I was scared to be on medication as well. When I was younger I was on Ritalin and it made me a zombie. But nowadays they have better medication, and can tailor it to your needs. 
I’m on Vyvanse now, and I don’t think I could make it through college without it.
A few things I’ve found helpful with dealing with my ADD while in college is by using a white-board to write EVERYTHING down. All my classes, what assignments I have due, when they’re due, and all that. I check them off when I complete them. I use flashcards to memorize my key terms, and before a test I try to write down what I think my short answer questions will be.