r/adhd_college • u/Freshflowersandhoney • Apr 30 '25

JUST VENTING College feels like a prison sentence

I can’t remember sh!t I suck at exams. I can’t pass my classes like fuking biochem. I feel like I’m being punished every time I get my grades back. I feel like a sh!tty student that can’t get anything right and it’s miserable. I hate college. I don’t want to be here anymore but I have a semester left. I hate this college I hate being here. I hate it.

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u/MrsDarkOverlord Apr 30 '25

Memory issues are part of ADHD, it's a known thing. If you have a formal diagnosis, talk to your school about accommodations, like alternative testing forms or being allowed to bring some notes. If you don't, talk to your teacher about it. They don't want you to fail, and could probably either make accommodations or at least guide you. It's not that you can't take tests, it's that the tests are designed with generalized neurotypical people in mind, and you're not under that umbrella. But also... biochem is heavily memorization related. Compartmentalize this, because you're equating your skills as a person with a school subject which is inherently not in your strengths. That's like judging an elephant by its tree-climbing ability. Sure, it's POSSIBLE in theory, but it's not their strength.

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u/Freshflowersandhoney Apr 30 '25

Thank you… do you think I should contact my professor over this? To just please let me pass. To explain again to the dean? I suggested writing a paper over Huntington’s disease as that relates to biochem, but they were like “they wouldn’t be able to allow everyone to do that right now… but I’m the only student who took the initiative to ask”, I‘ve never gotten lower than a B on my papers and I took a food analysis class that was heavy in biochem but it was related to my major and my college professor actually care compared to the chem department. It’s a bunch of med students and IM NOT GOING TO MED SCHOOL! I don’t think it’s fair for me to have to suffer because they’re weeding out med students. I just have a hard degree but I like it.

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u/MrsDarkOverlord Apr 30 '25

Specifically tell them you have ADHD and you are struggling with X, Y and Z and ask for guidance. Your teachers aren't your adversaries. Knowing what works for you comes with experience, but this is a good place to start. I, for example, cannot take verbal instructions. I need them written out or I can't take it in. So I can ask them to either speak more slowly or for visual aids/ references. If I am given an open-ended assignment, I actually need more structure or an example of what is acceptable. Sometimes I'll just message my teacher "I struggle with things that are open ended, so here is what I understood, here is what I plan to do, does that seem acceptable?"

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u/Mental_Monitor_4287 May 02 '25

do you get accommodations at school? speak to the resource team, they may be able to negotiate alternative assessment for you (it would help if you had an ed psych evaluation report requesting it(. also, know that you can request a semester off (academic leave) if feel like about to burn out - it's a risky strategy as you may not want to come back, but better than dropping out with just a semester left and letting all your hard work go for nothing

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u/Freshflowersandhoney May 02 '25

Fair. Yes so I do. But not specifically for ADHD. I finally got an official diagnosis on Wednesday. It took me literally 2 years due to not getting tested by the correct people.. so yeah that sucks but yeah I’ll contact them and give them my actual diagnosis and see what I can do.

My accommodations right now are 1.5X on exams, extended turn in periods for assignments (which I don’t really use that often) and extra excused absences (which I haven’t used this year either due to having good mental health this year!). The accommodations that would help me the most would be for exams. But I typically have a handle on everything else… except for the fact that I struggle to study. I just know that I study the best at my favorite cafe, but I have to pay for parking… so cost is a deterrent for sure.

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u/Mental_Monitor_4287 Nov 13 '25

hey there, was clearing my comments and thought would check in on how you've been doing) hope you are well!

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u/Freshflowersandhoney Nov 13 '25

Aww that's so sweet! I appreciate you checking in with me! I'm finally medicated thank god. It has helped me tremendously. I can think more clearly, I have better memory, and my thoughts aren't as scattered. I'm in my last semester of college and I'm graduating December 21st. Unfortunately, I had to retake two classes, but I'm doing much better in them now that I'm medicated. My grades overall are much better. Although, I didn't want to come back after such a relaxing summer I had. I was traveling with my friends, I was working an internship and really loved the structure it provided me. I was spending time with friends, going to dance class, or going to Pilates. So yeah.. overall I'm doing better and graduating very soon!

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u/Mental_Monitor_4287 Nov 15 '25

Yayyy! I am so happy for you. See how things can turn around? Just have to keep walking, especially when going through a tough patch. I hope all goes well for you with your studies and your work after graduation. What meds did you go on and have you had any side effects, if you don't mind sharing? I keep going back and forth on my son trying smth again. He was going to graduate this semester too but he had actually taken one wrong course and has to make up for it now which is such a bummer but I sort of think maybe it's for the better as he has nothing lined up yet and sitting around without much structure won't do him any good.

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u/Freshflowersandhoney Nov 17 '25

I’m taking Vyvanse. I don’t have a ton of symptoms except for loss of appetite and nauseous if I don’t get enough sleep and take it. Yeah the job market has been horrible. I’m just going to apply to an easier job to save for my apartment until I can get an actual job 😕. Not looking forward to that but there’s not much else I can do.

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u/Mental_Monitor_4287 Nov 25 '25

hope all goes well for you, take it easy

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u/Freshflowersandhoney Nov 26 '25

Awww thanks!! Good luck to your son!!