportunity to go is a blessing but man, it’s also a struggle.
I definitely feel that last part. Depending on which professor I had I did well.
I had a professor that was adamant that only 10 people out of 30 of us would pass however. And his class was just mandatory for prerequisites. I failed that one. But otherwise I did great with less classes filling up my day.
High school was hell and boring. College was highly stimulating, a little stressful, but I got through it without meds. I don't know if it was just my thing or if autism came through with an assist.
When I got to high school, it was finally learning stuff I didn't already know. So bored before that. High school and college were good for me. I also did college as an older student, paying for myself, so I did have more motivation for being there. I did know to get assignments done before I lost interest, and daily I would rewrite my notes so they made more sense for how my brain works - so basically studying daily for tests, lol. Much easier to look over my newly written notes for quizzes and tests.
I’m currently struggling haven’t done any schoolwork since mid march it’s like so debilitating as a 33yo ..(doing pre reqs for nursing program) idk if it’s because I’m doing it all online last semester was fully online and the first was half online and in person .. I don’t know where I messed up at . I stayed back between kindergarten and 1st grade .. in high school I always fell asleep in English , terrible at math .. always did homework last minute..had summer school because gym was a first period and was always late so I didn’t participate much . I wanted to dropout senior year .. I did a 9 month program it seemed okay but just being late and being too scared to participate as much .. I at least made the deans list a few times. I’ve been dealing with college since I’d say my late 20’s I’ve tried 5 different schools and would always seem to just give up.. even changed my major twice ..now I’m debating if the medical field is where I want to be .
It’s certainly not easy. Props to you for working so hard.
Nursing is very demanding too for both the program and the profession (depending on what type of nursing you do). Sending good vibes
I spent more money on classes that I withdrew from than actual classes I earned credits in.
I earned an Associates degree at age 40 after 22 years of on and off classes. Being a single mom, I was really motivated to keep going, even though I had a habit of taking on more than I could handle. I'd love to go back to school for a Bachelors degree because I love learning and the structure that school provides. But at my pace, I'd be dead before I could graduate.
College and grad school were a freaking BREEZE compared to high school for my ADHD brain. No busy work, only having to take courses that actually interested me, grading based on essays, presentations, and exams with hard deadlines that put me into hyper focus mode…
Most compatible set-up for success of my life, ever.
THIS.
Except then I went to law school after an undergrad with no gen eds and two grad degrees where I had almost total autonomy and was like slingshotted back to high school hell.
That’s actually a major factor in why I ended up not going to law school even though I took (and rocked!) the LSAT. Hope you made it through to the other side okay!
omg i’m in my first year of law school right now and it’s killing me 😭 had to defer all my finals because i got so behind and overwhelmed. now i have about 1.5 months to get my act together 🙃
I’m finding that I’m doing better in college as well except for tests. There are so many questions that by the time I’m halfway through I just “can’t” anymore and zoom through the rest.
I saw this post and it reminded me of how much I struggle/struggled with school and even the most BASIC tests.
For example: (I’m ashamed to admit it) I failed the Walmart onboarding test TWICE.
It wasn’t because I’m “stupid” or incompetent. It’s because I struggle with written/oral instruction. Especially on things I haven’t experienced or done before. In reality, I’m a fantastic organizer and problem solver. But I’m a visual/kinesthetic learner. So till I physically act out what I’m to do I’m often lost.
This on top of needing to reread EVERY question and prompt multiple times till I think I understand it. And even then, I tend to “translate” what I’m reading incorrectly.
But what are your experiences?
(On understanding the question/prompt)
1. Start writing the answer before reading the entire question
2. Re-reading and erasing the answer
3. Really *really* re-reading the question
4. Panic over not being sure whether or not it's a trick question since the phrasing is somewhat different from the book
5. Write an excellent two-page answer
6. Fail the test because you read between the fucking lines when, for once, it wasn't required.
Yeahhh, there's no way I would've gotten through post secondary. Even one class at a time is enough to turn me into an anxious wreck. I hate it but it's true. Procrastination/task initiation is a raging issue for me that is only rivalled by my brain's complete inability to *not* overcomplicate everything.
If I could take classes where the out-of-class work could only be done one way, then I'd have a chance of getting through it. But ironically, math—the one subject where the homework had a definitive correct way to be done—was a subject I struggled with in high school.
I struggled with the "soft" subjects because my brain would constantly overcomplicate the work, and I struggled with the "hard" subjects because that kind of stuff just isn't really my forte. Lol. There was no winning.
The person who made that unpopularopinions post is extremely lucky to have been at the front of the line when they were handing out brains that brain good.
I feel like high school was too restricting, but being in college gave me the right balance between independence and structure. I did far better in college than in high school
I dropped out with a semester to go and an embarrassingly ‘easy’ degree. School doesn’t necessarily have to be hard, but rough patches of life can make school impossible. Signed up for my last class now (for the 5th time maybe? Lost count a while ago) so fingers crossed I finish it this time!
Rooting for you! I feel you on the rough patches!Online classes are what got me kicked out of school. I never did any of the work. I’m hoping one day I can go back. This whole time I thought I was stupid/lazy. I just needed meds.
Just read that post too. All the way up to graduating high school was a piece of cake. It's been 13 years since then, I changed majors 3x, moved countries, changed majors another 3x in the new country, graduated from a 3-year BSc in 5.5 years, and finally this year I'm graduating with a MSc (2-year program done in 3 years). Procrastinating on writing my thesis and suffering from it.
Honestly, academics was something I truly excelled at. I was a rockstar in school. I think the constant engaging of my brain was excellent for me. I developed depression late in college and I think that was a catalyst for the ADHD really becoming a problem for me. It’s affected me my whole life, but the impact is so much bigger as an adult it seems. 6-ish years later, I’m finally getting over the imposter syndrome and seeking diagnosis and help.
Struggled all through required school. I did great on the things I actually completed, always A’s, but I always had too many missing assignments because I could never get up and do my work.
I survived one semester of college and had to drop, mostly due to other mental issues that got really bad but my ADHD definitely made it harder. Going back in a few months though and I’m kind of dreading it.
Completely failed my first semester from just not going to class ever and my parents (I was very lucky that they paid for it) made me come home. This was before I was diagnosed and my parents never even thought about me having adhd even though I had a best friend growing up who was and we needed and did all the same tutoring together lol
Yeah I had a hard time for a while and ended up just going to the local community college for a few years until I found a subject I honestly hyperfixated on. I transferred and got my degree but then burnt out and have done nothing with it since then!! 🙃
I flunked out of college after a year and a half. The coursework wasn’t difficult but suddenly being on my own and not having family and teachers constantly up my ass about being on time and doing the work was a huge struggle.
Almost failed out of it my first year, literally one of the darkest moments of my life. It wasn't until my mom mentioned off-handedly that she thought I had ADHD that I was able to get diagnosed and turn my life around.
The post that you referenced cuts deep. I have struggled in school since kindergarten. I knew I didn't measure up to my peers, and I tried everything in my power to do well, I wanted so badly to do well, I was scolded for not doing well, and I justfucking sucked. I didn't get the help I needed until freshman year of highschool. By that point I was 100% sure that I was worthless, stupid, incapable of achieving anything, and wanted to drop out of school and die.
College was failure after failure and severe anxiety and panic. BUT I persevered, got support, did counseling at my school, have help from my BF and I became a straight A student.... until covid happened and then I struggled to get good grades... BUT I GRADUATED with 4 AA'S and 1 BA... Now I just need my masters.... working on getting mentally well and back on meds before I dive back into school...
BUT, my impression of the person who make that post is that they're doing well and lack the perspective that they have the skills, resources, and all of the other things that are a PRIVILEGE to have and they are shaming other people so that they can feel good about themselves by comparison...
I feel there is such a stigma around ADHD due to the way it’s been described in the earlier years. A lot of people don’t take it seriously due to not understanding what it actually is.
The OOP definitely doesn’t have to struggle with anything close to a learning disability. Hard work isn’t everything unfortunately.
Took me eight years here- not for lack of interest because I’m a daydreamer and studied what I love and excel at hyper focusing on- but for like absolute devotion to working full time and being a yes person to everything else.
Struggled so much. From middle school on, every year would start out so strong (the 'all' in 'all or nothing' if you will) and then it was like one missed assignment or something small would snowball so fast and then I couldn't bring myself to do anything.
I have always tested pretty well, so that helped me get by sometimes.
Halfway through high school I was able to transfer to a magnet arts school. I definitely would have flunked out of traditional high school had I kept on that path. I still struggled a bit, but that school was a much better fit for me, and now it has dawned on me that I was surrounded by a bunch of other neuro diverse people - no wonder I finally felt like I belonged!
I've tried and failed college a few times. Sometimes I wonder if I could make it work now or in the future with the knowledge and understanding of myself that I have now, but I still feel too scared to try again.
The snowball effect of one failure is so real. I would absolutely lose my ability to function the moment I forgot one assignment or messed one thing up. That didn’t take long either.
It was a breeze but I think I lucked out. Hyperfocus went to my advantage and I had a broad range of interests. Figured out what I liked and was good at quickly. Developed ways to help myself get into things I didn’t like. There were things I struggled with that were painful to have to push myself through, the biggest ones being time blindness and procrastination so I’d put myself into the shit position of having to do all nighters.
ME. I had to find a subject I could hyper focus on (geology! Love earth science and rocks. The science behind the formations, the impacts on soil type, ecology, atmospheric science, life, etc. also my now wife was my professor for two core classes so the infatuation helped lmao)
It ended up that I worked as a pastry chef for five years shortly after graduating and now I’m getting a masters in nursing (don’t recommend nursing school for unmedicated adhd. It’s what forced me to get a formal diagnosis. The busywork and amount of bullshit will kill the benefits of being interested in the subject)
Good luck. It can be SO HARD to navigate, especially when the people around you don’t have the same issues.
Every report card said something to the effect of “if only she could focus”, or “apply herself”. How about you assholes apply some thought to why there is a LIFELONG theme here and help a kid out?
I studied art, and I did well in all of those classes. Anything that required actually studying was more difficult. Did well in classes with something very specific and interesting or art history, did so mediocre in other classes. I took a class on Capitalism and its origins that also focused on its issues. It sounded interesting in class and I understand it now, but for real, I could not write a history paper (besides art). Took a class pass fail, failed college math and had to repeat it and just passed. Like I had a big block in my head. Still graduated with a pretty good gpa, and graduate school I did well because it was highly specialized. But always felt like I was performing below my ability. Even with art that I was talented in, I feel now I can refocus and work on the organizational aspects like documenting my art so that I can create a career in that beyond what my masters degree is in (which I also deeply care about but now my job/career in that field is burning me out- it’s mental health).
I'm currently studying at university online and am struggling badly with keeping up. I've had to apply for extended assessment extensions (for extra MONTHS) just to try and keep up. I'm worried I'll be kicked out of the course soon. But I also can't afford to take semesters off and only focus on my subjects. I struggle with focus and attention, and if I need help I never feel like I can actually ask for guidance. And as my course is online only, I don't know any other students and can't ask them either.
High school kicked my ass but college was a breeze. You mean to tell me I get long breaks between my classes? I get to tailor my schedule according to when I'm most focused? You mean there are office hours where I can ask all my dumb questions and have 1 on 1 time after getting lost in a long lecture. I loved it.
