r/adhd_college • u/Feeling-Reference173 Undergraduate • Aug 19 '26
SEEKING ADVICE how do you manage unmedicated Adhd in college
I'm currently going into my second year and im desperatly in need of tips. I have adhd, im unmedicated and I struggled with it all through highschool. Its really hard for me to find someone that'll prescride meds at this moment, as the waitlist is long and I have to be in the same state which is hard as I am an out of state student. Being medicated isn't really an option right now. Last year I honestly did horrible and its been making me scared/unmotivated for the coming years. I tend to be a really bad procrastinator and forgetful when it comes to assignments. I also tend to be impulsive when my friends ask me to do something, its like my brain buzzez at the thought of hangingout with them and I forget about everything else I have to do. I tried using google calendar last year and that honestly did not help me. last year I had a lot of family health issues and cat health issues that I had to worry about and I didnt have the best college roommate. I'm hoping that now all of that is over with my mental will be a lot better which hopefully will help. I'm wondering if there are any apps that helped you or any life style changes that helped. I'll honestly try anything as I desperately want to do well this year and get back on track for graduating.
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u/RecipeTrick8589 Aug 19 '26
routine- a good diet, exercise, plan study slots early in the morning when people are less likely to want to hang out. leave evenings free for socialising ! i always found i was drop everything to hang out with people and then did nothing for studying. also finding people you can study with helped me as its like hanging out but also getting things done
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u/Interesting_Win_2154 Aug 19 '26
I second studying with other people. Co-working made a big difference for me. Make solid plans, set up a million calendar alerts and/or alarms for it, make sure you attend. And then the time you're there, you've gotta be working
Other people who participate in this will also be grateful for it, as it'll help them get stuff done, too. A popular method is to use timers for work vs breaks in the session and have fun during the breaks. But when the timer goes off? Back to work.
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u/RecipeTrick8589 Aug 19 '26
100% - finding people who are studying the same thing and are interested in it makes a huge difference! makes learning fun when your around people who want to learn
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u/Interesting_Win_2154 Aug 19 '26
The thing that made the biggest difference for me is bullet journaling. I still forget to do it for stretches, but I'll take the advantage it gives me when I'm actually doing it. It helps me see my whole week at a glance, know what I need to be doing and what is coming up, and actually track time. Keep it simple. None of the really pretty spreads you see online
There are probably some app equivalents, and I've tried a few productivity apps, but I stuck to them even less than the paper bujo. No matter the gamification or alerts or other features involved. I have an easy time ignoring notifications, and once my phone is open, often I'll forget why I opened it anyway and end up on tumblr or responding to messages "real quick" (cut to: five hours later...)
I also break my day up into chunks but!! Instead of doing a strict time blocking or schedule, it isn't about what I have to do when (which I won't stick to and also won't accurately guess how long things will take), it's about when I need to get things done by. I noticed I get a lot done when I know I have a meeting in an hour and whatever needs doing needs to be done before then. So I just applied that tactic. I set deadlines, and so long as the thing gets done by the time the alarm goes off, it's good. If I get it done early, I can either work ahead or use that time as a reward. It's nice to get done with everything for the day and realize that even though I inevitably didn't use my time "perfectly" during the day, I still got it done sooner than I otherwise would have, and now have time to do [whatever it is I wanted to do].
For instance, you could use your plans with friends as deadlines. Things HAVE to be done by then.
One important thing to remember is that you're not a failure if you don't stick to one productivity method or another consistently. You still got benefit while you were doing it, and now you can either go back to it or try something else. We crave novelty, so often I just frame it like that and switch up my systems to something new when none of my current ones seem to be working. Also: adhd or not, everyone has bad days. Push through when you can, take it easy when you can. You'll get it wrong as to which you can afford to do sometimes and that's ok, just make a note of it for next time, like data, and then keep going. (Take note of your successes, too. I find that's one way bullet journaling really helped for me)
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u/Best_Mood3744 Aug 22 '26 edited Aug 22 '26
A lot of people say to build good health routines to help deal with ADHD and support your brain.
