Does it ever feel like there’s not enough time in one day? How often is it that we go through our days, weeks, and months and suddenly realize that we have no idea where the time went? As students, we’re constantly doing a juggling act. There are classes to attend, there’s homework to complete; there are exams to prepare for, campus clubs and groups to join (to make that academic resume sparkle); there’s rent, bills, and food to take care of.
This is stressful enough for the average student. For someone who has attention deficit disorder (ADD), it can be an bloody nightmare.
I was diagnosed with ADD when I was 15; back then, in the early ’90s, it was barely heard of. I had spent my life being criticized for not paying attention, for being distracted, for being forgetful, disorganized, even slow.
For those of you out there who also have ADD or ADHD, you may be able to relate to the following scenario.
I’m hard at work, putting the finishing touches on a paper which is due the next morning, when the phone starts ringing but isn’t anywhere in sight. I leave the paper in order to find the phone, which is finally unearthed from behind a chair, rolled up into the yoga mat. By the time the phone is retrieved it’s gone to voicemail, but that’s okay because I discover when turning it on that there’s a text from a friend who I haven’t seen in ages. They’ve sent some great pictures of caves that they’re exploring on an archeological trip, which means I must now look up these caves and their history, so I start to do that, but I see some ads for a new restaurant in town, and I decide to check the menu as I’m starting to feel hungry. This menu looks amazing, so now I’m ordering from Skip the Dishes, and I don’t want them to see the state of my place, so I start picking things off the floor, straightening cushions, even vacuuming, because it’s been a while. While vacuuming I decide that I need music, so I turn on Spotify, and, hey, I should make a playlist while I’m housecleaning. The dinner arrives as I am dancing to my new tunes, vacuum in hand, and I answer the door while hiding my embarrassment at the same time. After a very satisfying meal, I’m ready for bed; I am feeling so tired. But wait… oh my God, my paper!
This is an all too familiar way of how my thoughts jump around, how even the most honourable intentions can go awry before I know it. Learning to balance a life with ADD has proved to be challenging, often frustrating; still, it’s never boring. It feels like there is a constant party happening in my head.
There are often times where I have to reschedule, explain, maybe apologize for missed appointments. I have had to learn studying tactics, such as using flashcards, alarms (to bring me back to Earth), even a rubber band around my wrist will help when listening to a lecture.
Recently I started writing on an actual paper calendar, my upcoming commitments in bright coloured pen. It seems helpful. I will not go the direction of taking Ritalin or Adderall because of being blessed with addictive tendencies (which is more possible for people with ADD).
However grim a picture this paints, balance is achievable. As I said, there are tactics and tricks one can use, there are tutors, even support groups. Life can be manageable, although probably never easy. It takes hard work and patience, both for the afflicted and those who they interact with because… oh crap, I was supposed to have left the house to meet a friend for a movie half an hour ago. I’ll have to continue that sentence another time.