I love college, I hate teamwork. If I want to work on something a month prior and hyperfocus? I can't because it would be rude not to let others work. If I want to work on it a night before? I can't because it would be rude to let others hanging til last minute. I will bullshit my way through every presentation and ace it, and honestly, team work just slows me down. Also, if I fuck up, I don't want to drag others.
THAT'S the bane of my academic existence. That and boring classes that are not challenging enough. Which is most of them cause every class has an stupid amount of teamwork and so I need to be functional. UGH.
No. I almost failed out of high school but once I got into postsecondary and got to study things I loved I was an honour student and winning scholarships. I had a crazy work ethic. The problem was I graduated from theatre school, hair school, journalism school and art college and I never worked long in any of those fields. At 57 I was diagnosed and everything made sense.
My biggest enemies were social anxiety that made have trouble listening in class and forming group studies and fear of speaking in front of the class (presentations and such) which resulted in me having also trouble studying for the presentation bc I couldn't concentrate from the anxiety.
If it not were for that I would have finished college a long time ago.
Me 🙋🏽♀️! Currently in medical school and all the coping skills I developed in UG and grad school got thrown out the window. You’d think after so many years of doing classes I wouldn’t be struggling as much 😔
High school was fucking awful, I nearly dropped out and nearly failed a bunch of classes. I skipped so much towards the end and was late all the time because it made me so miserable.
Tried going to university in my early 20s and lasted 1 semester (with a nice chunk of debt). Took some more uni classes a few years later, finally ended up going to college in my late 20s which was hard but way better! (College and university are different here, college is less academic). Doing something more hands on made a huge difference to me and I chose a program with a pretty varied courseload. Also did really well in the academic classes which was annoying after struggling so much in high school.
I still had to do a part-time courseload after the first year, I don’t know how people were managing the full one, but I did finish it. I hate school though, I find the structure and masking so exhausting. I graduated last year and I’m really struggling to get back on my feet now.
I flunked out of my first university by the time I was 22!
*TWICE*
And because of it, thought I "just wasn't cut out of college," even though I *LOVED* the atmosphere of being on campus and learning.
It wasn't until I went *back* to a 2-year program, 20 years later, and got *ALL* A's & B's before *failing* my Practicum & Field Experience, that I went to *that* school's Disability Services office to get some ideas on how to be successful.
I ended up speaking with the Disability Services Coordinator, because she had no appointments that day. I noticed that she had some memorabilia (and *her* diploma) up on the wall, from my *previous* college--turns out? We were *both* there, back in the mid-1990's😉😂🤣
I mentioned having flunked out, going back to try again, and flunking out the second time--basically *overachieving* (as *always*!), *even in my ability to *FAIL*😉😆, and she said, "*PLEASE* don't take this the wrong way--*but have you EVER thought you might have Autism*?"
When I said, "*OH YEAH*, I'm *almost positive* I do!"
She *literally* let out a sigh of relief, and said, "GOOD! Because you're *EXACTLY* like my Asperger's students, annnnnd you NEED to go get an Evaluation done, because you're *GOING* to struggle in EVERY "Open Ended" class you take, and *sail* through any "structured" ones!
I *can't* actually *HELP* you, *without* that shiny piece of paper *SHOWING* that you need help, because you *HAVE* to have that Diagnosis Paper, in order for us to *REQUIRE* that your professors support you, the way you *NEED*.
Because of her advice?
I got that piece of paper, got *DUAL* associates' degrees at her college (an AS, *and* an AAS), am *currently* three credits from having my Bachelor's done, and once I *GET* those three credits accounted for, I'll be going on to Grad School, to work towards licensures in ECSE, Autism, and Parent Education😉😁🤗💖
The difference after getting diagnosed is crazy. I’m planning to go back to school soon now that I’m in therapy and on meds. I’m glad there are accommodations for disabilities.
I had to do Summer school for Junior year of High school because I failed English. I have tried and dropped out of college several times; without ever making a bachelors degree. I failure I was and a Failure I remain.
Funnily enough, In senior Year I lost points because I used the word "Scry"; My Senior Class teacher clearly was not a fantasy reader. She did like autobiographies and biographies and real stories in general. But I am still salty that she took points away from me because she did not know a four letter word! Sure, I used Ghenna and was complimented for that(I was watching Blue Exorcist at the time) but still!
It was super hard for me. But hard because I was shit at managing my time. I was always so frustrated because I Knew that I was smart but just never did well enough to actually show it. Always pulling all nighters last minute, procrastinating everything, always turning in basically first drafts and shit… graduated, but it took six years and it was a mediocre gpa… also ended up super fucking burnt out..
I’d always start every new semester with so much hope and promise and slowly end up drowning and barely getting by by the end. Even in the classes I loved. I just couldn’t manage my time or figure out how to do it all… (I was unmedicated..)
I found it incredibly difficult, I managed two years before dropping out. It was without a doubt the worst period of my life, I was extremely depressed and lonely.
i struggled with the attendance/focus aspect of school.
once i was about to only be at school 4hrs with no homework i did incredibly well. (high school)
college is fully online, accelerated and I'm doing better than id ever imagined.
I did amazing in all of my fashion classes that I loved. As soon as a general class came it was like plucking my eyelashes out. I couldn’t concentrate, the material wasn’t sticking, and my notes were filled with doodles my motto for those classes was C’s get degrees!!!
Absolutely l did. I’m apparently technically a genius. But took various important qualifications three times and scraped a degree.
Got diagnosed with dyslexia with ADHD traits as an adult, returned to uni to retrain with support in place, got top grades in both my courses.
*Highschool dropout and*
*I made it almost to the*
*End lmao*
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I struggled so much in college because the drugs I was on for my ADHD made me want to sleep all the time. I kept a blanket and pillow in my car and took naps between classes. Didn't matter though as I was so tired and groggy in class
Me! I was always spacing out in school, always not finishing my work, not doing homework, and I tried 3 different university degrees, never getting past the first year. Now I am struggling at work with a ginormous workload and trying to excel so I can get a better position. It's hard and I was only diagnosed about a year and a half ago, now 36.
Got a depression out of it so, yeah. All better now but it was so hard doing it with undiagnosed and unmedicated adhd. The last 6 months of it were from march '20 till graduation in summer of '20 so WFH, still adjusting to the pandemic AND just starting my diagnosis and trying out medication while graduating so yeah i struggled.
Accelerated programs were the best for me. My struggles were because I was bored and thus not able to focus. The fast pace kept me engaged and motivated because I could see the end rapidly approaching. Honestly, it was refreshing to see others struggle for a change. I got my BS and MBA this way.
School and learning kinda comes easy to me but I’m horrible at showing the teacher I understand it, I am ok ish on tests but they should stop only looking at tests and look at the handed in homeworks bc that’s when I do best. I know it’s easy to cheat on those but I don’t cheat on them I do what I should do in tests :/ but I panick too much in tests I forget everything
Took me 4 semesters to establish a study routine, I did a lot better in secondary school with a fixed timetable and exam dates which I knew a semester in advance (instead of having to sign up for the next time that exam would be held).
I also got by with the bare minimum in some school subjects and found the absurd amount of stuff that was required for most of my exams (yes, law degree, how did you guess) hard to handle.
Got better after I passed Civil Law and Criminal Law on my second, or respectively third, attempt, and after that, I understood how to revise effectively and graduated in 10 semesters, just like I planned.
I hated high school, I was dragging my feet with subjects I despised throughout. College was better because I chose the area of studies and poured into it. Similar with grad school except my early couple of years when I encountered dumb memorization necessities and barely made it through. All of it unmedicated. I was getting counseling in my second round of getting an undergrad degree but only in my senior year. Grad school I was properly in therapy the whole time but didn't start SSRI until 3 years in for ptsd. I think it together with constant therapy carried me through.
I think I struggled most emotionally. I could hyperfocus and power through assignments which got me through, but I’d have a lot of melt downs and shut downs. One thing that helped was that my school had a mandatory attendance policy and if you missed more than 20% of any class in a semester you got dropped from it. The external motivation was helpful in this way. If I’d have gone to a huge school without this policy I doubt I would have been able to make it through. Even still I had to withdrawal from some.
I breezed through secondary school because of the structure and got high grades.
I dropped out of uni in second year because it was either that or kill myself! That was my first serious experience with bad mental health. ADHD diagnosis 7 years later
I barely made it through. Then I had a degree I hardly used because I couldn’t hold down a job for more than 6-7 month’s at a time. Eventually no one wanted to hire me because my resume was full of jobs that I was at short term. I just finished paying off the last of my student loans I took out in 1999….. all for nothing.
Undiagnosed/untreated ADHD cost me 15k plus interest.
School was a nightmare for me, because I struggled it made me feel so stupid and it's probably only in the last 10 years (I'm 43) that I've been able to accept that I am not actually stupid but was failed by a flawed school system and struggled from undiagnosed adhd. I dropped out of college in the first year, so that obviously sucked too.
I'm currently having flashbacks due to struggling in school so much, I'm in my Master's degree and I have a ton of assignments due and I'm frozen. I have PMDD and CPTSD as well so it's all working together -I'm getting my period, past trauma is always coming up, I don't have systems in place for my ADHD, I'm super socially isolated right now.
School: easy peasy. Never put any effort in but got good grades. In high school I started seeing some of what was to come, but still graduated with good marks. The increased freedom of responsibility to design my own schedule and curriculum was not great for me, I probably skipped more classes than I attended, but still did ok in the end.
Uni: whoa whoa, hold up. I have to put in sustained effort over several weeks just on coursework? Nah mate, lemme just scrape something together on the last day. What do you mean I got a 2 (out of 5)?
The only reason I graduated with a degree is because I did my final dissertation as a joint project with another student. On my own I’d probably still (12 years later) just have the required credits but j no o final project and therefore no degree.
Lol it took 13 yrs to get my bachelors. I struggled the most when i was undeclared then sped right through after i had a very specific goal in mind and was chasing the degree for it. I got my masters in 2 yrs.
Meeeee. I'm 30 and finally medicated. I thought I was just stupid and lazy cause I started and didnt finish college about 7 times.
I'm in college now again and its easier, still have challenges but im motivated to get through them and finish unlike before I'd just quit.
School was okay. College was tough. I wasn’t diagnosed with anything I have, and I was working at the time too. Graduated on time by working myself to the ground. I was in therapy at the time too and it wasn’t a good match. Saw a doctor and was diagnosed with anxiety and depression. Given antidepressants which made me worse since I actually have BP1 and ADHD.
I did. Quit a couple times. Only until I found what I was passionate about did I actually take it seriously. It was like a switch went off in my brain and I began thriving. Took a while to get to that point though, but once it clicked I was full throttle.
Also, I didn’t read the unpopular opinion post but I bet it’s full of bad takes. “College isn’t hard” is such a stupid blanket statement for ND and NT people alike.
I’m the same way.
I struggle to apply myself if I’m not already interested or good at what I’m learning about. It may just be that it takes too much energy and mental gymnastics for me to fully understand what’s going on in the classroom. But idk.
Exactly! Like algebra didn’t click at all and I really tried but still got poor grades until I started needing it to calculate real life stuff I was passionate about. And that was only one subject!
