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MEGA - Studying, Exams, Stress, and coping with them

don't go too heavy on the benzos/booze bc both can affect memory retention overnight as they disrupt normal sleep cycles (small dose is fine, i'd presume.) if you don't want to go the drug route, i'd say fully prepare for the test, then get in bed and begin reviewing your notes/flash cards/whatever you use. hopefully being in bed will make you drowsy and if not, you'll be extra, extra prepared. also i know everyone always says sleep before a test is essential (which, of course, makes it harder for all of us to fall asleep) but i've been able to perform very well on tests without much sleep...so i'd say there is no hard and fast rule...don't sweat not getting enough sleep unless it seems to significantly impact your performance.
 
Originally posted by rashandreflex
also i know everyone always says sleep before a test is essential (which, of course, makes it harder for all of us to fall asleep) but i've been able to perform very well on tests without much sleep...so i'd say there is no hard and fast rule...don't sweat not getting enough sleep unless it seems to significantly impact your performance.
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It's weird, but often the exams I've had to do on the least amount of sleep are the ones I've done best in. The highest mark I think I ever got was after being unable to get to sleep until 4am, and even then only after washing down a whole lot of benzos with vodka in desperation. I felt like shit the next day.

My solution to worrying about not sleeping the night before an exam? Learn the material well enough so that not having enough sleep makes little difference. When I'm confident enough that I know what I'm doing, the thought of not sleeping doesn't trouble me at all.

Although, I still cheat and use benzos fairly regularly.
 
Succeeding in college/life with ADD

I only have two semesters left to graduate with a B.S., but the classes are very difficult. I've struggled with motivation and concentration throughout my college life, and am now worried that my GPA isn't good enough for me to attend graduate school anywhere (a must in my major if you want a real job).

Is it possible to succeed in college and life while coping with attention-deficit disorder? For those of you who are diagnosed: What can I do to help me succeed? Last year my university allowed me to take extra time on exams, which definitely helped, but is that even an option at the master's level?
 
Yeah, I'm taking adderol. Undoubtedly it's helped me in the past semesters to achieve decent grades.

Either way I have problems with motivation.

These past couple days it seems like I am not sure what I want to do/where I wnat to go w/ my life.

And this is my life... and it's ending one minute at a time.
 
Sounds alot like my situation, and christ does it
suck. In my last few classes for a difficult B.S. and
also worried about gpa for grad school. Extreme
concentration problems always. I've been on and
off Ritalin and it does help but I've no instinct on
my own. Absolutely no motivation and the further
I've gone in my studies/life the more it's become
problematic.

Anyway, I wish I had some answers for you (and me) -
I try to capitalize on the hours that I feel ok to get
things done but it's entirely too sporadic and isn't a real
solution.

Here's hoping we figure it out! and lots of luck to you-
:)
 
I don't have ADD or ADHD but I have worked with students who have one of them plus my boyfriend has ADHD.

My advice might be worthless cause im not that expeienced but....you're saying that you can't be motivated...are you sure what you're studying is what you want to be doing for the rest of your life? it sems to me that your issue is not that ADD but rather what you want for yourself....if the pills help you concentrate then they're doing the job.....but from what i've read (i could be completely wrong) your problem seems the motivation and ADD does not really affect motivation you might be pursuing the wrong career.

i.e. people with ADHD/ADD usually kids and also young adults (my boyfriend) can sit for hours on computer games but can't do the academic work...... my boufriend will do his work if he believes it is important to him and interests him...if it doesn't then he can't sit there for more than fifteen minutes.

again don't take my advice seriously, this is just an opinion!

wish you the best of luck!!!
 
^ I agree. Being interested in what you do is really important in maintaining focus, and I would imagine it's even more important with a disorder of attention.

If your classes don't have any intrinsic value to you, maybe focus on graduating? View every class as a step closer to getting you out of there.....it's not be a particularly positive way of looking at things, but you don't have long to go and it might at least get you through.
 
Im in your exact situation. The only thing getting me thru is my dexedrine. It's really tough, but im aiming for studying abroad next semester, so that is a great motivator for me. Find a really healthy goal to work for.

Other things that helped me in the past was fucking up my GPA and then rebounding and kicking ass. Kinda like learning the hard way, but sometimes that is what it takes, espically for us add-fabulous kids.

I never got any special treatment for having add. The shit I had to go through just to get extended time on tests was way too tedious.
 
