Neurodivergent Studyblrs

do stuff while waiting for other stuff

like that sounds intuitive and vague but so much of the day is spent in a period of wait and if you struggle to motivate yourself to do things then this is the best time

waiting for your water to boil? bag up your garbage. waiting for your coffee to drip? wipe down your counters. roommate taking up the bathroom? scoop the cat box. waiting for your food to cook in the microwave? do however many dishes you can while it’s in there. 

“How many chores can I do while the water is boiling for my tea?”

“Can I put away the dishes and wipe the counters before my lunch finishes reheating?”

“Can I sweep the floor AND change the laundry while the dogs are out back?”

Hi! I have decided to make this masterpost, putting in one place everything that I have found ADHD - related!

For some links, I have listed some of the things you can find there, choosing those that I thought were the most useful, but check the whole site because everything is great!

BASICS: 

what is ADHD.

types of ADHD.

adult ADHD.

adults vs kids ADHD.

women and ADHD.

ADHD test - please, tho, don’t take this for granted and please don’t self diagnose, talk with your doctor about the results!

the best ADHD related youtube channel. - adhd in girls // sleeping // relationships // how fidgeting is useful.

signs of ADHD.

debunked myths.

things nobody tells you about having ADHD.

7 Everyday Struggles Of People With ADHD.

STUDYING:

studying with ADHD. (problems+solutions)

15 study tips for students with ADHD.

more study tips.

even more tips.

another list of tips.

exam tips. // grade tips.

math accomodations.

writing help / websites.

APPS.

ADHDtricks - format study material // blue tack // trouble understanding // readable web .

FOCUSING:

keep your focus.

food to help focusing.

chronic procrastination.

hyperfocus.

fight distractions. 

focus right now.

more focusing hacks.

MISC:

boredom. 

sleeping. // tips for better sleep. 

medications + avoid side effects.

meds’ side effects (and how to reduce them.)

more about meds.

ADHD strenghts!

read some life experiences!

planning. + great planning site.

relationships.

2 hour glitter jar calming video + how to make one!

some satisfying videos.

aquarium calming video. 

WEBSITES:

CHADD.

ADDA - adhd starter kit!

ADHDtogether.

kidsinthehouse’s ADHD section.

ADHD reddit.

Totallyadd.

verywell’s ADHD section.

ADDtitudemag.

ADHD study tumblr.

Social networks! Use facebook to find support groups and pages, use Tumblr to connect with others like you and use Twitter to find out about new articles and resources with the tag #adhd!

Thats it! Hope you have found this mp useful, feel free to add things!

+ other links:

useful programs masterposts.

how to write an analytical/scientific essay.

cute ‘n unusual stationery.

dyscalculia resources + advice.

how i take my math notes.

dry shampoo and face wipes are your friend. if you can brush your teeth you’ll feel maybe 2% less disgusting. wash your hands.

smelling nice is gr9, rubbing moisturiser in is Exhausting. perfume, scented candles and linen sprays are way quicker.

try to change your clothes at least every other day. wear sweats or pjs as often as you physically can.

you don’t need to put on underwear if you’re not leaving the house (that goes double for bras and binders)

drink any water that hasn’t been sitting out on your desk for a week. dust doesn’t taste good. stay hydrated. I fill one of those 2 litre bottles in the morning and keep it with me so I don’t have to get up and walk to the sink.

re: cleaning, try and keep one room vaguely clean. if everywhere else is a shit hole that’s fine, but you can go sit in your one tidy space and chill for a bit. it’s fine if that’s the bathroom or just the corner of your bedroom where there’s no crap on the floor. find a tiny space that isn’t horrifying and sit in it.

music helps.

eat a thing. +5 points if it has a fresh fruit or vegetable in it. take out is acceptable if it comes with veggies.

if your creativity curled up and died a long time ago try and find something that at least reminds you what it was like to feel inspired. watch a film, look at some art (probably not your own), read a thing. if that makes you feel worse, just?? don’t think about it??

grounding yourself is actually really helpful. open the window and breathe for 2 minutes. lay down on the floor and feel your whole body (unless you don’t want to in which case: lay down and don’t feel anything except the floor) 

human interaction is Good. text a family member you don’t hate if you have one. message a friend. reply to someone’s personal post with ‘SAME’. make your own personal post asking the void for validation. stare out the window at people and remind yourself that life exists outside of the black space inside your head. whatever works.