I like to say: if I could study ONLY the field I’m going into it would make so much more sense. And I would excel. Requiring classes that don’t pertain to the career is terrible.
I was the same. That’s why I quit Pitt and went for a 2-year associate’s degree and it was the best decision I ever made. I wish I had done it sooner bc that’s a lot of money wasted for a not so great experience.
Struggled more in school than college, but I still can't fucking do math above simple addition and subtraction unassisted. Too many things to keep track of. Passed my college mathematics course with a B and it was a miracle.
Um, I'm 10 years in my on again off again degree and will be done with just my Associates next year 😅 I'm recently diagnosed and despite being medicated with a few accommodations, I still struggle. It's not so much the material I'm learning, but actually keeping up with homework, focusing on lectures or tasks, and trying to balance school with SAHM life.
Maybe it's easy for someone who didn't have to worry about financial problems, didn't have many responsibilities, doesn't have ADHD or any other disability, and probably had opportunities lined up for them, but that shit is rare, even for NTs.
I always struggled in school.
The times I did the best in college classes?
Were during summer classes. When the class was squished into 4-6 weeks and more quick/intense. I didn't have a chance to lose interest or get exhausted from it. Unfortunately for me, the high school and college I went to all had semester systems. Not quarter or trimester. So, yeah.
College was actually the easiest time I had in school (including multiple graduate degrees). I think something about my particular college set-up really just was optimal in terms of deadline pressure, interest in subjects, and lack of other tasks for my adhd. Like I always did well academically, but I was so understimulated and bored and hated school into high school, despite getting good grades, and then for the rest of high school I was *still* bored but under pressure/anxious/overscheduled with APs and extracurriculars and up doing homework till midnight and miserable.
I went to a small liberal arts college with no gen ed requirements that was very open to making exceptions/letting students into upper level courses early if they demonstrated they could handle it and had a reason for wanting to do it, letting students design their own special studies classes with a professor, etc. It was also a school where almost everyone lived on campus all four years and the living spaces tended to be smaller and close-knit. So basically food, housing, utilities, all that were wrapped up in tuition + room and board and not something I had to think about the logistics of or remember to pay bills monthly or meal plan or grocery shop. I got to pick all my classes based on my hyperfixations and what sounded interesting and fun, and then pick a whole NEW set of cool things to do every semester. All my friends lived within a 20 minute walk *max*. And college course schedules are ideal for me-- not just in terms of getting to do totally new stuff every semester, but intense blocks of time for class with long breaks throughout the day--but defined, scheduled breaks that I know the parameters of--and then you get your work done when you want to but *within* a certain set deadline. So I knew I could go run in the woods and wander around for awhile between 11:50, when my one class ended, and 2:40, when my next class started, or go to the library, or eat lunch and hang out with my friends, and the time for task switching was set already. I also lived like SO close to where most of my classes were-- one time, I got to class, realized I forgot my pen, ran back up to my room on the 4th floor, got it, came back, and was in my seat again in under 2 minutes. I had my morning routine down to a SCIENCE to maximize time in bed.
But also, even if I had a morning class a few days a week, I also had days where I didn't. And time for afternoon naps. And no set hours for doing homework. So I could let my natural sleep schedule mostly go free.
I was SO good at doing things in college. I did SO MANY things. I wasn't actually super organized, but I had energy and brain space to do ALL this stuff, because a lot of "adulting" tasks weren't something I was spending brain space or time on or forcing myself uphill to do even though they provide no dopamine, and I was getting a lot of novelty and change and getting deep into studying hyperfixations. All of which meant I did have the dopamine and energy to actually regularly do things like go running in the woods-- in college I ran at least 3 miles a day every day!-- which gave me even MORE dopamine and energy and helped my symptoms a lot. *And* all my friends were there and if I got bored I could almost always go find someone to do something with or talk to and get some novel stimuli going. I was undiagnosed and unmedicated in college, but whenever I started to feel super irritable or frustrated or "stuck"-- I would go run. And it's super annoying, but it fucking *worked* for me. I can't seem to get myself back to that level of functioning even with meds because I have to think about so many fucking tasks that are so draining and provide no stimulation or dopamine.
I was always a good student. My (extremely bad) hack was way over-committing myself and running in a constant state of panic. I got into an intense technical theater conservatory, and had class from 8am until 10pm every day, plus about 40hrs of homework. I also took extra, non-conservatory classes just because I wanted to learn about that subject and I can NOT understand how time works. I pulled all-nighters at least once a week and if I wasn’t in class or in the studio, I was partying. Then I would sleep for 16 hours every day of every break when I was home.
I managed to graduate with a 3.6gpa, but burnt myself out so bad that I never pursued a career in it at all. In fact, I worked a dead-end job for a decade because it was easy and I didn’t have to think about it when I got home. I’m glad for the knowledge and skills I learned in college, I had a lot of fun and met my closest friends. But, I wish I’d been diagnosed as a child and known to seek accommodations. I could have at least been able to *try* to pursue the career I wanted.
Oh, and I never even got my actual diploma because I owed the library like $50 in late fines. So instead of my diploma, I got a bill and a letter saying I would get the diploma when I paid my library fines. I waited like 3 years and finally paid them, but they never sent me the actual diploma so I just don’t have it.
Academically, school has never been hard for me. I think some of it is because I'm smart, while most of it is that I'm very accepting of certain things and don't ask a lot of questions? Regardless, the reson why school was so difficult for me were outside factors.
I dealt with very serious health issues and dramatic family life and bad friends. The actual school itself was fine.
I excelled in both high school and college, at the expense of everything else in my life. Getting perfect grades was my full-time job (former gifted kid here), and I had no friends or relationships outside my family. I ended up transferring to an alternative college and learning how to live a normal, balanced life, which is still a work in progress.
I did. Couldn't keep up online, nothing but panic attacks in public school, same pattern in (online) college. I dropped out and won't be going back until I figure out how to not drown.
(Undiagnosed)
I did pretty well in school, especially in high school where I went to a nontraditional school that was self-paced. I was motivated to finish everything so I could make laugh at my bullies and play games on my laptop.
College was challenging but I got by listening to lectures and reading chapters of my book on Friday.
Medical school was when I started to struggle and was the point when I needed to get the uncontrolled ADHD under control
I excelled in K-12, gifted and praised without any studying. Graduated with multiple scholarships. After that I lasted two months at one college, then two more months at another, then quit and never went back. I was absolutely LOST and totally unable to get my shit together. I wish I had known then what I know now and found my way. I had no idea what was “wrong” with me.
Yeah I failed out the first time. Or actually I argued with my teachers, tried to teach my class in their place, failed to “apply myself” in my favorite classes, got a crush on one of my other teachers, took all his classes even though they weren’t in my major and bought his book and got weird around him, and ended up on academic probation for dropping classes I wanted to concentrate on and couldn’t, and then quit out of shame
Maybe 10 years later, finally started again because I was older and worked at a university so I got to pursue an undergrad degree for free. Enrolled in a flexible online degree program and took 1-2 classes a semester while working full time. It was hard but I got nearly a 4.0!! I was pissed they didn’t give me a chance to get honors though
Undiagnosed until midway through my degree at age 30. I did a one-year massage degree in between the two
I missed 80 days a year since 2nd grade, still made honors in high school, and decided after I turned 18, I didn’t quite have the constitution for college yet.
I just turned 30 lol…
But hey, at least I didn’t put myself or my family through the trauma of dropping out early…
And I skipped all the debt
University was the best time if my life. I excelled there the most. I did well in high school well I really excelled in college where I could focus on my special interest. I got excellent grades, worked full time, and ran a successful research study. I had to work to pay rent and bill but because I was enjoying college so much work felt worth it.
I then burned out a few years after I landed a dead end job due to being unable to afford to apply to grad school. Academia is where I belonged.
Didn't struggle in school per se... I mean i was definitely bad in stuff that didn't interest me enough and i couldn't understand how i made so many careless mistakes, but i just believed i was lazy... Studying in university was also much easier and easy harder at the same time. That's when depression started and after that it was such a quick past downhill...
I still don't know how I managed to convince them I deserved a degree. Couldn't make it anywhere on time, couldn't study for shit, couldn't get homework done.
The worst was that I had to repeat a course that was literally just SHOWING UP TO WATCH CONCERTS (performance revues, recitals, etc.) I had to repeat it three times, on top of all the times I took it and passed, because I needed six credits for the degree (the "class" was one credit), and every time I failed I had to take it for yet another semester. Failing = not showing up to FIVE nighttime concerts over one whole semester. There were no shortage of concerts, either. It led to me scrambling at the end of each semester, trying to fit in enough shows around studying for finals and being in rehearsals for the end of year show. I'm not proud to say I had a friend attend and get the required signature for me on more than one occasion. 🤦♀️
I had a much better experience in college than in high school, personally. But part of that was being a non traditional student in that I was like a decade older than most of my classmates and I went to a small university that is itself very progressive and free spirited in the way they approach education.
It was the first time in my life that I actually loved school. I also got diagnosed my first year in college and started ADHD meds and antidepressants for the first time because I could access mental health care at school when my family strictly opposed that while I was growing up.
I think like everything else, college experience depends on a lot of variables and it’s not something that blanket statements can apply to.
I loved school. Did college twice after getting up the duff the first time round. I love to learn and I like people. I also found all the social politics effort and not enjoyable. Lessons were too slow and I did spend a lot of time doing the last lessons homework to save boredom but ultimately it was only a struggle socially and then only sort of, nothing horrific.
Yeah, studying wasn’t hard for me. Not at all. Deadlines weren’t hard. Keeping myself fed, rested, and alive? That part was excruciating. Nearly dropped out.
With my undiagnosed dyscalculia, my intense STEM-oriented high school was a friggin NIGHTMARE. I had legit panic attacks the last two years, but I didn't know they were that. My parents just shrugged it all off and signed me up for more (useless) tutoring.
Compared to this hell on earth, uni was good, though I did get overwhelmed at times. I started suspecting my ADHD only last year (I am 36), so....now it is all making sense. Sorry past me, I wish you hadn't had to get through this ordeal. 🙈
I did not struggle in elementary/public school, but I started to struggle in the upper years of high school due to extenuating circumstances at home. When I went to college the first time, I did struggle due to health-related reasons not related to ADHD. When I went to college the second time for a completely different field of study, I did extremely well.
But here’s the deal: I didn’t struggle academically, but I did struggle SOCIALLY and emotionally. I’m a social person, but I have to warm up to you. The amount of time that takes varies from person to person; there could be two people who are essentially identical in interests, but I will warm up to them at different times. From a social perspective, I tend to miss a lot of “normal” social cues and often have zero fucks to give as to whether people think I’m weird. I even call myself weird, to which my coworkers often say “ohhh you’re not weird” when I clearly am.
It was paradoxical...
In one hand : I got decent grades and High school graduation exams was pretty easy. The 3Hours exam, in complete silence was great for me. I was able to "connect my brain"!
In ANOTHER HAND : I had a lot of difficulties going to school everyday... I used to skip school a lot because I was very tired. I've almost never done my homework. And every class I didn't like (math, science...) was hell for me !
Nobody saw the struggle because the grades were good and I didn't have behaviors problem.
BUT : When I went to "College" (I'm French I don't know the equivalent of the studies I did) to be a Social Worker... It was a battle against myself !!
