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notabled-noodle · 2 years

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studying while neurodivergent big post

this post is mainly targeted at people who are at university/college and have a disorder that makes studying challenging (e.g. you experience executive dysfunction, perfectionism, concentration issues).

however. some of these tips might be useful in general, so I'm not going to stop anyone from following my advice even if they're neurotypical

preparing for class

in general: do it. prepare for your classes. it makes it more likely that you're actually going to show up (in my experience)

you don't have to read every single word of every single reading. read the introductions, the abstracts, the sub-headings, and the conclusion. you can go back and read the rest if it feels necessary

take notes while you read. they don't have to be pretty, it's just about keeping your brain engaged with what you're learning

bring all your notebooks into uni with you if possible! this way, there's nothing stopping you from procrastinating studying for one class by studying for another class (which is a fine and good thing to do)

most textbooks are available for free or for cheap in the depths of the internet or in a secondhand bookshop :)

things to keep in mind for being in class

uni is not high school. it's unlikely that a lecturer or tutor is going to get mad at you if you bring something to stim with (as long as it isn't super disruptive)

go to class! even if you haven't done the readings! going to class will give you access to class discussions and a general flow of ideas that will help you with your assignments

skipping class to do an assignment might feel like a good idea, but it's actually a very terrible idea. don't do it. it is not worth it

be honest with your classmates about what you're finding confusing. chances are that they'll either have a cool way to explain it, or they'll be just as confused (in which case, you may have just given them the courage to ask!)

you're allowed to just walk out early if you start to get overwhelmed. people won't judge you or call you out for it. it's okay to leave early

general studying tips

association is the name of the game! pair a certain song, smell, taste, or colour with each class, and be consistent with it. our memories are deeply tied to our senses, and this kind of association will help to remind your brain what class you're doing

don't do what looks pretty or sounds cool, do what works. if you like to listen to your lectures as if they're podcasts while you're doing the dishes... great! if you like to turn facts into puns... awesome! whatever works is good!

count yourself in. if you've been sitting around thinking "I need to do maths" for the past however long, trick your brain by saying out loud "5, 4, 3, 2, 1, MATHS!" and then GO

another cool brain trick is to tell yourself that you're only going to study for 10 minutes, or you're only going to read one chapter. this lowers the barrier to getting started, and will usually help you get into the flow and get at least something done

if body-doubling works for you, then do it! organise a day each week to meet up with a friend and study together! you'll both appreciate it

keep your phone in a different room from your studying gear

get one of those content keeper extensions on your computer, and get your best friend to set the password. this will protect you from the pull of Tumblr when you're meant to be reading about politics in Botswana or whatever

essays

read the question! read it again! highlight the important words in the question! read it out loud! and only THEN figure out how you're going to answer it

you can't edit a blank page. whack some words down. come back to them later. your first go does not have to be perfect

organise your notes by theme, not by which article gave you the idea. this will help you to turn notes into paragraphs with consistent arguments

cite as you go. take note of where you found each of your quotes. it is so much better this way, I promise

your essay plan only needs to make sense to you. lay out your plan however you like. again, it's better to have something on the page than nothing

make your essay writing timeline as if you know that disaster will strike the week of the due date. pretend that the due date is a week before it actually is. give yourself due dates for smaller parts of the assignment. whatever it takes to trick your brain into actually doing it ahead of time!!

use text to speech to catch grammar mistakes! hearing your essay read back out loud to you will make it easier to tell when something sounds wrong or bad or clunky

self-care advice

you won't do well on your exams if you're having several meltdowns a day, so you better be looking after your emotional health!!

eat three meals a day if you can. bring snacks with you everywhere. studying makes you hungry, and your brain needs the fuel. carrying around emergency muesli bars everywhere never hurt anyone

have a big water bottle and also carry it around with you everywhere. when you're studying, it can be easy to forget to keep your fluids up, but having your drink bottle on your desk can be a visual reminder to keep on drinking

STRETCH! stretch in between classes. stretch after taking lots of notes. you do not want to damage your arm muscles from typing/writing too much

don't abandon your hobbies during the semester if it is at all possible. don't sacrifice your weekend knitting or your early morning jog. those are the things that you enjoy, and they are the things that will keep you sane once the stress hits

sleep early, sleep often. all-nighters are not the way

this is kind of all I can think of at the moment! I hope at least something on this big long list is helpful for anyone who is studying at the moment. remember that your grades don't define you, and that you are more than just a student!

