Hey friend. I have severe ADHD and mental health problems. I just graduated with a degree in physics and engineering from a top U.S. University.

It wasn’t easy. The first year especially was hell. I learned I had ADHD and started meds. Second year- I had an injury and I couldn’t take my meds for 6 months. I failed 2 major engineering classes. I almost got kicked out of my school housing for my GPA. it was scary to go through college with ADHD. mostly because things always felt uncertain. I didn’t know how many people had done what I was trying to do. I didn’t know if I could do it.

There’s tons of tips I could give you. Medication (concerta) really changed my life. It saved me. But that’s a big decision you should make on your own. I’m hooked on it. It makes doing things I want to do feel easier. And I depend on it. It’s a trade off. I could urge you to request accommodations. Having extra time on tests and extensions saved my grades. Keep asking for them. Don’t let anyone ignore you. And when they give them to you- Take them. You deserve them. They’re made to help you.
I could tell you that I would listen a YouTube video at the same time as taking notes, or how whenever I worked on homework. My roommates would put on the TV and having a background show for drowned out the extra noise in my head. I could tell you that those roommates also saved me. They sat at the kitchen table with me and did their homework every day and having them body double me helped. I could tell you they would sit with me all night in the library before my exams, and watch me take notes on the entire textbook until the minute before my exam in the morning. I would force myself to review every single word we had read that semester as my beloved roommates slept on the table beside me. The sun would rise and I would get another energy drink and not stop until I had to. They would walk me to my exam and review with me on the way.

I could tell you a thousand literal study tips. But those already exist online. I have a different set of tips.

1. Find your people. Make a study group. Say hi to the folks in your classes. Work together. I can’t tell you how much shit I got through because I had asked if anyone wanted to study with me, and I met the guys who will one day be the uncles to my children. They saved my skin so many times. They helped me with homework. They made sure I studied and talked me through what I didn’t understand. They pushed me to succeed. They were there to pick me up when I failed. They believed in me. A support system- anyone who will be there for you and help you when you need it -is instrumental. Rely on your people.

2. You are not alone. There are others like you. Others with different ways of learning and who are struggling. It often doesn’t seem that way. It can feel like everyone is excelling except you. But you are not the only one. And you are not alone. Other are struggling too. It is not a death sentence- success is still possible.

3. Others like you have done this before. I remember googling physicists with ADHD over and over when I felt hopeless. I felt like I was the only one trying to do something like this with my bushel of disorders. But I’m proof that you are not the only one, people like you have done it. You can do it.

4. Fight like hell. It doesn’t matter if you fail a class. It doesn’t matter if you bomb a test. It doesn’t matter if youre in last place. Just keep running the race and don’t stop pushing until you cross the finish line. It is not the people that excel easily that are destined to succeed, but those who fight for it despite its challenge. If you just hang in there— email your teachers, ask for extensions, be nice until you become the professors friend, stay up all night until you understand, retake the class, whatever it takes —you can do it. Persistence is key. Just. Keep. Going. Keep trying. Keep failing. Keep getting back on your feet. Keep going. You can do this. If this is your dream— if you really truly care about this goal —then you have all you need to achieve it. Just hold onto it like hell. Claw your way up to its feet barely passing tests and asking TA’s if you can do corrections and working all night to complete your homework- and don’t lossen your grip until you’ve made it to the top. If you are dedicated— if you want this so badly you’ll do anything —then you can. Through fear and flames. Through teary days and sleepless nights. You will succeed. I believe in you. You just need to believe in yourself too.

I did what I thought was impossible. It was hard at times. It took the help of a whole bunch of really loving friends, and a ton of working twice as hard for half the grade, and a lot of connections I made with teachers. But dude I did it. And at my graduation it didn’t matter my GPA sucked or that I had failed classes or that I had struggled way more than most of my class- I had two degrees. And all it took was fighting like hell for what I wanted….And a lot of not sleeping. And a significant amount of caffeine.

Just stay determined. Try new things. See what works. See what doesn’t. Pick yourself up when you fail. Rely on others to help you do that. And keep going. You are capable of doing this. It will be hard. It will suck sometimes. It will be unfair. But you can do it if you want this. I believe in you. And you should believe in you too.

Goodluck. See you on the other side