[ksenter]

I need help desperately. I am an eighteen year old college student and I am flunking half my classes. I have always had trouble in school, but I always had someone there to help me survive it. Now that I am in college there is no one to help me, and the tutors just get annoyed by all my questions. I went to the learning psychologist and was recently diagnosed with ADD and a processing speed deficit. I have no idea how to get through school anymore. I'm failing classes, tests, I forget assignments, the assignments I do I forget at home, I'm always late to things, I just don't know what to do anymore. I gave up all my lofty goals and now all I want is my BS in management. I tried a couple meds and they were terrible. please someone, give me advice.

[Junerain]

Who was the someone who was THERE before to help you survive it before, your family? I had to transfer to a college near my family, and it helped...there is also the Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Forum...I am praying for you....

[Christina86]

(((((((((ksenter)))))))))))))



Here are my suggestions:

1. Talk to your teachers. Explain you were just recently diagnosed with ADD and a processing speed deficit. Provide the documented proof as needed, or the number to the doctor who did the assessment. Most teachers can have mercy if you talk to them NOW rather than later. They can usually be convinced to let you submit assignments late, or do makeup work. Talk to them, it can't hurt.
2. Does your school have a disability centre, or a health services building? Somewhere you can get academic accomodations? If your college has something like that - go talk to them NOW. You might not be able to save your classes this semester, but it will help you in the future if you can academic accomodations for tests/assignments/exams.
3. If you don't have what I mentioned in #2, then do you have an academic advisor? Academic advising centre? Or talk to someone in your department/program who knows something about the academic system. Explain the situation and see if they can give you advice or talk to your teachers.
4. Did you learning psychologist provide you with any advice/tips to deal with these new diagnoses? Perhaps medication for the ADD? Counselling? If they didn't give you suggestions - call them back, and ask them to give you academic advice on how to deal with all of these current academic troubles.
5. Do NOT give up on your goals. Otherwise you can wind up depressed dealing with everything - and you'll do more poorly in school. Try to stick to reasonable goals, but don't sell yourself short. You aren't dumb. You are struggling but it can be dealt with, when you're given enough support.
6. Do you have a therapist/counsellor? Can you see one at your college? Go talk to someone, I know when I was first diagnosed with my list of learning disabilities I was really depressed. Talking about it helped a lot!
7. Post-It notes, and a journal. Write everything you need to do or bring ANYWHERE in a journal. Keep it with you and take it everywhere. Write down things. Little notes to yourself in places with a Post-It note helps too!!
8. Are you in the right program? Perhaps you can look at your career goals, and maybe another academic program would be a better fit? If you're not completely interested in the material in a class, you're not as likely to do well.

I hope that's not too much information for you... but I've been where you are, and I want to help. Keep posting, we want to be informed about how things happen - for better or worse (hopefully for the better!)

[Ellen Ritter, PhD]

Ksenter -- I agree with Christina's suggestion that you go talk with your professors right away, and let them know not only that you've been diagnosed, but that you really do care, that you know that you're missing out on your work, etc. They are there to help and it really isn't uncommon for first year college students to hit a period like this (ADD or not) -- the workload at college is really different than high school, the distractions are greater, and for the first time you're having to do it on your own.

Don't give up -- instead go in there, ask about extensions, final deadlines, all the upcoming and missing assignments, even extra credit, and write it all down. Then in a calmer moment, what I find helps (after a bit of chocolate) is to take all that information, and organize it, breaking it into smaller, more manageable pieces and then with a realistic calendar of your days for the coming week, begin to see if you can put it together. Instead of maybe sleeping until your 11 o'clock class begins, could you get up at 9 and read for an hour or so? Between classes, could you go to the library to do some research (or whatever you have to do)? The thing is to break it into realistic pieces so it won't seem so overwhelming. Even leaving notes on your door at night which say "Take your English paper to class today" -- anything like that which helps you to feel in control and get it done can be great.

And, after you talk with them, if it seems as though there's no way you can catch up in one class, there's no shame in being able to admit that it's a bit too much and find out if you can withdrawal from the class without penalty and take it next year or even over the summer.

You were obviously smart enough a student for the college to believe in your abilities and that hasn't changed. So don't give up!! It may just be that typical freshman angst over the demands (academic and social) and with a little organizing and hard work in these last few weeks, you'll surprise yourself.

Best of luck!!

[GrayNess]

You can either talk to the professors or go to an access disability center (I'm not sure what the name for it is for your college). College is harder than high school and there are more demands set forth onto you. However, you clearly have both the willpower and the intellect to enter college. You should not abandon your goals, but if the workload is too much, why not drop a course? There's no shame in that, and next semester/year you can take that course or do it in the summer. If your family or some close friends helped you out in high school, then perhaps see if they can help you now. I don't mean for them to do the work for you but rather that you still do the work, however, for college life and some help on the workload, you can have a helping hand.

[GIGGLESKel032690]

I would definitely talk to your professors and talk to the center of disability. I know my roommate had some health issues and she talked to the Dean of Students and they were able to help out a lot. Also trying talking to a counselor, they may be able to help. Last ask your parents what you should do. Good Luck with everything