College Success with ADHD
November 17th, 2025
As the semester is nearing its end, preparing for finals and projects can be daunting for some college students; if you often find yourself struggling to say on task, feeling unmotivated, or noticing your attention wandering during a long lecture, you are not alone! Maintaining focus and attention can be a challenge for many students adjusting to the more independent learning style required at a University, and may be extra challenging for students with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Here are some tips and techniques that can make a big difference in helping you get organized and stay on top of your work.
Schedule all your work in advance, so you can focus on other stuff until it’s time to work on them. Scheduling is important for all students, regardless whether they have ADHD or not. John explains: “You want to be planning as much as you can for your entire semester, so that all you have to do is live on day at a time.”
Build you Schedule: Block out time for small tasks (lectures, doing reading, homework assignments) and for bigger projects (studying for midterms, writing lab reports and essays, etc). Calculate the amount of time you need by trial and error, always give yourself extra time to complete the task. Use an electric schedule with a reminder (on your phone) or a written calendar, setting up regular reminders on your phone to check your calendar. You can also post a visible calendar on your refrigerator or a place that you look at daily.
Having trouble with focus? Make sure to have fun! Schedule break times throughout your study session. It may seem weird to you, but a big part of your schedule must have fun stuff in it. Scheduled fun stuff will give your brain something to look forward to when you are working/studying/concentrating. Having fun means different things to different people, however going for a quick walk, taking a brief nap, playing catch with your dog, whatever fun means to you, make sure to put it in your schedule! See what works for you, alternate 40 minutes of “work” or concentration on assignments, with 5 minutes of “fun stuff”. Experiment and find out what works for you. The more you use the fun alternating work schedule, the sooner your brain will associate studying with a positive outcome and not strain your brain.
State dependent Learning is a concept and means your brain will remember information better if you absorb information in a similar environment and context. Avoid studying in bed and expect to remember to regurgitate information in you lecture hall. Study at your desk or a place that is most similar to where you will take an exam or test.
Spacing out in lectures? 90 minute lectures can be difficult to maintain focus on ; break them down into 15 minute increments input and a minute or information output, if possible raise a question to ensure you understand the concept of discussion, most professors are happy to oblige. The same goes for reading, break up your reading assignment into smaller chunks by stopping every few paragraphs and explaining out loud to yourself the key points the author is making. ADHD brains also do well with kinesthetic learning, you can incorporate motion into your lecture) turn off your camera and walking around your room while listening to the lecture (reading assignments) Recording lectures or your own reading is a great tool to enhance comprehension and understanding concepts or new information.
Remember to be kind to yourself and avoid beating up on yourself, don’t hesitate to ask for assistance to maintain your wellbeing and academic access. Most universities and colleges have resource centers, just ask your advisor.
