CRUSHING COLLEGE WITH ADHD

The Effects of Stress and Anxiety on Executive Functions

Oh nooooooooo! March 31, 2024

Executive Functioning (EF) is required for successful goal-directed behavior. That means EF helps you plan, organize, make decisions, solve problems, and stay focused on your goals. It's what helps you pay attention in class, manage your time, and control your impulses. When your EF is working well, it helps you stay on track and be successful in school and life. When your EF is not working well, college can become particularly demanding, especially for students with ADHD who may already have difficulties with attention, hyperactivity, and/or impulse control. And stress and anxiety can make EF challenges even worse . . .

The Myth of Multitasking

Be like a stamp - stick to one thing! November 22, 2023

Multitasking is performing multiple activities simultaneously. It requires “cognitive flexibility” – sometimes called task switching – which is your brain's ability to adapt to new, changing, or unplanned events. Multitasking requires controlling and shifting your focus and attention, which can be particularly challenging for people with ADHD who tend to become distracted. From a neuroscience perspective, there is no such thing as multitasking. The brain can only do one thing at a time, so what we call multitasking is really just fast task-switching. And it is a myth that it helps us be more productive.

Self-Regulation: Time Management

What Time is It?! October 15, 2023

ADHD affects executive functions – the cognitive processes that help people regulate their thoughts, actions, and emotions in order to achieve goals, solve problems, and make decisions. Dr. Thomas E. Brown created a Model of Executive Functions that may be impaired in people with ADHD. If you have trouble with time management, and many people with ADHD do, he believes that there are two executive functions impaired – Activation (measuring and estimating time) and Effort (difficulty with sustained effort over longer periods of time, difficulty completing tasks on time).

Paying the Price for ADHD

How Much is Too Much? August 26, 2023

Have you heard of the “ADHD Tax”? It refers to the additional costs that individuals with ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) may incur due to the unique challenges associated with the condition, compared to people without ADHD. The costs include the extra money, time, and effort often invested by people with ADHD to enable them to accomplish tasks. The “tax” can impact work, school, relationships, and overall well-being.

Body Doubling With ADHD

Are You With Me?! March 18, 2023

Many people with ADHD have trouble with initiating and completing tasks. This is especially true for tasks that are boring, mundane, difficult, or complex. It’s hard to get started if you are anxious or unmotivated. It’s hard to keep going if you are easily distracted or just can’t focus. This can result in sloppy work, missed deadlines, and feelings of guilt and shame. Instead of going it alone, why not give body doubling a try?

Ready, Set, Goals!

How Are Those New Year's Resolutions Going? January 12, 2023

On January 1, many people make New Year’s resolutions. By January 7, many people’s resolutions have failed! In fact, only 36% of individuals who have made a resolution will make it past the first month, and only 9% will actually successfully keep their resolutions1. What happens?! Well, several things. People lose motivation, they get too busy with other priorities, or their goals change. For people with ADHD, there are additional barriers that can interfere with achieving goals.

Syllabus 101

It's in there! July 31, 2022

A syllabus is a document that outlines what you can expect from a college course, and what is expected of you. It tells you everything you need to know about how the course will be run. You will receive a syllabus for each of your courses and reading those syllabi will help you know what to expect during the semester.

Start Now to be Ready for Fall!

College, Here I Come! June 30, 2022

If you don’t have a transition plan yet, take some time this summer to plan and strengthen the skills you will need in the fall. Here are some things to work on so you will be ready to hit the ground running in September!

How Independent are You (Really)?

Can I Get a Ride? May 31, 2022

Transitioning to college in the fall? When you go away to school, you will need to be much more independent than you may be used to, both personally and academically. Take some time this summer to strengthen the skills you will need to be independent in the fall. Here are a few things to reflect on, and improve, if you are not already proficient.

8 Strategies for Selecting an ADHD-Friendly Course Schedule

Ready to Register? April 15, 2022

Feeling overwhelmed trying to pick a workable schedule for next semester? You’re not alone! Selecting the right courses for you can be key to a successful semester, but sometimes your choices seem fairly limited. The result? Stress! Here are eight strategies for putting together a great schedule for next semester.

Relax? Relax!

