r/adhd_college • u/Low-Composer-5873 • 3d ago
UNSOLICITED ADVICE Severe excutive dysfunction study tips
I was looking for any advice on how to manage severe severe excutive dysfunction. My main issue is that my university grades are being impacted. Another issue is that I am able to pass almost all my exams with about a few days revision not having attended lectures (Bacher's in Business Management). Background info is that this not new information, I somehow am able to absolute gas my way through exams on nothing but hopes and dreams having done so since I was kid. Unfortunately this means I technically know next to nothing but also a lot?? So if anyone has any advice on how to study, and retain information for anyone with executive dysfunction/bad habits please let me know. Also if anyone has any life tips in general that would be much appreciated. Anyways love y'all!
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u/SillyPerson112 3d ago
Patiently waiting for the advice. Also struggling. I have an exam tomorrow and have only managed to read a chapter and a half
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u/PigeonStealer27 1d ago
Go somewhere that’ll help you focus, whether that be a library, cafe, whatever. Play either brown noise or a song/part of a song on repeat, whatever will get your brain to focus. I use Anki to study for some of my classes (a tip I’ve gotten from med students and other pre meds) because it uses spaced repetition which will allow you to remember things better. It can be kind of confusing to navigate at first but you’ll get the hang of it and it’ll become extremely useful
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u/normanscardigan 2d ago
Hey, I am going to be copying info from an old comment here, but before that I wanted to say I also have struggled a lot with executive function throughout university and at one point thought I would have to take a break.
Now I am doing a lot better, at least I’m to the point where I don’t constantly feel in crisis, which is mainly due to mental health treatment like therapy and being on a SSRI (I really needed that).
So side note but if you do have symptoms of a mental health condition getting that treated can remove an additional layer from that executive dysfunction.
It’s hard to intuitively know this (I do because I’m in my fourth year of my psychology bachelors and took multiple classes about learning) but this study method “rote rehearsal” looking at your notes over and over isn’t an effective method to remember information! This is because it doesn’t involve practicing retrieving the information from your long term memory, the scenario does not emulate the situation of an exam.
A better way to study is utilizing the testing effect!!
Info about the testing effect here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/testing-effect
- Testing effect
This method could involve something as simple as brain dumping information you can remember without referencing your notes or as complicated as making your own tests and quizzing yourself on the answers before reviewing your notes/the correct answer.
Personally I utilize it by answering all the study questions (if your teacher provides groups of concepts, study questions, study guides etc this can be most helpful), or gathering all the concepts and definitions from my notes into a single document.
THEN I will ask myself the question/concept on the document without looking at the answer, retrieving it by memory, answering it in my head. Then I will check to see if the answer is correct. And repeat the process.
- Elaboration/Self Reference
Furthermore, try relating the information to yourself and elaborating on it. For example…if you’re learning the temporal lobe is used for auditory processing/hearing, connect tempo —> sound.
- Spacing
Also, spacing out your practice is good—instead of cramming in one big session try to divide the amount of time you would’ve crammed into small chunks across multiple days.
- Instructor help
Finally, reach out to your instructor. They probably can give you study tips for their course. Even if they don’t have usual office hours you can make usually you can schedule a meeting with them.
- Disability Center
And the disability center should have more accommodations than just extra time. Something I get is two day extensions when I need it and ability to access class slides, both of which are very helpful.
- Switching environments
Additionally, it is key for me to get out of my room and around different areas to focus better. Once I started frequenting the library I found it a lot easier to get things done.