Dude, I get in the same mindstate. I dont know if its normal and everyone has to deal or if its a direct relation with the adhd mentality, either way you just have to stay smart. Whatever you do, do your best and be smart about achieving your goals. If that means continuing formal education, which definately keeps some options open for the future, then ya gotta deal, dont get hung up on those abstract existential moments.

You have to learn to develop a positive association with getting your work done. Dont let yourself get comfortable until you are on top of things and in control of achieving your goals.
 
I have a similar problem. Although for once in my life motivation has finally come to me and I have been able to get my shit together and get work done. I wouldn't be able to do it without my methylphenidate however.


Are you smoking weed? Weed really fucked my motivation for a while. I really fucked my shit up and dropped out of highschool. I didn't even realize how it was affecting me untill I quit. Then I started back up for a while and it led to me needing to drop a class. I quit soon thereafter and gained my motivation back.


Also, a good psychedelic experience from time to time reminds me keeps me motivated.
 
I find my major very interesting, I just seem to have trouble going to class. It doesn't help that I've been sick for the majority of this semester, but I still could've made it to some of my classes on days I wasn't too sick. I would just find myself thinking "Well, I'm going to be five minutes late and I don't want to walk into a lecture after it's already started, so I'll skip my first class..."

It doesn't really matter what the class is, I just don't have a lot of free time between work and classes (when I actually go) so I'd rather spend it watching tv or playing video games than doing assigned readings.

I don't smoke weed anymore, but I do drink quite a bit on the weekends. I've been trying to cutback on my drinking and have to some extent, but I find I have much better game when I am a little sauced.

I think I need to start eating healthier and start exercising regularly. Sometimes it seems I am mildly depressed, which a healthier lifestyle would both alleviate that and help with my motivation. I'll try to find out what works for me and pass the word on to you guys. Hopefully you guys can do the same for me.
 
Last minute work- are you procrastinating?

Give a shout out if you're doing last minute work, and if you'd like detail what it is and how bad you are at putting it off. %)

I'm finishing a 6 page midterm paper for philosophy/ethics that's due in an hour. I need to write a whole page and print it out before driving to school.

Edit: Well I finished it. I pulled some crap out of my ass. Philosophy really is the best subject to do such a thing in ;)
 
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IMO im a C grade student that deserves A's!!!!

I have a nack for taking a 2 month project and doing the entire thing in one night, and getting a C. IMO thats pretty impressive since a lot of ppl in my classes will work on projects for weeks and get B's or low A's. If i actually did shit when I was supposed to id probably have a 4.0. But ya know, smoking pot and drinking booze is a lot cooler than schoolwork that can be put off untill tomorrow! And the next day! And the day after that!
 
I've had success with procrastination. Especially on papers, so-so with studying though. I can't even count the number of nights I've stayed up or barely slept 'cause I've had shit due the next morning.

Anyway, I swear I work great under pressure because all of that...
 
THE WOOD said:
IMO im a C grade student that deserves A's!!!!

I have a nack for taking a 2 month project and doing the entire thing in one night, and getting a C. IMO thats pretty impressive since a lot of ppl in my classes will work on projects for weeks and get B's!
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exactlythe same here!

Right now Im supposed to be working on two different two page papers but instead im on BL, cooking dinner and reading a gossip magazine.
 
WERD i seriously do this with every project and its stressful as fuck. but its gotten so bad to the point that I can't work on a project at all unless its due the next day. (btw im an art major) I will sit there and look at it for hours, doing everything else in my power before I start on that project. And even then I'll just start it, and after about ten minutes I"ll get distracted/frustrated/angry and just leave and go do something else entirely.

Right now I need to do an entire drawing for tomorrow's class. It's our first project so its like representative of myself as a student, and its all meaningful and shit. I haven't started it or picked out my composition yet. I'm smoking weed to hide my anxiety instead of just starting it. cuz thats a good idea......
 
I'm in science classes, and if I procrastinated I would fail the tests. The reason is that the exams are written so that time is a limiting factor. You have to be able to answer questions *quickly*. Yea, I might be able to cram 4 weeks of organic chemistry into my brain in one night.....but i would still probably get a C or below on the test
 
yeah i need to feel the pinch before i can really produce the goods. or maybe that's just what i tell myself, when actually i'd be better served doing the fucking work instead of doing [insert anything else here] :D

right now i should be compiling a 150-book bibliography on demonology, translating ralph glaber's history from latin into english, preparing a paper on norman ideology, and transcribing some 6th century uncial manuscript. instead i'm smoking a reefer and playing guitar loudly :D
 
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