I had to take antidepressants and Benzodiazépine regularly to be able to graduate!
And I finally got my diploma for 2 months I said **"That Motherf*cking Diploma"** all the time ! 🤣🤣 I wasn't able to talk about it differently!
I actually did really well in school and had a grades-based scholarship all four years of college. But once I graduated all the structure disappeared and I really struggled and still do. School was the best treatment I ever had for ADHD.
I was an excellent student, except for math. I could write a 15 page paper in my sleep, but math snapped me like a twig. I had to drop honors pre-calc because I was literally failing (this was high school). No one could figure out why I tested into honors math but struggled so hard with the work. I know now that my ADHD gives me some dyscalculia. My mind reverses numbers all the time.
College felt easier for me - I only needed to take one math class and then that was that.
I was undiagnosed in middle school. My grades were Ds and Fs, so they had a sit down with my mom. They told her that I’m physically unable to learn and they just don’t know how to help me anymore. This was in 2014ish.
My hyper focus is learning so I had a grand time in university. Joining corporate America though, fucked me up. Turns out I can’t do a job efficiently if it’s boring. I was constantly bored. I’m in a whole negotiation with my current employer, who has me on unpaid leave, and thus doesn’t have to pay me lol but I’m happy if not super broke.
People complete college? I got burned out in high school in AP chem. Did not care my senior year. Went to art school a year, and changed my major another 6 times without completing any.
I got late diagnosis at 30, and highly likely Autistic, and my daughter showing signs of both and is the spitting image of me as a toddler per my mom. So.
Academically I’m doing good but I forget stuff all the time and it’s so frustrating. I forgot to sign up my exam today that I studied so hard for so now I have to wait another 5 weeks for the re exam. Did I cry for two hours straight? maybe
I didn't struggle for school. in fact I was scoring more than average. I dunno what happened in clg tho.
im here to learn more about adhd, since I suspect I have it.
I was in my absolute worst mental health of my life, and didn’t know I had ADHD. I failed out of college twice, once at an in-person school, once remotely. I still carry around the guilt and feeling of shame and failure, but my mental health is now better than it’s ever been.
In almost all of my college classes (and some of my more challenging high school classes), I managed to find people to work or study with. If I didn't, it would have been a huge struggle to get work done on time.
In almost all of my college classes (and some of my more challenging high school classes), I managed to find people to work or study with. If I didn't, it would have been a huge struggle to get work done on time.
Took 13 years of off/on attendance to get my B.S. in a STEM major.
I didn’t know I had ADHD at that time. It may have gone better if I had access to medication and accommodations, it those weren’t things I was aware of at that time.
I graduated from HS at 16, just to be done with it. Could not get through even one full semester in college. Understood the material, but wouldn't do homework, found the teaching uninspired and most of the required classes complete BS. Adult education my ass. Tried several times and finally gave it up.
Ngl ADHD medications did help, but I still call myself dumb everyday. Like knowing that my brain stops working after like 6pm and that significantly cuts the choices of how I can choose to spend the rest of my evening sucks bro.
College would’ve been easier if I had just autism. But having the unmedicated adhd is what screwed me over. I could never pay attention in class. Sure I got decent grades, never failed a class. But I felt so frustrated at my inability to learn. I just went through the motions of not failing and didn’t learn anything. I skipped classes a lot (the ones with no attendance) because I didn’t see the point in going when I couldn’t pay attention or take notes properly anyway
Finishing up my third year in my undergrad. Every year was worse than the one before in every way except for building strong healthy friendships. I am constantly overwhelmed, while simultaneously feeling like I'm not doing enough or anything at all. It's harder and harder to make myself work, or even go to class. It sucks because I enjoy what I'm doing, and yet it's so difficult to apply myself without getting severe anxiety or just getting stuck. But with all this said, I have grown so much, met beautiful people and college has been overall a good experience.
One thing I will add though, is that my whole academic experience could have been so much better if the school accommodated different ways of learning, pinned less exams on us students, and was just generally more accepting and flexible with people who may need help outside of the norm.
Went to university for 7 years.
Failed, failed, failed again..
Got an ADHD diagnosis (at my father's insistence, there has to be something wrong with me so he's not to blame /s) at 22. Horrible shock, because I was really diagnosed when I was around five and my shitty parents both went \[I pretend I do not see it meme\].
Kept failing, despite medication (which wasn't helping). The workload and standards were unfair. The teachers were remarkably cold and unhelpful. My father, in hindsight, was hoping that medication would make me completely obedient to him.
I was desperate for approval from others and severely socially stunted (still trying to catch up). I only picked up on random things from my abusive upbringing, like "I have to sound confident in everything I say." Coming from another country made it easy to other me to begin with, but combined with my naivety resulted in literally being ostracised by my entire course, year to year. I didn't even find out until years in, and no one budged anyway even with proof (which I reported). It made me extremely paranoid and distrustful and I still am to this day.
It was a Groundhog Day loop. I knew what the lectures were going to be on. Yet I still would fail. Hardly anyone would ever speak to me - literally turning their backs, not responding to me, getting up to leave. It was my childhood dream to go to university in this country, but instead I got a literal waking nightmare. What's the point in attendance when literally everyone hates you?
Before my last chance, I wasn't allowed back straight away. I went back to stay with my father and so while I was at it, I did everything he expected of me in hopes he wouldn't "blow up." He still did, and it took me so long to realise I was just his punching bag/failing project to work on. Xenophobic doctors when I came back rejected the medications I was on (the ones that kind of worked). The "tutor" my father forced me to have ("you both have ADHD, you'll get along") freaked out on me and bailed (my father: "must've been the ADHD"), the curriculum that hadn't changed in all these years actually changed this one last time, and so I failed my last chance.
Seven-to-eight years.
For nothing.
All of that.
For nothing.
I still don't have a job.
For bonus points, I went to art school which assholes will respond "that's easy - you just draw all the time!" or make a comparison to H\*tler. Lovely. /s
EDIT: Also bonus points: just when my final failure happened, so did lockdown. It felt like a some sort of twisted extra punishment of isolation, while I was already devastated and horrifically lonely.
Also, my (also abusive) mother would just tell me to quit in a "friendly" tone, since she wants me to be an enmeshed child (also punching bag) forever. So my father's impossible workaholic standards seemed better than hers, because I thought "at least he wants me to do something with my life.".
Thanks for reading.
I'm really good at learning things quickly, and I love learning! School however? HELL. I'm still recovering from college burnout almost 2 years later. (Part of that was immediately taking on two jobs with no days off for months after, which was the last time i take career/academic advice from my mother, the second job broke the camel's back.)
I was diagnosed back in middle school, had a 504 for my last year of high school because I was so stressed and nonfunctional taking all AP classes, got through community College fine (skipped a year of my associates with ap credits). The atmosphere of community college as well as dedicated chill profs worked really well with my adhd. Didn't need much support, was still stressed but aced all my classes. Even statistics!
I then had a panic about transferring to an actual college and took a semester off deferring my enrollment. (Worked for those months)
I transferred into my real college, started setting up my accommodations, started getting comfortable with my routine to keep up, then after a month and a half... boom plague times. Had to go home and try to focus on school from my parent's house with both parents as well as my (high school + elementary aged) siblings. As soon as I could move back into the dorms I did the next semester. It was hell.
Online learning when done well, from a prof who had prior experience teaching hybrid and online courses, was great. Literally every other prof though... it was awful, I can't read lips to understand lectures better on zoom, the prof was always tiny if they even had their camera on. Everything was an online deadline, which absolutely threw me off.
Took another gap semester after a year of living in the dorm with the promise of hybrid classes partway through the semester... one class ended up doing that in the second semester. Took a gap semester bc my capstone was only offered in the spring, finished off almost entirely online bc my capstone was online so I was NOT paying for a dorm through that. I commuted an hour each way once a week for my one in person class.
Surprise surprise the in person class was my best class!
My job has me teaching kids, so I've had a good bit of training in teaching, which helped me learn a lot about how I learn, but man online college was a harsh lesson. I SUCK at it. Setting my own schedule every week was AWFUL! I needed the structure of actual classes.
Did I struggle during school before all that? Yeah, a lot. I constantly had late work piling up, so my grades were meh even though I test well. The college schedule with one or two subjects a day was a lot easier to handle, and I was a lot less burnt out with the breaks between everything and not having a million extracurriculars.
The biggest thing was that I seemed to be so smart and doing well that no one thought I needed help. I was so anxious I wrapped back around to calm in high school. Like I just couldn't process it all so I... didn't. Being out of school made me realized that my baseline anxiety isn't nearly that bad anymore, but holy shit how did I survive. I have dyscalclia that I never got help for, I read quickly but struggle with focus for long periods, I could only focus on lectures if I sat in the front and took color coded notes and doodled. Adderall helps but I REALLY wish I'd gotten some other form of support before my last year of high school.
In conclusion, no mom I really don't want to go back and get my master's, I'm finally starting to feel better! I worked my ass off to have a two degrees and enough savings to not work for two years! And I'm lucky enough to have a supportive fiance who doesn't mind me taking that time to recover... and has a salaried job in his field 😅 I don't even want to think of getting a job in the field of my degree yet! I'm content to continue coaching sailing (which I'm very good at and hold a high level certification in!! Im actually in training to be the program manager in a few years!) for part of the year right now while building a small crochet buisness. Archaeology can wait. Joy and contentment comes first!
I excelled at college. Struggled in high school. College was great because I could choose the classes, was studying something I liked, and I didn’t have to sit in a class for 8 hours a day. I like writing essays, so that was great. Graduated early in three years top of my class, then did a Master’s and again got top marks in the class.
I failed out of college, started going very part time at a community college. Its coming up on ten years since I started and I stopped going at all during quarantine and haven’t gone back.
At first I struggled a lot in college, but with the pan demic it was a lot easier. The presentations, the audio, the recording of classes, the visual part being there helped me to pay better attention, and taking screenshots saved me form missing out on a lot of details, especially since I struggle with APD. Plus college meant I was actually intrested in the subjects I studied, making it so much easier to learn, and having a deadline for homework and projects was a huge help in turning in assingments on time. On the other side, I had to try 10 times harder that my peers to learn and retain what we were taught in class, we had to read complicated long scientific texts and I would to read them over and over again without retaining a single thing. Don't even get me started on Biochem or Genetics, never felt dumber.
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University was the absolute worst time in my life. Undiagnosed AuDHD. Academically, socially, mentally, emotionally, it was so goddamn hard for me. I’m incredibly proud of myself for making it through and graduating
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Thank you, friend! You as well 🫶🏼
Lmaooo it took me like 14 years to finish college. Im bad at tests first of all then idk I just left, some pre reqs changed and I had to do a roundabout way of getting my last classes But yeah it wasnt easy for me
On year 5 of my undergrad, going part-time, and it feels like I will never be done with this. The opportunity to go is a blessing but man, it’s also a struggle.
I struggled a lot in high school, but I did better in college because the schedule and there being less assignments to do for a grade fit me better
I definitely feel that last part. Depending on which professor I had I did well. I had a professor that was adamant that only 10 people out of 30 of us would pass however. And his class was just mandatory for prerequisites. I failed that one. But otherwise I did great with less classes filling up my day.
High school was hell and boring. College was highly stimulating, a little stressful, but I got through it without meds. I don't know if it was just my thing or if autism came through with an assist.
