Adult ADHD and a Hard Science Major

[beastmasterrach]

Hello all. My name is Rachel and I’m an adult with ADHD. I’m also a college student doing Geology as a major and GIS&T (Geographic Information Science and Technology) as a minor. I also have Companion Animals as another minor but I just need one more class for that. Anyways, I was wondering if there are any tips or tricks for coping with ADHD while trying to do a hard science. I ask this because every major is different and different tricks could be used. With my major we are in the classroom/lab 3/4ths of the time and 1/4th in the field. This is important because I am on medication but it’s a stimulant and I will not take it when I have to hike 4 or 5 miles to get to our study area. The hike does help me concentrate a little bit but after a while I’m back to my normal self. Thanks

REPORT ABUSE

[piley]

Hi

I have a voice recorder that I take into seminars, meetings etc. I then put the recordings on software that allows me to add my notes and slides to the recordings.

I rarely get round to actually putting my notes, slides and recordings together to be honest but I do listen to the recordings again when I am working on a paper.

I don’t try to do one thing at a time. My supervisor helps me focus in on one point, but even then my thoughts spider out all the time and I tend to be writing several paragraphs at once, jumping between them as the thoughts come to me.

I find trying to work in a linear way doesn’t work for me and so I try to work with the ADHD rather than against it.

I also need noise when I’m working so I tend to have netflix on in the background – something I’ve seen a bunch of times that won’t disturb me with anything new or interesting but that give me a hum of familiar conversation round me that tends to take the edge off sudden noises that might make me lose track of what I’m doing.

I have a sand timer on my desk too. I keep track of time that way. (Once I got past the staring at the thing as the sand trickled out stage anyway!) I can see how long I’ve been working on something but it doesn’t distract me by making a noise when the time is up, so if I’m in the zone I just keep going.

Do you have a short acting pill for the days you don’t want to take it all day? If the long hike can help you focus, can you go out before class and get some exercise?

Also, are you entitled to disability support in your college? I have an hour a week with a mentor that helps me keep organised. We set targets together for the week, as it’s something I can’t do on my own. (Who actually manages to tick off everything on a to-do list anyway?! If I have actually written anything useful on it, I’ve lost it already before I begin anything on it!)

REPORT ABUSE

[beastmasterrach]

I’ve thought about the voice recorder but still unsure with it. However, exercise does help and I’m planning on riding my bike if I can get back into school next semester. (Freaking aid)

I actually cannot take the extended release medication because it makes me really sleepy. However, I do have the generic medication of Ritolin and it works for about two hours so I try to cramp what I can into those two hours. Afterwards I put on some on Netflix like you. It has to be something I’ve seen over and over. Usually Ghost Adventures since Netflix doesn’t like to add on more than one season at a time.

I am with the disability center and a program called STEM-H but I only meet once a month with my mentor and she just graduated and I’m getting a new one if I can go back.

My only issue with timers is for some reason if I put one on I tend to hyper focus on what I’m doing and get super mad when the timer goes off and just keep with what I’m doing.

 

I think I will see about the recorder though.

REPORT ABUSE

[piley]

Yes, timers do that to me too, but the sand timer doesn’t as if I’m actually working I don’t notice it running out, but if I’m distracted I tend to notice it and remember what I’m supposed to be doing.

REPORT ABUSE

[beastmasterrach]

Oh, like a reminder tool? I never thought about that way.

REPORT ABUSE

[piley]

Yes, that’s how I use it.

REPORT ABUSE

[beastmasterrach]

Thank you very much Piley, for your help!

REPORT ABUSE

[Author]

Posts