College and ADHD-Still in college?

[sam]

I was just wondering, how many of the contributors on the forums are still in college? Any just starting out next semester?

[jaimegerise]

arg, well, I am not in college presently, but I am doing a bunch of research to figure out my best plan of action to get back into college for interior design (preferably an accredited distance learning course) and to see how it all works out financially and with my previous college credits, etc. My goal is to DEFINITELY be enrolled and on my way by January 2005.

[sam]

That's great to hear, jaimegerise! It's always good to hear people are furthering their education.

But another thing I was wondering is; how do/did people cope with dorm life? I've never lived with anyone else, other than my family (of which I'm the only ADD'er apart from -maybe- my mom) so I was thinking, how did/do other people mange?

[GaiaLove]

I'm still in college. I'm going to be a senior this coming fall (psychology major, education minor). I'm planning to go to a special ed teaching credential program and take all the lovely standardized tests that the state of California will put in my path.

[lotsofconfusion]

I'm also still in college. My major is "student"! I jsut keep changing my major. Currently I am a communications major, speech and hearing science: aka, speech pathology. I gave up on the teaching/special ed because of the standardized tests that I just could not pass. That is a long story in itself and I'll save you the boredom.
I have never stayed in a dorm. I live about 20-30 mins from my school. Sometimes I think that I should just stay there though, I practically live there anyway!

[analog guy]

I went back to school a few years back one/two classes a semester. I dropped out of school after my first year after I got a job doing what I was going to school to do. I realized the mistake before it was too late, plus I work for a woman who has her doctorate in EE and encouraged/nagged me to go back and get my degree as well. I'm glad she did. My outlook toward school as an adult is much different than when I was 18 and just wanted to DO SOMETHING.

[NovaGirl]

I'm currently a sophomore ADDer and living on campus. I live in a large dorm with a lot of students and therefore a lot of noise and distraction, making it sometimes hard to focus and work. Having a roomate makes it all the more difficult. However, I chose to do this because my boyfriend (who also has ADD) lives in a single room in a small, quiet dorm. So, when I need to study I just work in his room.

My advice for those who have trouble focusing or get easily distracted is to either get a single room OR make sure that you have a special spot (going to the same one every time helps to remind you that it is a "work zone") that you can go to study without distractions.

Good luck!

[Energizer_Bunny]

I am back in college as well. I was a college drop out after high school because of undiagnosed ADHD. Believe it or not I failed Aerobics. I finally got diagnosed in the process of going back to a JR college about 6 years ago. Then I found out I had TS as well as OCD and had some problems at home. So on the suggestion of my doctor, I became a temporary college dropout again. I am now back in and on my 3rd semester and taking 6 hours a semester and working full time. I spoke to a counselor and we figured I would have my accouting degree by the time I am 50 at the rate I am going. But that does not include the two additional degrees I want in Finance and MIS.

Jaime, when you get your interior design degree, would you come and decorate for me? You don't have to charge me anything.

[pinkie]

I just started my last semester of college, yay! I'm a senior Accounting major, Psych minor.

Here's my college story:

-Started out a private women's college on 75% scholarships, stayed for a semester, then left because I hated it.
-Tried to get into my ideal public college, but was deferred a year until I had one certain class.
-Went to community college for a year to get that class as well as other classes to jump start me into my new college.
-Finally went to ideal college. Over the course of 6 months went from a Dietetics major to Marketing major to Accounting major.
-Am now graduating and realizing that I dislike Accounting. So now I'm planning to work in Accounting for a couple years while I go to school for Interior Decorating.

As for dorms, I only lived in them for that one semester at the women's college. I hated it though because my roommate was a slob and because I could never concentrate enough to do my work and just needed to be alone. I often went down the hall to the lounge to do work where it was more quiet. Since I got to my current college I've lived in an apartment off-campus and I LOVE it. Even though I share it with people, it's large and has a lot of room for everyone. Plus I get to actually 'come home' at the end of the school day instead of just walk to my room on campus.

[Eve]

Yes I am still in college. I completed a pottery class about a year ago. So basically it is my first year. A bit overwhelming.

[Add1234]

My semester just started but I had to drop out due to me finding a decent job. I will try to go back next semester.

[Trooper Keith]

I'm currently enrolled at Ohio University studying Education, hopefully I'll end up as a Mild-Moderate Needs Intervention Specialist, but I might just drop down to Middle Childhood Edu. I am also picking up a Psychology Minor, and I might end up going for a Masters in Counseling.

[winterbride]

I'm a fifth year senior. I kept changing my major, biology, emergency medical care, emergency management, and finally elementary ed. I looked into accounting last week but that requires sixty additional hours and I'm 28 away from my current major. I haven't been diagnosed, my brother has. He hated the Strattera and my parents don't seem to believe ADD is a "real" disorder anyway. So I've remained quiet on the subject.

[casper]

I am in my 5th year of college. 4th college and 3rd major. I started at a community college and lived in a dorm there. Not a good idea. My roomie was a drunk, and there was never a quiet time to study. She had early classes, I had late ones. I then moved home went to another com college for a semster, and then a tech school for 2 years. finished there, adn on to a 4 year college. THen back to the tech for a second degree. A tech school is great for an ADD person, u don't have to sit and listen to lectures all day long! I am able to get up and do things hands on. I love it!

[f_wcomboadhd]

i'm 29 and just completed (if you could use that word) a semester of community college and it was my first semester in about five or six years. i made a+'s on everything..until i hit my glass wall. i don't know whats wrong w/ me!! i was in composition II and i was making 95 and above in my class and then i had to write a research paper that never materialized and was worth 25% of my final grade. i have a 54 now. gahhreat.
my other class: logic, i almost skipped out of taking my final...my husband pursuaded me against it. he also said that i've given myself permission to give up. i guess i have b/c its too painful to think any other way..but i'm lame!!
he and others in my family are absolutely confused by my performance...a+ work and then a complete drop off - i might as well have just dropped both classes. its almost like working fulltime, being a mom and married, plus making a's just isn't going to happen for me...its almost like i knew i couldn't keep up my 'a's' in life so i just gave up at school b/c i felt like the rest of my life was paying for it...
i have a serious feeling of regret about all the nights i stayed up and did homework etc to only have wasted my potential good semester in the end.
i'm frankly so covertly diswraught that i figured i would just do 'fun' things for awhile. i'm going to learn how to sew, fix my son's pants, make curtains and duvets, and possibly learn how to reupholster and redo my entire house til i have all this crap figured out....
sigh.