#studying tips #studying while neurodivergent #studying with adhd #studying with autism #neurodivergent uni student #studying

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identitty-dickruption · 9 months

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that little voice in your head telling you that maybe you don't need to register for education accommodations this semester? yeah that's the devil talking. if you're eligible for help, accept the damn help

#neurodivergent #adhd #autism #disability #uni student stuff #studying while neurodivergent #studying while disabled

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dank-memer-to-the-extreme-r · 3 months

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A Conversation I Had About My Productivity

Me: I really feel like shit and I don't know why. Oh well. I plan on doing more of my projects tonight. I need to keep my brain occupied or I feel like I'll explode. Friend: You know, the reason why you feel like shit all the time is because you push yourself to do things when they are no longer fun. Try stopping when what you're doing isn't fun anymore and doing something else, then trying again tomorrow. Me: OH

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robotwrangler · 2 months

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28 year old men at uni can’t get enough of my approachable theythem swag

#I do not mean this in a good or bad way. just an observation #i cannot go anywhere in this place without acquiring satellites who make small talk and ask me my pronouns #I am inclined to believe they do genuinely just have intentions of being friends #bc I mention my bf casually every so often when relevant so as to gently discourage any ideas just in case #and they still stick around. so I think they just want a friend in class #I must just come off as very non-threatening which I don’t mind at all #I am not the type to start conversations with strangers unprompted but I don’t mind other people doing the same to me #the social feel of uni is very different to how highschool was. it feels more laidback but also more isolated I guess #in high school friendships seemed to just kind of happen #in uni it feels like something you have to consciously initiate and keep up each week #I’m really glad I signed up for a club & also went to the workshop days for neurodivergent students #I’ve met the most good people from those things

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mellyoraa · 8 months

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it's only the first day of the semester and i've already cried because i'm so overwhelmed by everything :)))

#i have a whole masters thesis to write. and clinical work. and a super intense course on psychological trauma #if nothing else this semester is gonna give ME trauma #this is my last semester before i get my degree and can start working as a clinical psychologist #pls let me survive it so i can finally be free of being a uni student it's literally torture when you're neurodivergent

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the-casbah-way · 9 months

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i think every university student who has a job and studies at the same time deserves everything they want forever actually

#yeah this is about me #i dont think people realise how fucking hard it is to do both and not go insane #ITS HARD ENOUGH TO DO ONE AND NOT GO INSANE #i wish uni would cut some slack to students who have to work and be more understanding w deadlines and stuff #especially bc jobs act like said job is your entire life and expect you to drop everything when an extra shift comes up #work drains me so fucking much that i just have no physical or mental energy left even back when my shifts were only four hours #how do you expect me to go to a shift then go to classes right after and then spend the evening doing mandatory reading #i rlly wanna know how other people manage it. i really dont think there *is* a way to manage it when you are neurodivergent and Sick #do not get me wrong im grateful to have a job and be able to work i just wish i didnt need to so i could focus on uni #i feel like im going to end up with a worse degree class than im actually capable of because i just cant spend the time on uni that i want

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piscesbxnny · 11 months

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you're so silly girl let's get you to the psychiatrist

#college student #memes #fyp #ocd #adhd #adhd memes #neurodivergent #introvert #anxiety #anxiety memes #Lol #my fyp #college #uni #university #cute

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therandomfandomme · 3 months

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Help, I am a new student and have no clue what to do with so much reading: a guide

Hi, I'm a master student currently and I do a major that is pretty heavy on the reading for all the courses. I have developed a system that works for me and helps me manage the course work - which can be quite overwhelming at first - so I thought I'd share in case anyone else will find it useful :D

Okay, so, before your classes even start, you're going to look at the syllabus! This is important, because usually the reading will be in there and you get a feel for how much it is. However, more importantly, you're going to figure out if there is an exam or a paper as final. This will impact how you're going to read.

