I personaly have found that locking my self in a study cell does wonders in getting me to study. Does anyone here use Ear Plugs?

Yes, I use earplugs, especially when under a tight deadline at work. This is on top of closing my office door as well.

oh...and welcome to the ADD Forums :)

Bull whip

It's distracting,
(the BullWhip)
but I don't feel good about it!
:(

Headphones and music that puts me in a study mood.

Oh yeah, and absolutely MUST be alone. 100% NOT negotiable.

Oh yeah, and welcome to the forums :D

I like earplugs, but sometimes I find myself distracted by hearing the pulsing of my blood, so I usually do better with a combo of plugs and background "white noise" of some sort. I also like headphones and music I love.

I prefer to be alone and in an area where I can spread all my stuff out.

Silence and my meds.

No distractions....and when I am on a roll, I don't get up and take a break...I keep going and going and going......

Okay, don't laugh at my pun.

On a final note, I sleep with earplugs.......

I always studied with either music or TV on in the background (I'd obviously not be WATCHING though), I always needed something to distract myself with because if I had nothing but the sheets of paper in front of me I could never focus on them at all!

The best way of learning for me was to write the stuff down over and over again, I started out with writing little cards but just reading them to myself never worked. In the end I had to write a summary on cards/sheets of paper, then keep copying the contents of the cards on other sheets of paper over and over until it stuck.

I have a really bad habit of studying at my computer, so I end up using the internet (like right now). I don't feel comfortable going to the library to study (anxiety issues). Sometimes I study on the couch, no TV. Sometimes I get tempeted and turn on the TV... and then it's all over...

When I study, I just remember to SPREAD my written notes out A LOT so the visual stimulation on each page is not as overwhelming. This has helped more than I thought it would.

Thanks for your insights and tips, I will have to try and get around to pushing myself to be as diciplined and determined as the rest of you to study by myself 100%, earplugs etc.

Good luck with studies everyone!

yah, earplugs are essential!! Especially if you're in a dorm, or at home, you can have just as many distractions. When I was an undergraduate at UMASS, I rented a little study cubicle in the library, closed door, to get away from the chaos of the dorm, and brought a thermos of coffee, and always had some of those squishy earplugs.. the plastic 'shooting' type are so uncomfortable that they can be a distraction themselves, but if you get the kind that you squeezedown between your fingers, insert quickly into your ears, then they slowly expand to form fit, they're comfortable, plus I found that they produced a sort of 'white noise' themselves, very faint, but enough to keep me focused.

Anyone who's easily distracted should try these earplugs -- some people have a brain that is 'hard wired' to give attention priority to audible information, at the expense of what you're trying to concentrate on visually. I'm one of those. Additonally, I served in the Army for several years in Signal Intelligence (i.e. monitoring radio traffic with headphones), this training further exacerbated my natural tendency to prioritize what was coming in the ears. I fought this for several months until I discoverd the earplugs and my grades went up dramatically.

Another tip: if you're an 'audible' learner, try a supplementary audiobook or course on audio tape, to your primary textbook. Check out
http://www.teach12.com/
the courses on this website are fantastic, better than my professors. I bought several audio courses and listened in my car, really helped.

When I was in college, I loved to study in Coffee shops. The library was too quiet always put me to sleep and at home there were too many distractions. There were some distractions in the coffee place, but the low level background noise helped me. If I got bored I could always get up to get a refill or evesdrop on the conversations going around me. I spent a ton of time at a place called the Moulin Rouge in San Jose. Plus, I love drinking coffee!

I will be starting a creative writing class next Friday night and I am very excited. Starbucks here I come!

James,

I had a big problem trying to study in Starbucks -- and I did try -- too many hot chicks! I'd usually end up talking to women.

Well, I guess we all have our particular weaknesses :):D

Originally posted by jimmmaaa
When I was in college, I loved to study in Coffee shops. The library was too quiet always put me to sleep and at home there were too many distractions. There were some distractions in the coffee place, but the low level background noise helped me. If I got bored I could always get up to get a refill or evesdrop on the conversations going around me. I spent a ton of time at a place called the Moulin Rouge in San Jose. Plus, I love drinking coffee!

I will be starting a creative writing class next Friday night and I am very excited. Starbucks here I come!

Great to hear your story! I always felt I was the only person who liked to study in coffee shops - I did most of my undergrad assignments in coffee shops. Pretty much the same reasons too! My habitual hangout was a cafe in Sydney (Australia) called Badde Manors, which was quirky & full of mismatched furniture & crockery.

I'm reconsidering Starbucks.. althought I'm still distracted by all the gorgeous young hotties, it has free WIFI.. I can't stand their burnt coffee though.. I"ve been a coffee aficionado since long before the 'Starbucks Phenomenon', have even roasted my own beans, and the first time I bought a Starbucks coffee, I thought they had gotten my order wrong: It tasted like bad French Roast.

Their teas are good, though, they sell the 'Republic of Tea' line, and it's very good.

But my local Starbucks -- all college girls between classes! How can I concentrate on anything?

I don't dare try coffee.. Im a die hard Coke drinker though..
I can't give study tips, because I have *never* successfully studied.. It seems to help a little if I have music on.. but if something comes on that I don't like I lose whatever concentration I might have had... I haven't had to study since I started meds, so maybe I will use some of yalls strategies when i start studying :)

I don't like to be in those study carols, maybe its because I'm a bit claustrophobic. Starbucks and once a McDonalds worked for me too.
But if it comes down to straight having to memorize I'll lock myself in my room, turn on the lights, disconnect the phone and I also need to spread everything out.
One of the best ways I found to study is with a friend, but it has to be the night before the test when your both stressing out, we've never got anything done otherwise!