(Image: a purple rectangle with a smaller white rectangle in the center. Black text is inside the white rectangle, and is in all-caps, which says “Applying to College: Disability Edition.” Underneath the rectangle is more text which reads “Part 3,” and the creator’s tumblr url, “maksimere.tumblr.com”. )

OTHER PARTS OF THIS SERIES:

Part 1: What to Look For in Disability Services

Part 2: Housing And Campus

Part 4: My Accommodations and Experience; Accommodation Letters

Part 5: What the Hell is a Kurzweil? (Assistive Technology + Apps)

Part 6: Registration/ Schedules!

Part 7: Campus Life, and Reminders!

Hello hello! This is the third post in my “Applying to College: Disability Edition” series, with the theme of this post being exams! 

As always, please message me if there’s any questions or you want a clarification, or if you have any suggested edits to a post!

let’s get started!

USE THAT SYLLABUS:

So once you have your stack of syllabi for all your classes, one of the first things you should do is go through and highlight each day you have an exam. Shove them in your phone planner, your paper planner, bullet journal, calendar app, study app, whatever. Put them in all of them. I can’t stress that enough.

If you have a class that uses papers instead of tests, do the same thing. Because they’re used instead of tests, those papers are insanely heavy on your grade, and you need to prioritize them once they’ve been assigned. 

Also, side note: just plug in every assignment for the next month or so in as soon as you get the syllabus. If you want to plug in the whole semester, go for it- but keep in mind that plans do change, so you may have to rewrite things and change dates around (I plugged in the whole semester, and things got rewritten in two of my classes because one of my teachers had a baby and then there was a snow day).

REGISTERING EXAMS:

This section is entirely how to register for exams using an online form, and the basic information that should be on the form.

So for starters, don’t put off doing this form. At all. I’ve done that twice already, and it’s bit me in the ass both times. Register your exams at least a week to a week and a half in advance. That seems excessive, but most places need at least three to five business days to send out the request to your teacher, have them accept it, and then process the request and let you know the request was accepted.

Do it early, so you’re not freaking out the night before wondering if it got processed. 

Now that I’ve said that, these are some basic things that will be on an exam form. Some of these may not be on the form, and most forms will have other things, but these are the basic ones that will 90% likely be there:

1.) Your name, your student email, and your student ID number (your ID will almost always have your ID number).

2.) The class name, the class section, the time the class meets, the instructor’s name, and the instructor’s email (all of this should be in the syllabus).

3.) The date the test is given out in class, and what the test is called (also in the syllabus). 

4.) What day you intend to take it (note: if it’s a different day than the rest of the class for some reason, clear it with your instructor first), and what time you intend to take it. 

If you’re taking it outside of class times, there’s usually a box to explain why (eg. “I have two back-to-back classes, so I need to take it outside of class because my extended time will spill over into that class period”).

5.) Where you intend to take the class: the options are either in class, in the testing center(s), or in a different area that was agreed upon by you and the instructor beforehand.

6.) If you have any accommodations listed for taking exams (ie. extended time, screen readers, scribe, etc.), there’s usually going to be some check boxes to click to mark that you’re going to use them.

7.) At the end, there may be an “additional information” box. This is where you include anything extra about the exam- ie. “the instructor has approved (thing here) for this exam,” etc. etc. 

TAKING EXAMS:

This is going to focus on taking it inside the testing center, as if you take it in class with everyone else, there’s not much to it: you show up during the time class usually is, and then you take the test then, finish when the class period ends. 

If you’re taking the test in the testing center, show up at least ten minutes or so early. This is so they can sign you in, and they can get your test. 

