Need some advice, looking for a new hobby

[mrtbonesteak]

Hi everyone,

First off, this forum is great! I'm new here and just reading posts makes me feel like I'm getting more feedback than I ever recieved from any doctor.

I need some help. I'm studying history at the university and i've been passing courses just like i did in highschool: barely attending classes and just study for a few days before exames. But now i keep failing one course which requires you to do alot of investigation, go out, basically be busy with the project. I tried to focus on my studies more, but i just keep going back. I'm beginning to doubt uni was such a good carreer move for some1 with adhd, allthough im already in my third year.

For the past couple of years ive been totally consumed by playing games (and watching series) on my pc, ive tried to get away from it many times, but i just get bored and when i have nothing to do it just sucks me right back in. It killing my real life and my studies, so i really need a different hobby that can motivate and challenge me. Preferably something i can do whenever i have time on my hands, but at the same time still forces me to work with and be around other people.

A few things about me: I'm interested in philosophy and movies. I also really enjoy making silly or witty remarks to make people laugh. According to the tests i have a high IQ and should be creative, allthough i never really experience that

I could use all the advice I can get, I'm abit adrift here. Pardon my english, its not my native language.

Thanks in advance!

[Thinkey]

This is going to sound completely silly, but I noticed with myself if its a project that's interesting, I'll continue it until its no longer interesting, about 95% done, then it just sits there, unfinished.

Its usually the same deal with websites i build, my motorbike project, same thing happened, my skdioo..all same thing

Here comes the silly part, and don't laugh.

I'm not much of a drinker, but I have a taste for a glass of wine every now and then, and a friend of mine's mom a couple of years ago would make an awesome homemade wine, and I was always curious as to the process of making it.

This past august, I decided to give it a try, starting with the basics, the more I read about it, the more i realized it was like a science project in chemistry class, and I've gotten into it semi-seriousely now.

I am on my 2nd batch of homemade wine and its coming along awsome. The reason why I'd recomend such an activity to an adhd or add person is becuase you spend your first day or so planning. Then you spend one day trying to get your liquid just right to start "brewing". Then after that?

You just spend 5 mins each day for the first week, stirring your batch to make sure the yeast is working. Once you know its going well, you leave it. Just look at it for a minute or so each day, and make sure that the bucket is still bubbling from an airlock.

You take measurments every couple days, until its done. Then you take it out the bucket, transfer to a glass jar, and leave it there for about a month.

Wait a month, then you just siphon again, and you wait some more...

The point is, if you loose interest in something fast, this hobby allows for weeks and months of "space cadetness" towards the project...and its actually beneficial to the wine, the longer you leave it there most times.

You find yourself dedicating 1 day or so a month to doing a bit of work, then the rest you observe, and dream of finally tasting it...

And you don't feel guilty because you haven't paid attention to it for a couple of weeks - that's the best part about it

[Joker_Girl]

I really enjoy cooking as a hobby, I am for some reason especially fond of making pickles and jelly. Another thing I like is making peanut brittle. I like how there are steps you have to take and it makes me feel like I have accomplished something when I get it done (even though it's a small thing).
I like doing mosaic, I have been playing with that for awhile, the only thing bad about that is it makes a mess, but you can get things where you can organize your different colors of glass, etc (I still get all my colors mixed together LOL I suck). I've done picture frames, planters, a cover for a kleenex box (LOL), etc. They are beautiful when finished. It's a lot of fun and quite calming for me.
I tried scrapbooking for awhile, but it kind of got where I had pictures and paper cut up all over the place and it got stressful.
Going out for a drive or on the motorcycle is calming (as long as you can avoid places with a lot of traffic! Traffic= NOT calming)

[mADD mike]

I like geocaching. You can do it alone or with others. I don't know if they have many in your country. If you don't know what it is, look it up on google, or send me a message and I'll try to clarify it for you. In the United States, it is something that anyone can do pretty much anywhere they are. It gets you out of the house, which is always good.

[Brookeslost]

Originally Posted by mADD mike

I like geocaching. You can do it alone or with others. I don't know if they have many in your country. If you don't know what it is, look it up on google, or send me a message and I'll try to clarify it for you. In the United States, it is something that anyone can do pretty much anywhere they are. It gets you out of the house, which is always good.

OHHHH We LOVE Geocaching as well! Its so awesome though my 3 yr old refers to it as treasure hunting! SO MUCH FUN...I like doing it with my husband cause hes good with directions and me NOT so much!
We sometimes if have 2 appointments in one day in the city we just look for a cach on our iphones(they have a great app) and save gas!

[mADD mike]

Originally Posted by Brookeslost

OHHHH We LOVE Geocaching as well! Its so awesome though my 3 yr old refers to it as treasure hunting! SO MUCH FUN...I like doing it with my husband cause hes good with directions and me NOT so much!
We sometimes if have 2 appointments in one day in the city we just look for a cach on our iphones(they have a great app) and save gas!

My wife and I like to use geocaching to find great new places to hike. We have discovered some beautiful places that we would have never known were there just because someone put a cache there and wanted to share. We've never done much around the city, but there are a ton of them around. We like to get out and hike, and geocaching really makes hiking even more fun. Glad you guys enjoy it too.

[ToadysFroggy]

I love doing genealogy. I have been working on my family tree for four years but have been having an easier time working on it since I got my ADD diagnosis last fall. I have more focus and am not as easily frustrated when I can't find what I am looking for. It is like a treasure hunt, every new ancestor or relative found or new piece of data about someone, is like another diamond or ruby for the treasure chest.

Researching for a certain person or part of the family, requires the ability to be patient, tenacious and somewhat hyper-focused and able to search numerous places until you finally find what you are looking for. I find that the only time I am really hyper-focused is when I am working on my tree or the one I recently was hired to do. I am hoping I can continue to be that way because I recently decided to start my own family tree business. (write me if you are interested in having your's done)

A really cool aspect about doing a family tree is that if a certain part of your family frustrates you and you can't find, at that particular time, what you are looking for, you can go to a different part and then go back another time to do what you had put aside earlier. Plus, the internet is always changing and new things are added so what you don't find today, you will find tomorrow.