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NamesAreHard

729d

Does anyone else here struggle with what potential you could have had if not for your ADHD? I love the way I am, but it just sucks that I got diagnosed so late, especially since my family knew since I was young. I’m going to college next year and I’ll have disability accommodations, but I’ve never used them before and I only started medication this past year. My grades aren’t bad or anything. They’re actually pretty decent. It’s just that they should definitely be higher, and I’m gonna miss out on stuff in college because of it. So many of my friends are doing the Honors program which is apparently a great way to meet like minded friends and all that. I can’t do that because I just barely missed the GPA cutoff, because apparently just because the college recognizes that I have a disability doesn’t mean they’re ever going to look at my prior achievements through the lens of struggling with that very same undiagnosed disability. It just sucks because I have to lie all the time about why I’m not doing it because I don’t want to admit I wasn’t good enough. I try to find roommates and all of the likeminded people with similar interests are in these Honors dorms. Hell, I love the college I’m going to but I don’t know if I’d be going there if I had the grades I should’ve had. I just wonder what I missed out on and who I could’ve met or what things I could’ve achieved had it not been for this condition. Sorry for the long post. Can anybody relate or provide some advice?

Top reply
    • regularguy

      728d

      Living in the past is depression, living in the future is anxiety. As someone who has struggled a long time with this exact thing I cannot express enough how difficult it can be, so much so I dropped out of college. Learning to work with your ADHD and your brain is the best advice I can give. If you make the best of what is out of your control, you may find there are people around you in the same situation. College is a very large and diverse place, and I can guarantee you that even if you cannot hang out with the honors kids, you will be surounded by individuals that you can relate to and talk to, and for friendships that last a lifetime

    • regularguy

      728d

      Living in the past is depression, living in the future is anxiety. As someone who has struggled a long time with this exact thing I cannot express enough how difficult it can be, so much so I dropped out of college. Learning to work with your ADHD and your brain is the best advice I can give. If you make the best of what is out of your control, you may find there are people around you in the same situation. College is a very large and diverse place, and I can guarantee you that even if you cannot hang out with the honors kids, you will be surounded by individuals that you can relate to and talk to, and for friendships that last a lifetime

    • NamesAreHard

      728d

      That’s actually really helpful. Like, for real. I really appreciate you saying all that and telling your story because it really does help

    • cereal

      728d

      Yesss I can definitely relate! 🙌 I'm a senior in college rn, and I was diagnosed with adhd earlier this year. I can see a lot of similarities in our experiences. In high school, my grades were decent, but my parents and teachers always said that if I had "applied" myself I could do better, and I agree.. im not able to study the way other ppl do, so obviously my grades are the way they are. My younger sister, on the other hand, doesn't have adhd, and she's able to focus for hours on end. She eventually got into an elite college, while I'm stuck at a state university. Sometimes, I also wonder about the life I could have if I didn't have adhd 🥺 Looking back, I can say that I honestly tried my best, but sometimes our best doesn't look the same as other people's and that's okay!! The best way to move forward is to understand how your adhd affects you and work with it. Take your meds, exercise, get enough sleep, etc. Find a study routine that works for you. For me, I find that studying in a quiet location and switching study spots every few hours is very helpful. This works for me, but something different might work better for you. Although I do wonder about my potential at times, I love who I am with my adhd! My life is colorful and I feel like I think more creatively than my peers. Adhd may get in the way of some things in your life, but it doesn't stop you from achieving your goals! I've been working hard to get into grad school, and next fall, I will be starting my master's program. You can do it if you work hard. Don't let your friends in the Honors program make you feel bad! Not being in the Honors program doesn't mean you're dumb or you're not good enough. If your friends treat you poorly, you can make new ones (bc i certainly did😄). You can meet more ppl who share your interests through student orgs on campus (thats how i met a lot of my college friends). There are plenty of people who can succeed without having to go to a competitive school and/or program. What matters is your passion and persistence. It's kind of like the story of the "Tortoise and the Hare." We're the tortoise, and we'll reach that finish line through hard work and persistence.❤️ I didnt realize i wrote so much lol but i just want you to know that youre not alone. good luck with college next year! 😊

☝ This content is generated by our users and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult with your physician before making any medical decision

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