As well, you also need to leave stuff they won’t allow you to take in the testing center (like your phone) in a designated area. 

For an example of what you’re allowed to bring, I’m allowed to bring my water bottle, a pencil, an eraser, my earbuds (provided they’re not attached to anything), a fidget (if I have one on me), and anything specific to the exam, like a calculator. (Basically, if you couldn’t take it in the room for the ACT, you probably can’t bring it in the testing room.)

NOTE: If your instructor specifies anything like a Green Book or a Scantron, it’s generally a good idea to bring one with you.

WHEN YOU’RE DONE WITH THE TEST:

When you’re done or run out of time to take it, you leave and turn it in to the person you gave it to. In return, you get your backpack and other items, like your phone, back (note: this isn’t to say they’re holding it as ransom, but you also don’t get your stuff back until it’s documented you’re done with the exam.. by turning it in. So, it’s a bit like it’s being held ransom.)

Once you turn it in, you’re free to leave! The testing center takes it from there and turns in the exam to the professor, so you get it back in class with everyone else.

Work for 15-20 minutes at a time. Forcing yourself to work is painful and counterproductive because you won’t be doing your best. Grab a caffeinated drink and do your work one paragraph/side of a worksheet/section of equations at a time. Then set a break timer and stay in the same room as it.

Make it easy to focus on. What’s the easiest color ink to read? Do you need to change colors every so often? Do you need to move all those little paperclips you know you’ll end up messing with? But if you’re going to keep thinking about it, keep it on your desk. You can look up and see that it’s right there instead of letting it distract you.

Add three things to your desk. 1) Something to write on. A pad of sticky notes or a few sheets of paper that you can’t move, and are just there to catch every thought you have and don’t want to forget. 2)Something to write with. Leave on the something to write on and don’t move it. You can’t misplace something you did not touch. 3)Something to touch. Maybe you need something to fiddle with while you read. A small textured eraser or binder clip are highly unlikely to be taken away by teachers.

1. Have a good, long, body-shaking cry.

2. Call a trusted friend or family member and talk it out.

3. Call in sick. Take comp time if you can. Take a mental health day.

4. Say no to extra obligations, chores, or anything that pulls on your precious self-care time.

5. Book a session (or more!) with your therapist.

6. Dial down your expectations of yourself at this time. When you’re going through life’s tough times, I invite you to soften your expectations of yourself and others.

7. Tuck yourself into bed early with a good book and clean sheets.

8. Watch a comforting/silly/funny/lighthearted TV show or movie.

9. Reread your favorite picture and chapter books from childhood.

10. Ask for some love and tenderness from your friends on social media. Let them comment on your post and remind you that you’re loved.

11. Look at some some really gorgeous pieces of art.

12. Watch Youtube videos of Ellen DeGeneres and the adorable kids she has on her show.

13. Look at faith-in-humanity-restoring lists from Buzzfeed.

14. Ask for help. From whoever you need it – your boss, your doctor, your partner, your therapist, your mom. Let people know you need some help.

15. Wrap yourself up in a cozy fleece blanket and sip a cup of hot tea.

16. Breathe. Deeply. Slowly. Four counts in. Six counts out.

17. Hydrate. Have you had enough water today?

18. Eat. Have you eaten something healthy and nourishing today?

19. Sleep. Have you slept 7-9 hours? Is it time for some rest?

20. Shower. Then dry your hair and put on clothes that make you feel good.

21. Go outside and be in the sunshine.

22. Move your body gently in ways that feel good. Maybe aim for 30 minutes. Or 10 if 30 feels like too much.

23. Read a story (or stories) of people who overcame adversity or maybe dealt with mental illness, too. (I personally admire JK Rowling’s story.)

24. Go to a 12-Step meeting. Or any group meeting where support is offered. Check out church listings, hospital listings, school listings for examples.

25. If you suspect something may be physiologically off with you, go see your doctor and/or psychiatrist and talk to them. Medication might help you at this time and they can assist you in assessing this.