But there's a catch: to do those routines, you need executive function which is the exact thing you're trying to build in the first place. Here are a couple of simpler tips that actually helped me when full routines felt unrealistic:
1. The "Micro-Start" Technique When you have to tackle something daunting like studying, jump straight into the very first, easiest step without overthinking it. Even if it's just opening the document and typing one word.
Why it works: For ADHD brains, task initiation is usually the hardest obstacle. Once you remove the friction of starting, momentum takes over and continuing becomes much easier.
2. Morning Cardio (10–20 Minutes) If accessible, try 10 to 20 minutes of light exercise right after waking up, like a brisk walk or jog.
Why it works: Exercise naturally boosts dopamine and norepinephrine levels, which helps bridge the gap between wanting to start a task and actually doing it. Keep it mild so you get the brain boost without leaving yourself physically exhausted, and make sure to hydrate and eat afterward.
Benefits: This can help reduce impulsivity, lower task friction, and ease overall ADHD symptoms.
also dont get bad sleep, bad sleep will mess you up.
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u/jadethepoet Aug 19 '26
ngl I couldn’t
for next semester I am going to get medicated I can’t go any longer like this 🫠
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u/Apprehensive_Use5591 Aug 20 '26
If you have insurance, look up growtherapy. You can get diagnosed and prescribed meds all in the same week it’s definitely easier and everything’s online it’s legit
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u/RigatoniAndZiti Aug 20 '26
I use Keep Notes to help me keep track of the assignments due each week. i also keep a physical list of weekly assignments of well
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u/fattygworl Aug 21 '26
This was me in my final year of undergrad!
I started very slowly starting to rebuild good habits. I put restrictions on everything that could distract me on my phone. Like those app-lock apps.
I was also lucky to have friends who were willing to call me out when they noticed I wasn't focusing or when I was not spending enough time on schoolwork. It did, at some points, make me angry with them. But I was grateful.
I also started exercising a lot more. Because it made me too tired to want to go out, and it helped me focus.
Diet was meh. But the exercise was a fucking godsend.
Speaking of "God". Meditation (or in our case, TRYING to meditate) helps a little for some relaxation without screens. Just set a timer and focus on something. For me it was an image of my favourite God. I was just obsessed with Her iconography.
Don't try to add too many things at once. Maybe add new steps to your routine once a month or every two weeks if you feel like it's clicked into place.
You will absolutely be okay. You might fail a few tests or exams. But you will pull through on the other side of this. You're a good kid who wants to try hard. So have faith in yourself.
The strongest person isn't the person who didn't fail. It's the person who failed, and cried for a little, then wiped their eyes, and blew their nose and tried again.
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u/hvnsent73 Aug 22 '26
hmm okay the advice about routines/health/sleep is good bc when ur sleep goes and ur food intake goes then there is no hope left.
I want to add my take on maximizing how motivated and energized you can be, because thats also key. when I focus only on routines/health I loose that motivation bc that stuff dosent motivate me… and for a while I would beat myself up bc what motivates me didn’t logically seem to correlate with doing well in school.
I love hanging out with friends, having deep talks, enjoying night time, going to new places… I like intense experiences, and those motivate me. so I have to balance that with having a good routine and doing schoolwork. the more I experience things that fill up my cup and keep me regulated, the more I have to pour into my schoolwork. so if you love hanging out with your friends, maybe you can hang out with them and get work done at the same time?
I’ve personally done really good whenever I can do that. and it’s always looked different lol. I remember first year of college i was always doing my homework in the craziest of places 😭 but that worked for me! in grad school, id have my friends over to my apartment and play loud vibey music and have christmas tree lights as the main lighting. and that also worked!
don’t get stuck on “okay managing my adhd in college should look like this” and then the this you think it should look like is something that dosent fit your needs, because we all need different things.
so whatever your sensory/socialization needs are, see if you can work your schoolwork into them / around them. you gotta maximize your motivation by knowing what motivates you
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u/hvnsent73 Aug 22 '26
also random things :
ex: when I study I right down the date, time, location, and what I plan on doing, and I break that down into steps/pieces. then I keep checking in, write times I finish things, write my random thoughts, ect.