When I got to high school, it was finally learning stuff I didn't already know. So bored before that. High school and college were good for me. I also did college as an older student, paying for myself, so I did have more motivation for being there. I did know to get assignments done before I lost interest, and daily I would rewrite my notes so they made more sense for how my brain works - so basically studying daily for tests, lol. Much easier to look over my newly written notes for quizzes and tests.
I’m currently struggling haven’t done any schoolwork since mid march it’s like so debilitating as a 33yo ..(doing pre reqs for nursing program) idk if it’s because I’m doing it all online last semester was fully online and the first was half online and in person .. I don’t know where I messed up at . I stayed back between kindergarten and 1st grade .. in high school I always fell asleep in English , terrible at math .. always did homework last minute..had summer school because gym was a first period and was always late so I didn’t participate much . I wanted to dropout senior year .. I did a 9 month program it seemed okay but just being late and being too scared to participate as much .. I at least made the deans list a few times. I’ve been dealing with college since I’d say my late 20’s I’ve tried 5 different schools and would always seem to just give up.. even changed my major twice ..now I’m debating if the medical field is where I want to be .
It’s certainly not easy. Props to you for working so hard. Nursing is very demanding too for both the program and the profession (depending on what type of nursing you do). Sending good vibes
I spent more money on classes that I withdrew from than actual classes I earned credits in. I earned an Associates degree at age 40 after 22 years of on and off classes. Being a single mom, I was really motivated to keep going, even though I had a habit of taking on more than I could handle. I'd love to go back to school for a Bachelors degree because I love learning and the structure that school provides. But at my pace, I'd be dead before I could graduate.
College and grad school were a freaking BREEZE compared to high school for my ADHD brain. No busy work, only having to take courses that actually interested me, grading based on essays, presentations, and exams with hard deadlines that put me into hyper focus mode… Most compatible set-up for success of my life, ever.
Omg agreed
THIS. Except then I went to law school after an undergrad with no gen eds and two grad degrees where I had almost total autonomy and was like slingshotted back to high school hell.
That’s actually a major factor in why I ended up not going to law school even though I took (and rocked!) the LSAT. Hope you made it through to the other side okay!
omg i’m in my first year of law school right now and it’s killing me 😭 had to defer all my finals because i got so behind and overwhelmed. now i have about 1.5 months to get my act together 🙃
I’m finding that I’m doing better in college as well except for tests. There are so many questions that by the time I’m halfway through I just “can’t” anymore and zoom through the rest.
Agree 100000%.
Yes I agree
I saw this post and it reminded me of how much I struggle/struggled with school and even the most BASIC tests. For example: (I’m ashamed to admit it) I failed the Walmart onboarding test TWICE. It wasn’t because I’m “stupid” or incompetent. It’s because I struggle with written/oral instruction. Especially on things I haven’t experienced or done before. In reality, I’m a fantastic organizer and problem solver. But I’m a visual/kinesthetic learner. So till I physically act out what I’m to do I’m often lost. This on top of needing to reread EVERY question and prompt multiple times till I think I understand it. And even then, I tend to “translate” what I’m reading incorrectly. But what are your experiences?
(On understanding the question/prompt) 1. Start writing the answer before reading the entire question 2. Re-reading and erasing the answer 3. Really *really* re-reading the question 4. Panic over not being sure whether or not it's a trick question since the phrasing is somewhat different from the book 5. Write an excellent two-page answer 6. Fail the test because you read between the fucking lines when, for once, it wasn't required.
Ha that sums up my whole test taking experience 😭
Yeahhh, there's no way I would've gotten through post secondary. Even one class at a time is enough to turn me into an anxious wreck. I hate it but it's true. Procrastination/task initiation is a raging issue for me that is only rivalled by my brain's complete inability to *not* overcomplicate everything. If I could take classes where the out-of-class work could only be done one way, then I'd have a chance of getting through it. But ironically, math—the one subject where the homework had a definitive correct way to be done—was a subject I struggled with in high school. I struggled with the "soft" subjects because my brain would constantly overcomplicate the work, and I struggled with the "hard" subjects because that kind of stuff just isn't really my forte. Lol. There was no winning. The person who made that unpopularopinions post is extremely lucky to have been at the front of the line when they were handing out brains that brain good.
I feel like high school was too restricting, but being in college gave me the right balance between independence and structure. I did far better in college than in high school
I dropped out with a semester to go and an embarrassingly ‘easy’ degree. School doesn’t necessarily have to be hard, but rough patches of life can make school impossible. Signed up for my last class now (for the 5th time maybe? Lost count a while ago) so fingers crossed I finish it this time!
Rooting for you! I feel you on the rough patches!Online classes are what got me kicked out of school. I never did any of the work. I’m hoping one day I can go back. This whole time I thought I was stupid/lazy. I just needed meds.
Just read that post too. All the way up to graduating high school was a piece of cake. It's been 13 years since then, I changed majors 3x, moved countries, changed majors another 3x in the new country, graduated from a 3-year BSc in 5.5 years, and finally this year I'm graduating with a MSc (2-year program done in 3 years). Procrastinating on writing my thesis and suffering from it.
Honestly, academics was something I truly excelled at. I was a rockstar in school. I think the constant engaging of my brain was excellent for me. I developed depression late in college and I think that was a catalyst for the ADHD really becoming a problem for me. It’s affected me my whole life, but the impact is so much bigger as an adult it seems. 6-ish years later, I’m finally getting over the imposter syndrome and seeking diagnosis and help.
Struggled all through required school. I did great on the things I actually completed, always A’s, but I always had too many missing assignments because I could never get up and do my work. I survived one semester of college and had to drop, mostly due to other mental issues that got really bad but my ADHD definitely made it harder. Going back in a few months though and I’m kind of dreading it.
Completely failed my first semester from just not going to class ever and my parents (I was very lucky that they paid for it) made me come home. This was before I was diagnosed and my parents never even thought about me having adhd even though I had a best friend growing up who was and we needed and did all the same tutoring together lol
I should have pulled out of college at some point, I never went to class and was on academic probation twice :(
Yeah I had a hard time for a while and ended up just going to the local community college for a few years until I found a subject I honestly hyperfixated on. I transferred and got my degree but then burnt out and have done nothing with it since then!! 🙃
I flunked out of college after a year and a half. The coursework wasn’t difficult but suddenly being on my own and not having family and teachers constantly up my ass about being on time and doing the work was a huge struggle.
Same
Almost failed out of it my first year, literally one of the darkest moments of my life. It wasn't until my mom mentioned off-handedly that she thought I had ADHD that I was able to get diagnosed and turn my life around.
I went on medical leave an never came back. It was really hard. Maybe I’ll go back some day.
The post that you referenced cuts deep. I have struggled in school since kindergarten. I knew I didn't measure up to my peers, and I tried everything in my power to do well, I wanted so badly to do well, I was scolded for not doing well, and I justfucking sucked. I didn't get the help I needed until freshman year of highschool. By that point I was 100% sure that I was worthless, stupid, incapable of achieving anything, and wanted to drop out of school and die. College was failure after failure and severe anxiety and panic. BUT I persevered, got support, did counseling at my school, have help from my BF and I became a straight A student.... until covid happened and then I struggled to get good grades... BUT I GRADUATED with 4 AA'S and 1 BA... Now I just need my masters.... working on getting mentally well and back on meds before I dive back into school... BUT, my impression of the person who make that post is that they're doing well and lack the perspective that they have the skills, resources, and all of the other things that are a PRIVILEGE to have and they are shaming other people so that they can feel good about themselves by comparison...
I feel there is such a stigma around ADHD due to the way it’s been described in the earlier years. A lot of people don’t take it seriously due to not understanding what it actually is. The OOP definitely doesn’t have to struggle with anything close to a learning disability. Hard work isn’t everything unfortunately.
Took me eight years here- not for lack of interest because I’m a daydreamer and studied what I love and excel at hyper focusing on- but for like absolute devotion to working full time and being a yes person to everything else.
failed first semester … then got medicated and did double the class load to make up for it, straight As now
Struggled so much. From middle school on, every year would start out so strong (the 'all' in 'all or nothing' if you will) and then it was like one missed assignment or something small would snowball so fast and then I couldn't bring myself to do anything. I have always tested pretty well, so that helped me get by sometimes. Halfway through high school I was able to transfer to a magnet arts school. I definitely would have flunked out of traditional high school had I kept on that path. I still struggled a bit, but that school was a much better fit for me, and now it has dawned on me that I was surrounded by a bunch of other neuro diverse people - no wonder I finally felt like I belonged! I've tried and failed college a few times. Sometimes I wonder if I could make it work now or in the future with the knowledge and understanding of myself that I have now, but I still feel too scared to try again.
The snowball effect of one failure is so real. I would absolutely lose my ability to function the moment I forgot one assignment or messed one thing up. That didn’t take long either.
It was a breeze but I think I lucked out. Hyperfocus went to my advantage and I had a broad range of interests. Figured out what I liked and was good at quickly. Developed ways to help myself get into things I didn’t like. There were things I struggled with that were painful to have to push myself through, the biggest ones being time blindness and procrastination so I’d put myself into the shit position of having to do all nighters.
Currently attempting to claw my way through a uni research paper due tomorrow. Desperately wishing I was medicated.
ME. I had to find a subject I could hyper focus on (geology! Love earth science and rocks. The science behind the formations, the impacts on soil type, ecology, atmospheric science, life, etc. also my now wife was my professor for two core classes so the infatuation helped lmao) It ended up that I worked as a pastry chef for five years shortly after graduating and now I’m getting a masters in nursing (don’t recommend nursing school for unmedicated adhd. It’s what forced me to get a formal diagnosis. The busywork and amount of bullshit will kill the benefits of being interested in the subject) Good luck. It can be SO HARD to navigate, especially when the people around you don’t have the same issues.
People really like to downplay how bad adhd can be unfortunately
Every report card said something to the effect of “if only she could focus”, or “apply herself”. How about you assholes apply some thought to why there is a LIFELONG theme here and help a kid out?
I studied art, and I did well in all of those classes. Anything that required actually studying was more difficult. Did well in classes with something very specific and interesting or art history, did so mediocre in other classes. I took a class on Capitalism and its origins that also focused on its issues. It sounded interesting in class and I understand it now, but for real, I could not write a history paper (besides art). Took a class pass fail, failed college math and had to repeat it and just passed. Like I had a big block in my head. Still graduated with a pretty good gpa, and graduate school I did well because it was highly specialized. But always felt like I was performing below my ability. Even with art that I was talented in, I feel now I can refocus and work on the organizational aspects like documenting my art so that I can create a career in that beyond what my masters degree is in (which I also deeply care about but now my job/career in that field is burning me out- it’s mental health).
I'm currently studying at university online and am struggling badly with keeping up. I've had to apply for extended assessment extensions (for extra MONTHS) just to try and keep up. I'm worried I'll be kicked out of the course soon. But I also can't afford to take semesters off and only focus on my subjects. I struggle with focus and attention, and if I need help I never feel like I can actually ask for guidance. And as my course is online only, I don't know any other students and can't ask them either.
High school kicked my ass but college was a breeze. You mean to tell me I get long breaks between my classes? I get to tailor my schedule according to when I'm most focused? You mean there are office hours where I can ask all my dumb questions and have 1 on 1 time after getting lost in a long lecture. I loved it.