26. Take a long, hot bath, light a candle and pamper yourself.

27. Read these inspirational quotes.

28. Cuddle someone or something. Your partner. A pillow. Your friend’s dog.

29. Read past emails/postcards/letters etc. from friends and family reminding you of happier times.

30. Knit. Sculpt. Bake. Engage your hands.

31. Exhaust yourself physically – running, yoga, swimming, whatever helps you feel fatigued.

32. Write it out. Free form in a journal or a Google doc. Get it all out and vent.

33. Create a plan if you’re feeling overwhelmed. List out what you need to do next to tackle and address whatever you’re facing. Chunk it down into manageable and understandable pieces.

34. Remember: You only have to get through the next five minutes. Then the next five. And so on.

35. Take five minutes to meditate.

36. Write out a list of 25 Reasons Why You’ll Be OK.

37. Write out a list of 25 Examples of Things You’ve Overcome or Accomplished.

38. Write out a list of 25 Reasons Why You’re a Good, Lovable Person.

39. Write out a list of 25 Things That Make Your Life Beautiful.

40. Sniff some scents that bring you joy or remind you of happier times.

41. Ask for support from friends and family via text if voice-to-voice contact feels like too much. Ask them to check in with you via text daily/weekly. Whatever you need.

42. Lay down on the ground. Let the earth/floor hold you. You don’t have to hold it all on your own.

43. Clean up a corner of a room of your house. Sometimes tidying up can help calm our minds.

44. Ask yourself: What’s my next most immediate priority? Do that. Then ask the question again.

45. Read some poetry. Rumi, Hafiz, Mary Oliver are all excellent.

46. Take a tech break. Delete or deactivate social media if it feels too triggering right now.

47. Or maybe get on tech. If you’ve been isolating maybe even interacting with friends and family online might feel good.

48. Go out in public and be around others. You don’t have to engage. But maybe go sit in a coffee shop or on a bench at a museum and soak up the humanity around you.

49. Or if you’re feeling too saturated with contact, go home. Cancel plans and tend to the introverted parts of yourself.

50. Ask friends and family to remind you that things will be OK and that what you’re feeling is temporary.

51. Put up some Christmas lights in your bedroom. They often make things more magical.

52. Spend a little money and treat yourself to some self-care and comfort. Maybe take a taxi versus the bus. Buy your lunch instead of forcing yourself to pack it. Buy some flowers that delight you.

53. Make art. Scribble with crayons. Splash some watercolors. Paint a rock. Whatever. Just create something.

54. Go wander around outside in your neighborhood and take a look at all the lovely houses and the way people decorate their gardens. Delight in the diversity of design.

55. Go visit or volunteer at your local animal rescue. Pet some animals.

56. Look at photos of people you love. Set them as the wallpaper of your phone or laptop.

57. Create and listen to a playlist of songs that remind you of happier times.

58. Read some spiritual literature.

59. Scream, pound pillows, tear up paper, shake your body to move the energy out.

60. Eat your favorite, most comforting foods.

61. Watch old Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood videos online.

62. Turn off the lights, sit down, stare into space and do absolutely nothing.

63. Pick one or two things that feel like progress and do them. Make your bed. Put away the dishes. Return an email.

64. Go to a church or spiritual community service. Sit among others and absorb any guidance or grace that feels good to you.

65. Allow yourself to fantasize about what you’re hoping or longing for. There are clues and energy in your reveries and daydreams that are worth paying attention to.

66. Watch Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response videos to help you calm down and fall asleep at night.

67. Listen to monks chanting, singing Tibetan bowls or nature sounds to help soothe you.

68. Color in some adult coloring books.

69. Revisit an old hobby. Even if it feels a little forced, try your hand at things you used to enjoy and see what comes up for you.

70. Go to the ocean. Soak up the negative ions.

71. Go to the mountains. Absorb the strength and security of them.

72. Go to the forest. Drink in the shelter, life and sacredness of the trees.

73. Put down the personal help books and pick up some good old fashioned fiction.

74. Remember: Your only job right now is to put one foot in front of the other.

75. Allow and feel and express your feelings – all of them! – safely and appropriately.Seek out help if you need support in this.

