All those people from your school and hometown, they were all right- college is hard. No joke. Balancing relationships, social life, health, and school work is hard at any age. However, throw in the fact that you live by yourself, with a person you don’t know, and don’t have your parents to guide you and tell you what to do anymore cranks it up a notch. Welcome to the “young adult life.” This transition is a challenge for just about everyone, but if you live with ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, it can consume your world. After my first year of school, I figured my way around college. Here are my tips to conquering school, especially if you have ADHD like me.

1. Make A Schedule

This is actually a tip I would suggest for any student, high school or college. Laying out a strategy for the next day the night before makes things go much more smoothly. Waking up, going to sleep, eating, and studying at similar times will keep you in a groove. Long term planning for things like formal events and class projects is effective as well. Using a planner also is good for when your thoughts are scattered and you need a reference.

2. No Technology While Studying

Let’s just be honest- studying is never fun. I tend to try and think of things to do instead of finish my Religion homework. There’s absolutely nothing that can get me off track like a text message from a bestie back home or a Facebook notification. If you can, try silencing your cell phone and put it in your bag, or close your Netflix window on your laptop. Unless absolutely needed, try doing the majority of your work by hand, to avoid further temptation.

3. Make Smart Choices About Your Diet

Someone once told me that people who live recklessly eat recklessly. One of the hardest things I deal with as someone with ADHD is impulse-eating. I try making healthy eating choices when in the dining hall or going downtown, but temptation can be very tricky. Only buying and keeping around healthy food and drink options in your dorm eliminates a huge part of the problem. You can always enjoy a treat, but if you do so, try in moderation.

4. Try Working Out Accomodations

You can talk to your professors, your counselor, or someone through your school about setting up testing accommodations. With this, you can have more time for your test and take it at a specific time or in a separate room. With this, you will be more at ease, have less distractions, and worry about you and only you.

5. Time Management and Avoiding Last-Minute Responsibilities

This is another suggestion for all students. Learning time management skills is incredibly hard, especially if you hardly ever had to apply them in high school. Using some of the previous tips (see #1 and #2), along with others, makes things easier on you. Avoiding distractions of any kind, planning for the day or week, and teaming up with a classmate on assignments to keep you on track are game changers. Also, it is understandable to want to go out one night with your friends, but also know that school sometimes just has to come first. Procrastination can cause unnecessary stress and make your work have less quality, causing your final grade to be affected.

6. Ask for Help

This one may be more obvious to some people, but for people with immense amount of pride such as myself, this is a tough thing to do at times. Talking it out with your RA, parents, friends, a counselor, or even your teacher can help them understand what you are going through, as well as help you process your thoughts. It’s okay to not be okay sometimes.

Sometimes, life can seem unfair when you deal with something that you cannot help. Always know, however, you are never alone and someone out there can understand what you are going through. While, yes, it can be hard to deal with ADHD, especially in a school environment, it can be done with some self-discipline and encouragement from your loved ones. College, like anything in life, is what you make it. Keeping a positive attitude, even through hard times, can make a huge difference.