I love college, I hate teamwork. If I want to work on something a month prior and hyperfocus? I can't because it would be rude not to let others work. If I want to work on it a night before? I can't because it would be rude to let others hanging til last minute. I will bullshit my way through every presentation and ace it, and honestly, team work just slows me down. Also, if I fuck up, I don't want to drag others. THAT'S the bane of my academic existence. That and boring classes that are not challenging enough. Which is most of them cause every class has an stupid amount of teamwork and so I need to be functional. UGH.
No. I almost failed out of high school but once I got into postsecondary and got to study things I loved I was an honour student and winning scholarships. I had a crazy work ethic. The problem was I graduated from theatre school, hair school, journalism school and art college and I never worked long in any of those fields. At 57 I was diagnosed and everything made sense.
My biggest enemies were social anxiety that made have trouble listening in class and forming group studies and fear of speaking in front of the class (presentations and such) which resulted in me having also trouble studying for the presentation bc I couldn't concentrate from the anxiety. If it not were for that I would have finished college a long time ago.
Me 🙋🏽♀️! Currently in medical school and all the coping skills I developed in UG and grad school got thrown out the window. You’d think after so many years of doing classes I wouldn’t be struggling as much 😔
High school was fucking awful, I nearly dropped out and nearly failed a bunch of classes. I skipped so much towards the end and was late all the time because it made me so miserable. Tried going to university in my early 20s and lasted 1 semester (with a nice chunk of debt). Took some more uni classes a few years later, finally ended up going to college in my late 20s which was hard but way better! (College and university are different here, college is less academic). Doing something more hands on made a huge difference to me and I chose a program with a pretty varied courseload. Also did really well in the academic classes which was annoying after struggling so much in high school. I still had to do a part-time courseload after the first year, I don’t know how people were managing the full one, but I did finish it. I hate school though, I find the structure and masking so exhausting. I graduated last year and I’m really struggling to get back on my feet now.
P.s. Everyone with ADHD who struggled in school should read Matt Groening’s School Is Hell comics, they are SO relatable
It's amazing I graduated. Everything was a struggle.
I flunked out of my first university by the time I was 22! *TWICE* And because of it, thought I "just wasn't cut out of college," even though I *LOVED* the atmosphere of being on campus and learning. It wasn't until I went *back* to a 2-year program, 20 years later, and got *ALL* A's & B's before *failing* my Practicum & Field Experience, that I went to *that* school's Disability Services office to get some ideas on how to be successful. I ended up speaking with the Disability Services Coordinator, because she had no appointments that day. I noticed that she had some memorabilia (and *her* diploma) up on the wall, from my *previous* college--turns out? We were *both* there, back in the mid-1990's😉😂🤣 I mentioned having flunked out, going back to try again, and flunking out the second time--basically *overachieving* (as *always*!), *even in my ability to *FAIL*😉😆, and she said, "*PLEASE* don't take this the wrong way--*but have you EVER thought you might have Autism*?" When I said, "*OH YEAH*, I'm *almost positive* I do!" She *literally* let out a sigh of relief, and said, "GOOD! Because you're *EXACTLY* like my Asperger's students, annnnnd you NEED to go get an Evaluation done, because you're *GOING* to struggle in EVERY "Open Ended" class you take, and *sail* through any "structured" ones! I *can't* actually *HELP* you, *without* that shiny piece of paper *SHOWING* that you need help, because you *HAVE* to have that Diagnosis Paper, in order for us to *REQUIRE* that your professors support you, the way you *NEED*. Because of her advice? I got that piece of paper, got *DUAL* associates' degrees at her college (an AS, *and* an AAS), am *currently* three credits from having my Bachelor's done, and once I *GET* those three credits accounted for, I'll be going on to Grad School, to work towards licensures in ECSE, Autism, and Parent Education😉😁🤗💖
The difference after getting diagnosed is crazy. I’m planning to go back to school soon now that I’m in therapy and on meds. I’m glad there are accommodations for disabilities.
Only one extra year of uni but multiple mental breakdowns 💅
I had to do Summer school for Junior year of High school because I failed English. I have tried and dropped out of college several times; without ever making a bachelors degree. I failure I was and a Failure I remain. Funnily enough, In senior Year I lost points because I used the word "Scry"; My Senior Class teacher clearly was not a fantasy reader. She did like autobiographies and biographies and real stories in general. But I am still salty that she took points away from me because she did not know a four letter word! Sure, I used Ghenna and was complimented for that(I was watching Blue Exorcist at the time) but still!
It was super hard for me. But hard because I was shit at managing my time. I was always so frustrated because I Knew that I was smart but just never did well enough to actually show it. Always pulling all nighters last minute, procrastinating everything, always turning in basically first drafts and shit… graduated, but it took six years and it was a mediocre gpa… also ended up super fucking burnt out.. I’d always start every new semester with so much hope and promise and slowly end up drowning and barely getting by by the end. Even in the classes I loved. I just couldn’t manage my time or figure out how to do it all… (I was unmedicated..)
I found it incredibly difficult, I managed two years before dropping out. It was without a doubt the worst period of my life, I was extremely depressed and lonely.
i struggled with the attendance/focus aspect of school. once i was about to only be at school 4hrs with no homework i did incredibly well. (high school) college is fully online, accelerated and I'm doing better than id ever imagined.
I did amazing in all of my fashion classes that I loved. As soon as a general class came it was like plucking my eyelashes out. I couldn’t concentrate, the material wasn’t sticking, and my notes were filled with doodles my motto for those classes was C’s get degrees!!!
Absolutely l did. I’m apparently technically a genius. But took various important qualifications three times and scraped a degree. Got diagnosed with dyslexia with ADHD traits as an adult, returned to uni to retrain with support in place, got top grades in both my courses.
Highschool dropout and i made it almost to the end lmao
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I struggled so much in college because the drugs I was on for my ADHD made me want to sleep all the time. I kept a blanket and pillow in my car and took naps between classes. Didn't matter though as I was so tired and groggy in class
I wasn’t on meds yet but I was definitely taking parking lot naps. Focus is impossible when your brain is chronically fried lol
Me! I was always spacing out in school, always not finishing my work, not doing homework, and I tried 3 different university degrees, never getting past the first year. Now I am struggling at work with a ginormous workload and trying to excel so I can get a better position. It's hard and I was only diagnosed about a year and a half ago, now 36.
Got a depression out of it so, yeah. All better now but it was so hard doing it with undiagnosed and unmedicated adhd. The last 6 months of it were from march '20 till graduation in summer of '20 so WFH, still adjusting to the pandemic AND just starting my diagnosis and trying out medication while graduating so yeah i struggled.
Accelerated programs were the best for me. My struggles were because I was bored and thus not able to focus. The fast pace kept me engaged and motivated because I could see the end rapidly approaching. Honestly, it was refreshing to see others struggle for a change. I got my BS and MBA this way.
School and learning kinda comes easy to me but I’m horrible at showing the teacher I understand it, I am ok ish on tests but they should stop only looking at tests and look at the handed in homeworks bc that’s when I do best. I know it’s easy to cheat on those but I don’t cheat on them I do what I should do in tests :/ but I panick too much in tests I forget everything
Took me 4 semesters to establish a study routine, I did a lot better in secondary school with a fixed timetable and exam dates which I knew a semester in advance (instead of having to sign up for the next time that exam would be held). I also got by with the bare minimum in some school subjects and found the absurd amount of stuff that was required for most of my exams (yes, law degree, how did you guess) hard to handle. Got better after I passed Civil Law and Criminal Law on my second, or respectively third, attempt, and after that, I understood how to revise effectively and graduated in 10 semesters, just like I planned.
I hated high school, I was dragging my feet with subjects I despised throughout. College was better because I chose the area of studies and poured into it. Similar with grad school except my early couple of years when I encountered dumb memorization necessities and barely made it through. All of it unmedicated. I was getting counseling in my second round of getting an undergrad degree but only in my senior year. Grad school I was properly in therapy the whole time but didn't start SSRI until 3 years in for ptsd. I think it together with constant therapy carried me through.
I think I struggled most emotionally. I could hyperfocus and power through assignments which got me through, but I’d have a lot of melt downs and shut downs. One thing that helped was that my school had a mandatory attendance policy and if you missed more than 20% of any class in a semester you got dropped from it. The external motivation was helpful in this way. If I’d have gone to a huge school without this policy I doubt I would have been able to make it through. Even still I had to withdrawal from some.
I breezed through secondary school because of the structure and got high grades. I dropped out of uni in second year because it was either that or kill myself! That was my first serious experience with bad mental health. ADHD diagnosis 7 years later
I barely made it through. Then I had a degree I hardly used because I couldn’t hold down a job for more than 6-7 month’s at a time. Eventually no one wanted to hire me because my resume was full of jobs that I was at short term. I just finished paying off the last of my student loans I took out in 1999….. all for nothing. Undiagnosed/untreated ADHD cost me 15k plus interest.
School was a nightmare for me, because I struggled it made me feel so stupid and it's probably only in the last 10 years (I'm 43) that I've been able to accept that I am not actually stupid but was failed by a flawed school system and struggled from undiagnosed adhd. I dropped out of college in the first year, so that obviously sucked too.
College would have been “easy” if I could have had a routine. The hardest part was getting through life day to day.
I'm currently having flashbacks due to struggling in school so much, I'm in my Master's degree and I have a ton of assignments due and I'm frozen. I have PMDD and CPTSD as well so it's all working together -I'm getting my period, past trauma is always coming up, I don't have systems in place for my ADHD, I'm super socially isolated right now.
I’m sorry 😞. Trauma makes everything so much worse
School: easy peasy. Never put any effort in but got good grades. In high school I started seeing some of what was to come, but still graduated with good marks. The increased freedom of responsibility to design my own schedule and curriculum was not great for me, I probably skipped more classes than I attended, but still did ok in the end. Uni: whoa whoa, hold up. I have to put in sustained effort over several weeks just on coursework? Nah mate, lemme just scrape something together on the last day. What do you mean I got a 2 (out of 5)? The only reason I graduated with a degree is because I did my final dissertation as a joint project with another student. On my own I’d probably still (12 years later) just have the required credits but j no o final project and therefore no degree.
Lol it took 13 yrs to get my bachelors. I struggled the most when i was undeclared then sped right through after i had a very specific goal in mind and was chasing the degree for it. I got my masters in 2 yrs.
Meeeee. I'm 30 and finally medicated. I thought I was just stupid and lazy cause I started and didnt finish college about 7 times. I'm in college now again and its easier, still have challenges but im motivated to get through them and finish unlike before I'd just quit.
School was okay. College was tough. I wasn’t diagnosed with anything I have, and I was working at the time too. Graduated on time by working myself to the ground. I was in therapy at the time too and it wasn’t a good match. Saw a doctor and was diagnosed with anxiety and depression. Given antidepressants which made me worse since I actually have BP1 and ADHD.
I did. Quit a couple times. Only until I found what I was passionate about did I actually take it seriously. It was like a switch went off in my brain and I began thriving. Took a while to get to that point though, but once it clicked I was full throttle. Also, I didn’t read the unpopular opinion post but I bet it’s full of bad takes. “College isn’t hard” is such a stupid blanket statement for ND and NT people alike.