76. Listen to sad songs or watch sad movies if you need a good cry.

77. Dance around wildly to your favorite, most cheesy songs from your high school years.

78. Put your hands in dirt. If you have a garden, go garden. If you have some indoor plants, tend to them. If you don’t have plants or a garden, go outside. Go to a local nursery and touch and smell all the gorgeous plants.

79. If you want to stay in bed all day watching Netflix, do it. Indulge.

80. Watch or listen to some comedy shows or goofy podcasts.

81. Look for and Google up examples of people who have gone through and made it through what you’re currently facing. Seek out models of inspiration.

82. Get expert help with whatever you need. Whether that’s through therapy, psychiatry, a lawyer, clergy, let those trained to support you do it.

83. Educate yourself about what you’re going through. Learn about what you’re facing, what you can expect to feel, and how you can support yourself in this place.

84. Establish a routine and stick to it. Routines can bring so much comfort and grounding in times of life that feel chaotic or out of control.

85. Do some hardcore nesting and make your home or bedroom as  cozy and beautiful and comforting as possible.

86. Get up early and watch a sunrise.

87. Go outside and set up a chair and watch the sunset.

88. Make your own list of self-soothing activities that engage all five of your senses.

89. Develop a supportive morning ritual for yourself.

90. Develop a relaxing evening ritual for yourself.

91. Join a support group for people who are going through what you’re going through. Check out the listings at local hospitals, libraries, churches, and universities to see what’s out there.

92. Volunteer at a local shelter or hospital or nursing home. Practice being of service to others who may also be going through a tough time.

93. Accompany a friend or family member to something. Even if it’s just keeping them company while they run errands, sometimes this kind of contact can feel like good self-care.

94. Take your dog for a walk. Or borrow a friend’s dog and take them for a walk.

95. Challenge your negative thinking.

96. Practice grounding, relaxation techniques.

97. Do something spontaneous. Walk or drive a different way to work. Order something new off the menu.Listen to a Spotify playlist of new songs.

98. Work with your doctor, naturopath or nutritionist to develop a physical exercise plan and food plan that will be supportive to whatever you’re facing right now.

99. Pray. Meditate. Write a letter to God/The Universe/Source/Your Higher Self, whatever you believe in.

100. As much as you can, please try and trust the process.

So for the past three years I’ve been battling through school with a lot of mental health issues, hence why I’m set back a year for my age, but it’s not all bad. Living like this has taught me some essential lessons and I’ve learned how to handle it a lot better. I wanted to share some of what I’ve learned with you guys in hopes that it will help you too.

1. Sleep Problems with depression often comes insomnia or excessive sleeping too. I’ve always had trouble settling down to sleep at night and being completely awake in the mornings. A good way to combat this is to put your phone on night shift so as it gets closer to your bed time your eyes start to get used to the dark. F.lux is amazing too, I have it on my laptop as I’m usually writing late before bed and it removes the blue light that keeps you awake as it gets later. Another thing I like to do is watch ASMR videos which are not to everyone’s taste but I find them extremely relaxing, look around on youtube and find which ones work best for you!

If you struggle with excessive sleeping and early morning fatigue a good app to use is WakeNShake as you have to get up and actively shake your phone in order for your alarm to stop, super helpful to wake you up and get you going. Another tip that I find particularly useful is waking up an hour before you have to get ready and spending some time on social media in bed, coming around to the day and the idea of getting up in a less abrupt way. 

2. It’s okay to have a break the last three years have been a whirlwind of perpetual guilt. Missing classes and getting anxious and feeling guilty for not being there and then feeling guilty for being glad I stayed home, feeling like I’d been lying to myself. The most important thing I’ve come to learn in that it’s okay to have the odd day off, as long as you catch up on work and keep your tutors informed there’s no reason for you not to take the time you need. Make sure these days stay productive though, if not with school work do other things, get out of bed, have a shower, make breakfast and take a long walk, anything to keep you in a positive headspace. 

