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A story about a student who learns how to manage their ADHD years after graduation. <\/p>\n"},"library":"H5P.AdvancedText 1.1","metadata":{"contentType":"Text","license":"CC BY-NC-ND","title":"Untitled Text","authors":[{"name":"LKP99","role":"Author"}],"licenseVersion":"4.0"},"subContentId":"86fcf651-49a8-4b17-b8e5-e5701b806860"},"title":"From Cramming to Planning by Anonymous"},{"content":{"params":{"text":"

All throughout undergrad, I was able to float by in school because I majored in a subject that came naturally to me. Despite having severe ADHD, I never got any help for it in high school or college because I was academically successful on paper. But what my good grades couldn't show was that I was a textbook crammer. I would procrastinate until the last minute, then I would drink a lot of coffee and stay up all night before my exams to study as hard as possible.This strategy mainly worked for getting good grades, but it was unhealthy in other ways. Besides being a strain on my brain and body, this method of studying as hard as possible at the very last minute also caused me to be very tired after midterms and finals, and I would need to sleep during the day which would throw off my schedule even more. I was stressed out from lack of good sleep and routine. On top of that, I was not really learning. I could remember the content for a few hours to get me through the tests, but I could not recall what I had learned later on. This actually meant that I was making more work for myself: The content from the midterm would again show up on the final, and I would have to cram for the things I should have already known.<\/p>\n\n

The problem was that I did not have the skills for higher education. I had been successful in high school without having to work hard or study. University was a different story in that I did need to study, but I had none of the requisite planning and organizational skills to do productively. I was a stressed out mess, doing things at the last minute and cheating myself out of real understanding and subject mastery.<\/p>\n"},"library":"H5P.AdvancedText 1.1","metadata":{"contentType":"Text","license":"U","title":"Untitled Text"},"subContentId":"a21447b1-b455-4c21-b5d9-bca3c469c5ba"},"title":"The Wicked Problem"},{"content":{"params":{"text":"

I overcame this problem years later. When I got into the workforce after graduating with my bachelor's, I finally had to confront my ADHD, because it was impacting me in new ways. For example, being so disorganized in an administrative context was disastrous. I had to not only manage my own calendar, but also that of my two supervisors. I was unprepared. On top of that, my hyperactivity--the same thing that had helped me power through those all-nighters in college--made it super difficult for me to sit at a desk all day. I felt miserable, but I looked around at the other people my age and knew that they weren't struggling in the same way.<\/p>\n\n

This was the wake up call I needed to make two important changes. The first was that I began to take this \"ADHD thing\" a little bit more seriously. I started to do some real research and I realized that it wasn't just about not being able to listen to my professors drone on and on in class. It was about executive functioning skills that I seriously lacked. The first time I learned what skills are involved in executive functioning, it was like I had this epiphany. No wonder I had such a hard time finishing my laundry and cleaning my room. I was going about these kinds of tasks with absolutely no organization or planning. The same was true for the way I had been studying.<\/p>\n\n

The second change was the realization that, in light of my hyperactivity, it was alright if I did not want to have a desk-job for the rest of my life. This allowed me to start exploring careers where I would be able to use my energy and love of activity for good. This led me to decide to go back to school for occupational therapy, which I am currently doing.<\/p>\n\n

In order get into grad school, though, I had to go through a long journey of solving my wicked problem. The process of doing my research, finding schools, learning their requirements, and actually assembling my applications seemed so daunting to me at first that I almost felt I would not be able to do it. But the people around me were encouraging me to pursue my goals and work through the challenges, so I decided to start taking the prerequisite courses that I needed to apply to OT school. This was no small task, as I had 2 years worth of prerequisite courses to take before I would even qualify to apply.<\/p>\n\n

During those two years, I became determined to learn how to learn and study for real. Now that I knew I wanted to be an OT, every single class felt more important--cramming anatomy may have enabled me to pass the test, but now I really understood that I needed to learn. Future patients would be trusting me with their health and wellbeing. The stakes felt higher, and the motivation was clearer.<\/p>\n\n

In addition, I started listening to podcasts about ADHD and executive function to learn the skills I needed to be a good student. A huge breakthrough for me was when I started to use a bullet journal. For some reason, regular planners stress me out. I feel like I cannot make my life and thoughts match up to pre-ruled prescribed boxes. Bullet journaling is great for people with ADHD because it is all about making your own, simplified system that works for you as an individual. Even on weeks when I did not have anything planned, I forced myself to keep up with the habit of making my schedule in my bullet journal. I do not only put appointments and due dates in my journal, but I actually schedule out my studying and working times each day to show myself how and when I plan to get things done before the due date. I have also taken to placing the due dates in my calendar one day earlier than the real due date. I actually get things done a full 24 hours before they are due!<\/p>\n\n

Another huge key for me in this journey was seeking out peer support. Facebook is full of groups for people with ADHD. I joined a group for grad students where I could seek help from other people who understood. Things that I would be ashamed to share with my friends, like forgetting to eat for the entire day, are things that other students with ADHD can relate to and give advice about. I didn't have to always reinvent the wheel--I could benefit from the experiences of other students with ADHD who had found workarounds and strategies to get past their problems.<\/p>\n\n

The other vital piece of peer support has been the accountability it offers. I am in a group chat on facebook where we are always doing the pomodoro method. This method is studying for 45 minutes and then taking a 15 minute break. This does not work for me when I try to do it alone, but it works for me when I am doing it with a group of people, even virtually. Before we begin our sessions, we each tell each other what we are working on and what our goal is. This makes me feel less alone and it gives me a motivating goal. I have even begun doing this with my friends in my cohort. When I know that someone else is working, I will ask to zoom with them and work simultaneously, even if we are not working together. A lot of my friends have told me this has been very helpful for them as well, and they often initiate it now.<\/p>\n\n

Since starting my grad program a year ago, I have not once stayed up to cram for an exam. Every assignment has been done a minimum of 24 hours before the real due date. I can confidently say that I am really, truly learning. My wicked problem of procrastinating and going hard at the last minute is a problem of the past.<\/p>\n"},"library":"H5P.AdvancedText 1.1","metadata":{"contentType":"Text","license":"U","title":"Untitled Text"},"subContentId":"ab82f742-d648-4e8c-9f4b-f6adc9678ebb"},"title":"Finding a Solution"},{"content":{"params":{"text":"

I used to leave everything until the last minute, go as hard as possible to get it done, and then feel burned out all the time. Now that I put the time into learning about myself and what works for me, I never have to go through the stress of cramming. And I don't miss it!<\/p>\n"},"library":"H5P.AdvancedText 1.1","metadata":{"contentType":"Text","license":"U","title":"Untitled Text"},"subContentId":"8d151ed9-4f83-473e-8d83-181f31dfe1aa"},"title":"Final Thoughts"},{"content":{"params":{"text":"

From Cramming to Planning<\/em>. (2021, October 7). Liberated Learners. <\/span>https:\/\/wicked.liberatedlearner.ca\/learner\/from-cramming-to-planning\/<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n"},"library":"H5P.AdvancedText 1.1","subContentId":"bd4c551e-c621-47dd-8583-09daaf14bc8a","metadata":{"contentType":"Text","license":"U","title":"Untitled Text"}},"title":"APA Reference"}],"hTag":"h2"}

From Cramming to Planning

Liam Peart