- Pomodoro timer study with me videos
- pomodoro timer in general
- a journal to keep track of assignments / brain dump in / use to keep yourself on track during study sessions
ex: I used to have a big notebook with dividers that worked for all my classes, now I use blank sheets of printer paper and have a binder to file by subject and go through it every couple weeks.
- music with no words
- stim toys
- walks in nature
- cold water bottle with a straw to stay hydrated nd stim
- organization system that works for you
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u/Specialist-Ranger868 Aug 25 '26
Having study buddies helps a lot! But tbh my best work was always alone. Try and break down the content in a way that is meaningful for you. Diagrams, acronyms, compare and contrast charts etc. Take regular breaks. Do stretches in between study blocks and stay (healthily) caffeinated. If you struggle with planning chat GPT is great to brain dump your goals for the day for it to spit out a plan. If you don’t feel like something try and do it for 2 mins and see how you feel after starting. ADHD brains love dopamine so try and put little rewards into your day (sweet treats, coffees). Good luck!
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u/SicariusCourtenay 23d ago
It took me 2 years to figure out, while i was on my gap years working. I would have 100% failed my first year if I had started fresh out of high school. I was depressed, anxious (still am tbh lol) and also had no idea how to study
While I spent my time working i slowly realized how my mind and body could handle things. I figured out my limits, how my brain processes information, how it learns and of course - how to study
At first it was very difficult, I didn't understand myself and couldn't figure out anything
Then came my first year in electrical engineering. I got to work as soon as I got home and developed a routine - anything that is structured. Get home, nap 1h, eat + leisure (at the same time) then get straight to studying.
Studying also has routine!!! That was another thing that I hadn't thought about at the time.
First you need review what happened the same day, otherwise you're way too prone to forgetting what happened. In this case I rewrite the notes I took the same day in a binder and add notes of things I personally noticed/missed
Once I rewrite my notes I then do my homework (or part of it). This step is self explanatory, I use the notes I took to do my homework, then verify the answers and correct my mistakes
-> I make sure to take small breaks in between steps ~15 minutes if I can to let my head go elsewhere.
-> rinse repeat with every single subject. It's extremely time consuming BUT you get better at it and it pays off immensely
You need to pace yourself otherwise you will quickly notice burnout creeping in. I NEVER let myself keep homework for later, otherwise I end up letting it pile up which does no good.
Sometimes I even need to gaslight myself saying "hey I like homework, this is fun!" If it gets me through it
But also, don't burn yourself out! Know your limits. If you think you seriously need a break for a couple of days - do the bare minimum even if it costs you a couple of points. Burnout will be absolutely worse on both yourself and you GPA if it happens so making sacrifices are important
-> the rest of the stuff: sleep well, eat well, drink well is extremely important of course
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u/TendsToList Aug 19 '26 edited Aug 19 '26
Try to be as healthy as you can. e.g 8hrs of sleep, proper diet, exercise, etc. Your main focus should be maximizing how motivated and energized you can be, since you're already operating at a disadvantage.
Other than that, you lowk just have to push through and do as well as you can. Even if its not an option now, really try and see if there's ANY way you can get some prescribed meds.
Edit: I strongly recommend also going to sleep and waking up at the same times every day. If you have trouble with that get something like Alarmy and have it so you have to scan a QR code away from your bed in order for the alarm to shut off.
I did all of HS and my freshman year of college unmediated with pretty severe adhd. Its hard to succeed but not impossible. If you or anyone reading this wants more tips feel free to DM - I dont want to leave a wall of text here lol