It’s equally okay to take longer breaks too, to move schools or retake the year. I’ve had to do this myself and although I’m typing this up on a day off for mental health related reasons I am still a lot better than I was last year. It’s helpful to retake a year or two if you just need that extra recovery time to learn what coping mechanisms work for you, it gives you the opportunity to succeed and get better at the same time.

3. Getting Help I know the idea of a therapist or counselling doesn’t appeal to all but the sooner you talk to someone about how you’re feeling the better, they could offer you coping mechanisms you’ve never thought of, medication that could greatly improve your day to day life or just someone to call when you feel a little lost and uneasy. 

4. School Related Anxiety When I miss days I usually get considerably anxious about everything I’m missing, over thinking things and worrying about situations that probably wont even happen. Meditating every morning or evening can teach you mindfulness and help you focus on the now, getting the work you have today done and not worrying about tomorrows. I like the Calm app for this, it helps with insomnia too. 

5. Actually Studying Like with many things it helps to do things in chunks, on bad days when I can’t get out of bed I like to break my day up, for example I focus on the next 30 minutes of my day only, such as, get out of bed and have a shower, you don’t have to go to class, get dressed and ready for the day, you don’t have to go to class though, get on the bus, you still don’t have to go if you don’t want to. Not only does it give you the opportunity to back out at any time it splits up the day so it seems manageable. Studying can work very much the same. The Pomodoro app allows you to study in 25 minute bursts with five minute breaks, this will help you stay focused and will make your work load seem more manageable if you just think of it as do 25 minutes and then see if you’re ready to do more over and over again. 

6. Stay Organised This might seem obvious but I understand how difficult it can get to keep everything in order when even your mind isn’t. Making sure your bag and desk and files are organised and clean is extremely useful as it helps to keep your anxiety low as things are more easily accessible. When everything is in order it seems less like a challenge. 

7. Journalling Again, writing isn’t to everyone’s taste. I’m lucky in the sense that I’ve loved writing fiction and poetry since I was a child and journalling doesn’t seem like a chore to me as I try to do it often anyway and have managed to fill six over the years. Journalling really helps. On bad days writing a few pages about how you’re feeling and setting some goals such as ‘go on a walk’ or ‘have a shower’ or ‘start some of my psychology essay’ can really help to clear your mind and motivate you, putting you in that all important positive mindset. Go to a Paperchase or a shop that sells pretty notebooks and pick one that really appeals to you, this way you’ll be more willing to use it too and you might even come to enjoy it. 

8. Surrounding Yourself with Positivity Last but not least, one of the most important tips. Negative thinking can really effect how long you stay in an episode or dip so It’s important to remind yourself that you will get through this like you got through the last harder time and that there will come a point when your depression is manageable again. Watch tv shows that you know will keep you happy, when I’m going through rough phases I tend to watch things like Friends that are light and cheerful and wont add to my bad mood. Another good thing to do is to text your friends or call them and ask them to help you take your mind off things, you’ll end up laughing and in a better mood than you were earlier for it.  

- fail

- don’t have neat handwriting

- procrastinate

- are poor

- are self conscious of posting their own work

- aren’t doing ‘hard’ subjects

- don’t take pretty aesthetic photos

- don’t know what they want to do after education

- have mental illnesses

- have personal issues

- aren’t in school

13/02/2016 •

A lot of you have been asking how I study and also what grades I’ve been getting. So here goes!

I’ve listed some general points which I’m going to expand on in a series of ‘How to Study’ master posts.

I’m studying in the UK and achieved 12A*2A at GCSE. At AS, I achieved 5As and am currently aiming for 4A*s. I’m studying Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry & Economics!

It is ok to take breaks. 

You are allowed to step away from your desk, make yourself a cup of tea, take a long shower, watch a movie or bake some cookies.

You are still succeeding. 

You are still doing something productive.