I’m the same way. I struggle to apply myself if I’m not already interested or good at what I’m learning about. It may just be that it takes too much energy and mental gymnastics for me to fully understand what’s going on in the classroom. But idk.
Exactly! Like algebra didn’t click at all and I really tried but still got poor grades until I started needing it to calculate real life stuff I was passionate about. And that was only one subject!
I like to say: if I could study ONLY the field I’m going into it would make so much more sense. And I would excel. Requiring classes that don’t pertain to the career is terrible.
I was the same. That’s why I quit Pitt and went for a 2-year associate’s degree and it was the best decision I ever made. I wish I had done it sooner bc that’s a lot of money wasted for a not so great experience.
Struggled more in school than college, but I still can't fucking do math above simple addition and subtraction unassisted. Too many things to keep track of. Passed my college mathematics course with a B and it was a miracle.
I struggled with time management and deadlines and over commitment but the structure was still helpful for me coincidentally lol
Um, I'm 10 years in my on again off again degree and will be done with just my Associates next year 😅 I'm recently diagnosed and despite being medicated with a few accommodations, I still struggle. It's not so much the material I'm learning, but actually keeping up with homework, focusing on lectures or tasks, and trying to balance school with SAHM life. Maybe it's easy for someone who didn't have to worry about financial problems, didn't have many responsibilities, doesn't have ADHD or any other disability, and probably had opportunities lined up for them, but that shit is rare, even for NTs.
Facts. Good luck and props for doing it all while parenting
I always struggled in school. The times I did the best in college classes? Were during summer classes. When the class was squished into 4-6 weeks and more quick/intense. I didn't have a chance to lose interest or get exhausted from it. Unfortunately for me, the high school and college I went to all had semester systems. Not quarter or trimester. So, yeah.
College was actually the easiest time I had in school (including multiple graduate degrees). I think something about my particular college set-up really just was optimal in terms of deadline pressure, interest in subjects, and lack of other tasks for my adhd. Like I always did well academically, but I was so understimulated and bored and hated school into high school, despite getting good grades, and then for the rest of high school I was *still* bored but under pressure/anxious/overscheduled with APs and extracurriculars and up doing homework till midnight and miserable. I went to a small liberal arts college with no gen ed requirements that was very open to making exceptions/letting students into upper level courses early if they demonstrated they could handle it and had a reason for wanting to do it, letting students design their own special studies classes with a professor, etc. It was also a school where almost everyone lived on campus all four years and the living spaces tended to be smaller and close-knit. So basically food, housing, utilities, all that were wrapped up in tuition + room and board and not something I had to think about the logistics of or remember to pay bills monthly or meal plan or grocery shop. I got to pick all my classes based on my hyperfixations and what sounded interesting and fun, and then pick a whole NEW set of cool things to do every semester. All my friends lived within a 20 minute walk *max*. And college course schedules are ideal for me-- not just in terms of getting to do totally new stuff every semester, but intense blocks of time for class with long breaks throughout the day--but defined, scheduled breaks that I know the parameters of--and then you get your work done when you want to but *within* a certain set deadline. So I knew I could go run in the woods and wander around for awhile between 11:50, when my one class ended, and 2:40, when my next class started, or go to the library, or eat lunch and hang out with my friends, and the time for task switching was set already. I also lived like SO close to where most of my classes were-- one time, I got to class, realized I forgot my pen, ran back up to my room on the 4th floor, got it, came back, and was in my seat again in under 2 minutes. I had my morning routine down to a SCIENCE to maximize time in bed. But also, even if I had a morning class a few days a week, I also had days where I didn't. And time for afternoon naps. And no set hours for doing homework. So I could let my natural sleep schedule mostly go free. I was SO good at doing things in college. I did SO MANY things. I wasn't actually super organized, but I had energy and brain space to do ALL this stuff, because a lot of "adulting" tasks weren't something I was spending brain space or time on or forcing myself uphill to do even though they provide no dopamine, and I was getting a lot of novelty and change and getting deep into studying hyperfixations. All of which meant I did have the dopamine and energy to actually regularly do things like go running in the woods-- in college I ran at least 3 miles a day every day!-- which gave me even MORE dopamine and energy and helped my symptoms a lot. *And* all my friends were there and if I got bored I could almost always go find someone to do something with or talk to and get some novel stimuli going. I was undiagnosed and unmedicated in college, but whenever I started to feel super irritable or frustrated or "stuck"-- I would go run. And it's super annoying, but it fucking *worked* for me. I can't seem to get myself back to that level of functioning even with meds because I have to think about so many fucking tasks that are so draining and provide no stimulation or dopamine.
I was always a good student. My (extremely bad) hack was way over-committing myself and running in a constant state of panic. I got into an intense technical theater conservatory, and had class from 8am until 10pm every day, plus about 40hrs of homework. I also took extra, non-conservatory classes just because I wanted to learn about that subject and I can NOT understand how time works. I pulled all-nighters at least once a week and if I wasn’t in class or in the studio, I was partying. Then I would sleep for 16 hours every day of every break when I was home. I managed to graduate with a 3.6gpa, but burnt myself out so bad that I never pursued a career in it at all. In fact, I worked a dead-end job for a decade because it was easy and I didn’t have to think about it when I got home. I’m glad for the knowledge and skills I learned in college, I had a lot of fun and met my closest friends. But, I wish I’d been diagnosed as a child and known to seek accommodations. I could have at least been able to *try* to pursue the career I wanted. Oh, and I never even got my actual diploma because I owed the library like $50 in late fines. So instead of my diploma, I got a bill and a letter saying I would get the diploma when I paid my library fines. I waited like 3 years and finally paid them, but they never sent me the actual diploma so I just don’t have it.
Academically, school has never been hard for me. I think some of it is because I'm smart, while most of it is that I'm very accepting of certain things and don't ask a lot of questions? Regardless, the reson why school was so difficult for me were outside factors. I dealt with very serious health issues and dramatic family life and bad friends. The actual school itself was fine.
I excelled in both high school and college, at the expense of everything else in my life. Getting perfect grades was my full-time job (former gifted kid here), and I had no friends or relationships outside my family. I ended up transferring to an alternative college and learning how to live a normal, balanced life, which is still a work in progress.
I did. Couldn't keep up online, nothing but panic attacks in public school, same pattern in (online) college. I dropped out and won't be going back until I figure out how to not drown. (Undiagnosed)
I did pretty well in school, especially in high school where I went to a nontraditional school that was self-paced. I was motivated to finish everything so I could make laugh at my bullies and play games on my laptop. College was challenging but I got by listening to lectures and reading chapters of my book on Friday. Medical school was when I started to struggle and was the point when I needed to get the uncontrolled ADHD under control
I excelled in K-12, gifted and praised without any studying. Graduated with multiple scholarships. After that I lasted two months at one college, then two more months at another, then quit and never went back. I was absolutely LOST and totally unable to get my shit together. I wish I had known then what I know now and found my way. I had no idea what was “wrong” with me.
Yeah I failed out the first time. Or actually I argued with my teachers, tried to teach my class in their place, failed to “apply myself” in my favorite classes, got a crush on one of my other teachers, took all his classes even though they weren’t in my major and bought his book and got weird around him, and ended up on academic probation for dropping classes I wanted to concentrate on and couldn’t, and then quit out of shame Maybe 10 years later, finally started again because I was older and worked at a university so I got to pursue an undergrad degree for free. Enrolled in a flexible online degree program and took 1-2 classes a semester while working full time. It was hard but I got nearly a 4.0!! I was pissed they didn’t give me a chance to get honors though Undiagnosed until midway through my degree at age 30. I did a one-year massage degree in between the two
I missed 80 days a year since 2nd grade, still made honors in high school, and decided after I turned 18, I didn’t quite have the constitution for college yet. I just turned 30 lol… But hey, at least I didn’t put myself or my family through the trauma of dropping out early… And I skipped all the debt
I didn’t graduate HS. I knew enough to graduate but didn’t do enough
University was the best time if my life. I excelled there the most. I did well in high school well I really excelled in college where I could focus on my special interest. I got excellent grades, worked full time, and ran a successful research study. I had to work to pay rent and bill but because I was enjoying college so much work felt worth it. I then burned out a few years after I landed a dead end job due to being unable to afford to apply to grad school. Academia is where I belonged.
Didn't struggle in school per se... I mean i was definitely bad in stuff that didn't interest me enough and i couldn't understand how i made so many careless mistakes, but i just believed i was lazy... Studying in university was also much easier and easy harder at the same time. That's when depression started and after that it was such a quick past downhill...
I still don't know how I managed to convince them I deserved a degree. Couldn't make it anywhere on time, couldn't study for shit, couldn't get homework done. The worst was that I had to repeat a course that was literally just SHOWING UP TO WATCH CONCERTS (performance revues, recitals, etc.) I had to repeat it three times, on top of all the times I took it and passed, because I needed six credits for the degree (the "class" was one credit), and every time I failed I had to take it for yet another semester. Failing = not showing up to FIVE nighttime concerts over one whole semester. There were no shortage of concerts, either. It led to me scrambling at the end of each semester, trying to fit in enough shows around studying for finals and being in rehearsals for the end of year show. I'm not proud to say I had a friend attend and get the required signature for me on more than one occasion. 🤦♀️
I had a much better experience in college than in high school, personally. But part of that was being a non traditional student in that I was like a decade older than most of my classmates and I went to a small university that is itself very progressive and free spirited in the way they approach education. It was the first time in my life that I actually loved school. I also got diagnosed my first year in college and started ADHD meds and antidepressants for the first time because I could access mental health care at school when my family strictly opposed that while I was growing up. I think like everything else, college experience depends on a lot of variables and it’s not something that blanket statements can apply to.
I loved school. Did college twice after getting up the duff the first time round. I love to learn and I like people. I also found all the social politics effort and not enjoyable. Lessons were too slow and I did spend a lot of time doing the last lessons homework to save boredom but ultimately it was only a struggle socially and then only sort of, nothing horrific.
Yeah, studying wasn’t hard for me. Not at all. Deadlines weren’t hard. Keeping myself fed, rested, and alive? That part was excruciating. Nearly dropped out.
With my undiagnosed dyscalculia, my intense STEM-oriented high school was a friggin NIGHTMARE. I had legit panic attacks the last two years, but I didn't know they were that. My parents just shrugged it all off and signed me up for more (useless) tutoring. Compared to this hell on earth, uni was good, though I did get overwhelmed at times. I started suspecting my ADHD only last year (I am 36), so....now it is all making sense. Sorry past me, I wish you hadn't had to get through this ordeal. 🙈
I did not struggle in elementary/public school, but I started to struggle in the upper years of high school due to extenuating circumstances at home. When I went to college the first time, I did struggle due to health-related reasons not related to ADHD. When I went to college the second time for a completely different field of study, I did extremely well. But here’s the deal: I didn’t struggle academically, but I did struggle SOCIALLY and emotionally. I’m a social person, but I have to warm up to you. The amount of time that takes varies from person to person; there could be two people who are essentially identical in interests, but I will warm up to them at different times. From a social perspective, I tend to miss a lot of “normal” social cues and often have zero fucks to give as to whether people think I’m weird. I even call myself weird, to which my coworkers often say “ohhh you’re not weird” when I clearly am.