Chill, Dude ... March 24, 2022

According to the Oxford Dictionary, relaxation is “a state of being free from tension and anxiety.” But many people with ADHD have a hard time relaxing. This may be because they live in a constant state of stress, or because they have trouble making time for themselves. Read on for a discussion about relaxation including strategies and tips to help you make relaxation part of your daily routine.

Is ADHD a Learning Disability?

IOW, ADHD VS LD  February 22, 2022

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is not considered a learning disability (LD). However, between 30 and 50 percent of people with ADHD also have a specific learning disability. Each condition makes learning difficult, and people with both conditions can find learning extremely challenging (Learning Disabilities Association of America, n.d.). Read on to learn more!

TALKING TO YOUR PROFESSORS

Yo, Prof! 'Sup?!  February 1, 2022

Positive interaction with your professors has been identified as one of the keys to student success. Micari & Pazos found that the student–faculty relationship may be even more important in courses that are "highly challenging and anxiety-provoking" (2012). Research shows that having a constructive student-faculty relationship can result in better course grades and course confidence (Micari & Pazos, 2012) and can have a positive influence on academic motivation (Trolian, Hanson, Jach, & Pascarella, 2016). So talk to them!

TO TELL OR NOT TO TELL . . .

Disclosing Your ADHD, January 10, 2022

Having a hidden disability like ADHD allows you to decide if, when, and how to disclose it to people. It is a very personal decision. Some college students choose not to disclose, for various reasons. Some consider college a fresh start, a new school where you can create a new persona. They don’t want to stand out from classmates. Others incorrectly believe that going to college means they have outgrown their ADHD and they will no longer need help to succeed academically. While disclosing your ADHD is not required by colleges, it is necessary if you want to request and receive accommodations.

I'LL DO IT LATER . . .

Procrastination, December 12, 2021

Do you put off tasks until the last minute? You are not alone. Research shows that about 90% of college students procrastinate while reading, writing, or studying. Between 33-50% of undergraduates report being “chronic procrastinators,” spending less time researching information required to perform tasks and underestimating how long it takes to complete assignments. Procrastination affects the “quantity and quality of work completed and is associated with lower exam scores, lower quality papers/projects, late/missing assignments, and poor study skills” (Bolden & Fillauer, 2020). Procrastination is a powerful thing, especially for those with ADHD.

STOP THE NEGATIVE SELF-TALK!

Be Kind to Yourself, November 22, 2021

I’m a failure. I’m a joke. I’m so stupid. I’m not good at anything. This negative self-talk has many names – the inner critic, the judge, the gremlin, self-criticism – but whatever you call it, it’s an inner voice that “judges you, doubts you, belittles you, and constantly tells you that you are not good enough” (Vilhauer, 2016). And trash-talking yourself is stressful, can squelch your self-confidence, and can get in the way of your success.

TIRED OF BEING TIRED?

Get Some Sleep, November 4, 2021

How much sleep did you get last night? Most adults need between seven and nine hours every night. According to Dr. Sanjay Gupta, author of Keep Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age, “sufficient sleep keeps you sharp, creative, attentive, and able to process information quickly.” But an estimated 25 to 50% of people with ADHD are sleep-challenged, and may have trouble falling asleep at night, waking up in the morning, and/or remaining alert during the day. They may also suffer from other sleep conditions like sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and restless leg syndrome.

WHAT TIME IS IT?!

Are you time blind?, October 15, 2021

How many times have you spent two minutes watching TikTok videos and then suddenly realized that two hours had passed? Or studying for what seems like three hours, and discovering it has only been 20 minutes? How often do you show up late for appointments because you misjudged the time it takes to get somewhere? Many people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have poor time awareness, sometimes called “time blindness”, which makes it hard to estimate how long something will take. That’s because the ADHD brain processes time differently than a neurotypical brain.

SELF-ADVOCACY FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS WITH ADHD

Get What You Deserve, October 1, 2021

Students with ADHD and/or learning disabilities (LD) are supported through high school via Individual Education Program (IEPs) and accompanying accommodations which guarantee academic success. But once a student enrolls in college, there is no team to support them and no guarantee of academic success. It is up to the student to seek out help, provide documentation of a disability, get approved, and then receive accommodations. College students with disabilities need self-advocacy skills to ask for the help they need to receive equal access to educational resources. Self-advocacy for students with ADHD has been shown to be an important factor in determining persistence to graduate.