Well, Most of the time I need silence. I don't like areas that are too open. I usually get very restless in libraries. I like areas where there aren't too many students or people. Crowded places sophocate me. I'm very sensitive, to feel the presence of so many people is too noisy for me. I like to study in my room, once in a while I do have to go somewhere else because I keep getting tempted to do something else. Once in a while, not usually, I do need to watch tv and read to get one part of me to attend some what tv, and the other to read my book. I quess these are moments when my brain just feels like paying attn to more than one thing at a time. When I'm driving, I just have to turn on the radio to calm down inside, it gets sooo noisy, I need the intensity to calm me down. Isn't that interesting? Some times I'm great at paying attn to many things, other times I am incapable of doing that, I have to focus solely on one thing. If I get distracted I will get sooooo frustrated, I recommend no one gets near me.
Nice to learn how I am like others. It makes me feel less alienated
CELIA

I use complete silence..other wise I get distracted..No tv:(! I also make a self test study guide and cram for hours. I have grduated college but I still study for the A+ certification test.

Complete and total silence. We're talking Zen-meditation silence here, I-want-to-hear-my-own-cells-growing silence. Hard to come by, but I have a system that I work out with my family. If the door to my home office (aka the closet in the extra bedroom) is closed then everyone has to either find something quite to do or else leave the house and go do something. It works pretty well until I finish, open the door, and their is no one home to do anything with because everyone has left to do something really fun without me! C'est la vie.

MM

How does everyone combat the concentration problems and studying. I am going to try college again and I am very scared. In the past Quiet, noisy, alone, nothing works because it is not the external stimuli that effects me it is not being able to concentrate on one thing ever. I am reading one thing, and thinking about something (or three) completely different.

Shrek

Shrek...

Are you currently on any medication?

No.........I have been on wellbutrin in the past but it only made barely a noticible difference.

Shrek

shrekrcr, I don't want to sound like a pill-pusher, but go get yourself some Dexedrine/Concerta/Metadate/Adderall/Ritalin or whatever and see if that helps (it almost certainly will).

There are certainly those who can manage their ADD without drugs, but most need at least something to get to where they want to be.

Maybe you'd like to check out the medication forums and see what people are saying about each of the drugs.

I agree with Lexicon~do some research in our Meds Forums.

I know I posted earlier, but I'd like to add that I can always tell when I'm studying/reading/researching/trying to synthesize my research into "substantive posts" ( :rolleyes: ) and my meds wear off...even my heartbeat distracts me!

smoo

Personally, - yes, I know this is kind of strange - but I go to work with my wife once a week in order to study. My wife has a boardroom at her practice and so I go to work with her, lock myself in her boardroom and since it is the most boring (and quiet) place on Earth and I have 6 -8 hours so spend, utlimately I have no choice but to study. My wife sets a timer and stops me every 1-1.5 hours for a 5-10 min break She gives me an hour for lunch, isn't that sweet of her?(ha!ha!)
You would be amazed at how much I can get done there. There are not distractions, I have nothing else to do but work, and I can go to town. Problem as I see it though, is what the heck am I going to do when I can't go to work with her anymore?

MM

mm, glad to see you bride and you are quite accomodating. good to be.

we have a board room too.

i need to go to a place to study

i actually can study with noise too, like sbux <--starbucks.

surprisingly.

i am studying now too.

i go to a local college library.

or sbux.

chow for now. :)

I believe there are some books out on going to college and ADHD. I may have to find them and do some addtional reading and see if anything in there can help me.

there are some books listed on www.adhdadults.com (http://www.adhdadults.com) under resources

I also like to listen to Mozart while at Starbucks studying, I also use a timer

everybody has their own thing... music, silence, crowded rooms, or being alone.

but one thing I think everybody could use, TIMERS!
set it to a 20 min loop (rings then starts again automatically)

helps me keeping on task, especially now, with all the exams and formal labs coming up...
its truly great to avoid wasting VERY long periods of time taking a "5 min break"

... in addforums maybe ?

Silence and Caffeine. Enough said.

I cannot study in a noisy area. If I am forced to study in such an area, I at least make an attempt to study while listening to music in order to normalize noise. I still would rather study in complete silence with a coffee or a Jolt. I also study most effectively when alone. Even the possibility of being interrupted causes anxiety.

After those requirements are satisfied, my biggest problem is motivation. If I am not motivated, I can not focus on studying. Nothing will be accomplished and my drive to the university will be a waste (yes, I have to go to the school in order to find any moment of silence).

Originally posted by faceonmars
I'm reconsidering Starbucks.. althought I'm still distracted by all the gorgeous young hotties, it has free WIFI.. I can't stand their burnt coffee though.. I"ve been a coffee aficionado since long before the 'Starbucks Phenomenon', have even roasted my own beans, and the first time I bought a Starbucks coffee, I thought they had gotten my order wrong: It tasted like bad French Roast.

Their teas are good, though, they sell the 'Republic of Tea' line, and it's very good.

But my local Starbucks -- all college girls between classes! How can I concentrate on anything?


Chai tea has been a Godsent for me -- especially when I need to study in the evenings. Even though my 60 mg daily of Adderall isn't enough to get my brain past 4pm, my 5'1" 95lb. stature can't handle any more than that... so having tea with/after dinner makes sure I'm still able to be productive in the evenings... and is delicious at the same time. :-p

-Julie

P.S. I also used to have a job on campus that involved sitting around by myself, and doing a whole lot of nothing, so even pre-treatment, I got A LOT more stuff done.