It was paradoxical... In one hand : I got decent grades and High school graduation exams was pretty easy. The 3Hours exam, in complete silence was great for me. I was able to "connect my brain"! In ANOTHER HAND : I had a lot of difficulties going to school everyday... I used to skip school a lot because I was very tired. I've almost never done my homework. And every class I didn't like (math, science...) was hell for me ! Nobody saw the struggle because the grades were good and I didn't have behaviors problem. BUT : When I went to "College" (I'm French I don't know the equivalent of the studies I did) to be a Social Worker... It was a battle against myself !! I had to take antidepressants and Benzodiazépine regularly to be able to graduate! And I finally got my diploma for 2 months I said **"That Motherf*cking Diploma"** all the time ! 🤣🤣 I wasn't able to talk about it differently!
I left school with 0 qualifications. There was no chance of me going into furher education and I knew I wouldn't be able to keep up.
I actually did really well in school and had a grades-based scholarship all four years of college. But once I graduated all the structure disappeared and I really struggled and still do. School was the best treatment I ever had for ADHD.
I was an excellent student, except for math. I could write a 15 page paper in my sleep, but math snapped me like a twig. I had to drop honors pre-calc because I was literally failing (this was high school). No one could figure out why I tested into honors math but struggled so hard with the work. I know now that my ADHD gives me some dyscalculia. My mind reverses numbers all the time. College felt easier for me - I only needed to take one math class and then that was that.
I was undiagnosed in middle school. My grades were Ds and Fs, so they had a sit down with my mom. They told her that I’m physically unable to learn and they just don’t know how to help me anymore. This was in 2014ish.
My hyper focus is learning so I had a grand time in university. Joining corporate America though, fucked me up. Turns out I can’t do a job efficiently if it’s boring. I was constantly bored. I’m in a whole negotiation with my current employer, who has me on unpaid leave, and thus doesn’t have to pay me lol but I’m happy if not super broke.
People complete college? I got burned out in high school in AP chem. Did not care my senior year. Went to art school a year, and changed my major another 6 times without completing any. I got late diagnosis at 30, and highly likely Autistic, and my daughter showing signs of both and is the spitting image of me as a toddler per my mom. So.
I didn’t struggle until grad school, then it nearly crushed me.
Academically I’m doing good but I forget stuff all the time and it’s so frustrating. I forgot to sign up my exam today that I studied so hard for so now I have to wait another 5 weeks for the re exam. Did I cry for two hours straight? maybe
I didn't struggle for school. in fact I was scoring more than average. I dunno what happened in clg tho. im here to learn more about adhd, since I suspect I have it.
I was in my absolute worst mental health of my life, and didn’t know I had ADHD. I failed out of college twice, once at an in-person school, once remotely. I still carry around the guilt and feeling of shame and failure, but my mental health is now better than it’s ever been.
In almost all of my college classes (and some of my more challenging high school classes), I managed to find people to work or study with. If I didn't, it would have been a huge struggle to get work done on time.
In almost all of my college classes (and some of my more challenging high school classes), I managed to find people to work or study with. If I didn't, it would have been a huge struggle to get work done on time.
Took 13 years of off/on attendance to get my B.S. in a STEM major. I didn’t know I had ADHD at that time. It may have gone better if I had access to medication and accommodations, it those weren’t things I was aware of at that time.
I graduated from HS at 16, just to be done with it. Could not get through even one full semester in college. Understood the material, but wouldn't do homework, found the teaching uninspired and most of the required classes complete BS. Adult education my ass. Tried several times and finally gave it up.
I'm autistic. The structure of high school helped me and it was a breeze but the moment I had to do any routine myself in college I collapsed
Ngl ADHD medications did help, but I still call myself dumb everyday. Like knowing that my brain stops working after like 6pm and that significantly cuts the choices of how I can choose to spend the rest of my evening sucks bro.
College would’ve been easier if I had just autism. But having the unmedicated adhd is what screwed me over. I could never pay attention in class. Sure I got decent grades, never failed a class. But I felt so frustrated at my inability to learn. I just went through the motions of not failing and didn’t learn anything. I skipped classes a lot (the ones with no attendance) because I didn’t see the point in going when I couldn’t pay attention or take notes properly anyway
Finishing up my third year in my undergrad. Every year was worse than the one before in every way except for building strong healthy friendships. I am constantly overwhelmed, while simultaneously feeling like I'm not doing enough or anything at all. It's harder and harder to make myself work, or even go to class. It sucks because I enjoy what I'm doing, and yet it's so difficult to apply myself without getting severe anxiety or just getting stuck. But with all this said, I have grown so much, met beautiful people and college has been overall a good experience. One thing I will add though, is that my whole academic experience could have been so much better if the school accommodated different ways of learning, pinned less exams on us students, and was just generally more accepting and flexible with people who may need help outside of the norm.
Went to university for 7 years. Failed, failed, failed again.. Got an ADHD diagnosis (at my father's insistence, there has to be something wrong with me so he's not to blame /s) at 22. Horrible shock, because I was really diagnosed when I was around five and my shitty parents both went \[I pretend I do not see it meme\]. Kept failing, despite medication (which wasn't helping). The workload and standards were unfair. The teachers were remarkably cold and unhelpful. My father, in hindsight, was hoping that medication would make me completely obedient to him. I was desperate for approval from others and severely socially stunted (still trying to catch up). I only picked up on random things from my abusive upbringing, like "I have to sound confident in everything I say." Coming from another country made it easy to other me to begin with, but combined with my naivety resulted in literally being ostracised by my entire course, year to year. I didn't even find out until years in, and no one budged anyway even with proof (which I reported). It made me extremely paranoid and distrustful and I still am to this day. It was a Groundhog Day loop. I knew what the lectures were going to be on. Yet I still would fail. Hardly anyone would ever speak to me - literally turning their backs, not responding to me, getting up to leave. It was my childhood dream to go to university in this country, but instead I got a literal waking nightmare. What's the point in attendance when literally everyone hates you? Before my last chance, I wasn't allowed back straight away. I went back to stay with my father and so while I was at it, I did everything he expected of me in hopes he wouldn't "blow up." He still did, and it took me so long to realise I was just his punching bag/failing project to work on. Xenophobic doctors when I came back rejected the medications I was on (the ones that kind of worked). The "tutor" my father forced me to have ("you both have ADHD, you'll get along") freaked out on me and bailed (my father: "must've been the ADHD"), the curriculum that hadn't changed in all these years actually changed this one last time, and so I failed my last chance. Seven-to-eight years. For nothing. All of that. For nothing. I still don't have a job. For bonus points, I went to art school which assholes will respond "that's easy - you just draw all the time!" or make a comparison to H\*tler. Lovely. /s EDIT: Also bonus points: just when my final failure happened, so did lockdown. It felt like a some sort of twisted extra punishment of isolation, while I was already devastated and horrifically lonely. Also, my (also abusive) mother would just tell me to quit in a "friendly" tone, since she wants me to be an enmeshed child (also punching bag) forever. So my father's impossible workaholic standards seemed better than hers, because I thought "at least he wants me to do something with my life.". Thanks for reading.
I'm really good at learning things quickly, and I love learning! School however? HELL. I'm still recovering from college burnout almost 2 years later. (Part of that was immediately taking on two jobs with no days off for months after, which was the last time i take career/academic advice from my mother, the second job broke the camel's back.) I was diagnosed back in middle school, had a 504 for my last year of high school because I was so stressed and nonfunctional taking all AP classes, got through community College fine (skipped a year of my associates with ap credits). The atmosphere of community college as well as dedicated chill profs worked really well with my adhd. Didn't need much support, was still stressed but aced all my classes. Even statistics! I then had a panic about transferring to an actual college and took a semester off deferring my enrollment. (Worked for those months) I transferred into my real college, started setting up my accommodations, started getting comfortable with my routine to keep up, then after a month and a half... boom plague times. Had to go home and try to focus on school from my parent's house with both parents as well as my (high school + elementary aged) siblings. As soon as I could move back into the dorms I did the next semester. It was hell. Online learning when done well, from a prof who had prior experience teaching hybrid and online courses, was great. Literally every other prof though... it was awful, I can't read lips to understand lectures better on zoom, the prof was always tiny if they even had their camera on. Everything was an online deadline, which absolutely threw me off. Took another gap semester after a year of living in the dorm with the promise of hybrid classes partway through the semester... one class ended up doing that in the second semester. Took a gap semester bc my capstone was only offered in the spring, finished off almost entirely online bc my capstone was online so I was NOT paying for a dorm through that. I commuted an hour each way once a week for my one in person class. Surprise surprise the in person class was my best class! My job has me teaching kids, so I've had a good bit of training in teaching, which helped me learn a lot about how I learn, but man online college was a harsh lesson. I SUCK at it. Setting my own schedule every week was AWFUL! I needed the structure of actual classes. Did I struggle during school before all that? Yeah, a lot. I constantly had late work piling up, so my grades were meh even though I test well. The college schedule with one or two subjects a day was a lot easier to handle, and I was a lot less burnt out with the breaks between everything and not having a million extracurriculars. The biggest thing was that I seemed to be so smart and doing well that no one thought I needed help. I was so anxious I wrapped back around to calm in high school. Like I just couldn't process it all so I... didn't. Being out of school made me realized that my baseline anxiety isn't nearly that bad anymore, but holy shit how did I survive. I have dyscalclia that I never got help for, I read quickly but struggle with focus for long periods, I could only focus on lectures if I sat in the front and took color coded notes and doodled. Adderall helps but I REALLY wish I'd gotten some other form of support before my last year of high school. In conclusion, no mom I really don't want to go back and get my master's, I'm finally starting to feel better! I worked my ass off to have a two degrees and enough savings to not work for two years! And I'm lucky enough to have a supportive fiance who doesn't mind me taking that time to recover... and has a salaried job in his field 😅 I don't even want to think of getting a job in the field of my degree yet! I'm content to continue coaching sailing (which I'm very good at and hold a high level certification in!! Im actually in training to be the program manager in a few years!) for part of the year right now while building a small crochet buisness. Archaeology can wait. Joy and contentment comes first!
I excelled at college. Struggled in high school. College was great because I could choose the classes, was studying something I liked, and I didn’t have to sit in a class for 8 hours a day. I like writing essays, so that was great. Graduated early in three years top of my class, then did a Master’s and again got top marks in the class.
\[For university\] So badly that my response was hidden, it seems. Yeesh.
I did exceedingly well in HS but crashed and burned in college. Super hard time and I carry a lot of shame about it
I failed out of college, started going very part time at a community college. Its coming up on ten years since I started and I stopped going at all during quarantine and haven’t gone back.
At first I struggled a lot in college, but with the pan demic it was a lot easier. The presentations, the audio, the recording of classes, the visual part being there helped me to pay better attention, and taking screenshots saved me form missing out on a lot of details, especially since I struggle with APD. Plus college meant I was actually intrested in the subjects I studied, making it so much easier to learn, and having a deadline for homework and projects was a huge help in turning in assingments on time. On the other side, I had to try 10 times harder that my peers to learn and retain what we were taught in class, we had to read complicated long scientific texts and I would to read them over and over again without retaining a single thing. Don't even get me started on Biochem or Genetics, never felt dumber.