If there is reading for the first class, get prepared to do that reading. I know reading can suck, but doing the reading will save time. It's all fun to have the college fucked up sleep schedule and I get that you want the experience, but that shit isn't funny for 4 years straight and by keeping up, you will save yourself all nighters during the exam period. At some point, you will start to appreciate it, I promise.

Most classes will have a consistent amount of reading each week. This is good. You will start to figure out how long it takes you to read an article and thus how much time each class will take. Create a pattern for yourself. For me, I like to schedule it per weekday, like on Mondays I do readings for this course, on Tuesday for this course and on Wednessday I won't do reading, so I can plan social activities then. This will help stay on top of things without being a hermit with no time for a social and your hobbies.

I would reccomend making a file for each course and labeling your reading with the number of the week first and then the title, so you can find them easily when you need them. I also reccomend getting a seperate notebook for each subject. If you loose notebooks easily, use your computer or have one big notebook with tabs.

If the class has an exam at the end:

I find that if you have an exam, highlighting is the most productive way to do the reading. You do the reading before class, and highlight all the important parts. Not everyone is great at knowing what to highlight, so my guide is to have max one highlight per paragraph and minimally one per subheading, often the important parts are at the start and end.

. Then you're going to take notes in class, this is important. You have done the reading, so your brain will make easier connections and by writing it down (physical notebook is reccomended if you are able) you will fill in what is being talked about easier. This will also be the second time you take the subject to yourself and in three ways; reading, hearing, writing.

. After doing that every week, the exam will come closer. You're going to take the highlighted reading and flip through it while typing all the highlighted parts in a document. This way you'll see everything again in context and you're actively seeing it, instead of passively. And at the end you have a summery of the course you can study. Personally, I have a pretty good memory so retyping is all the studying I have to do when using this method.

If the class has a paper at the end:

I find that if you have a paper at the end, making notes is the most productive way to do the reading. I like making them on paper, bc it'll make it easier to flip through later, but computer also works with ctrl+f. Again doing the reading before class is reccomended, so you can ask questions about it and take notes on what the lecturer says about the reading to get a feel for kind of interpretation that will be expected of you in the paper.

. How you take the notes is the important part, at the top you write down the authors (et al. if there are a lot), the publishing year, and the title. Then right underneath you write the point the paper is making, this can be found in the abstract or in the conclusion, if that isn't there.

. Then you start actually reading the paper, while taking notes. I reccomend 1 A4 page for articles under 20 pages. But don't make it a hard rule, the harder you find a paper, the more notes you should take. You take notes on the kind of arguments the paper makes, suggestions that are done, counterpoints, and nuances that are given. Make them bulletpoints so you can easily skim them later.

. What you have done by doing this is created a basic understanding of the topic and created a referencing system for yourself. When writing your essay you already know what kind of topic to write about (see which topics you gravitated to during the course) and you can easily find the relevant reading by quickly scanning the titles and first part you wrote down. When you find the right article you don't have to re-read it to get all the important parts and you have everything for in text referencing right at the top (in APA at least).

I understand that this won't work for everyone, but I have perfected my studying system over the years (and I'm pretty proud of it), so I am sharing it for those who can use it. I know a lot of people struggle with figuring out how to start and they kind of throw you in the deep end without help when you get to college. So this is to give those who are overwhelmed a little start :D

If you are a new student, I wish you so much luck and fun! <3

#rrrambles #college life #college #uni #university #studying #academia #academics #advice #college advice #social studies #students #neurodivergent #studying aid #literature

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frithams · 2 years

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Text to Speech to MP3 on Mac

It strikes me that so many people I've spoken to don't know about the feature, but you can have a block of text that's dictated by Siri and then made into an MP3.

To do this put the text you want dictated into a word processor, I used textEdit, then highlight the whole text and scroll down to services, then click on Add to Music as a Spoken Track. Then there will be a small dialogue box where you select what voice you want and what to name it.

Then hopefully you should have an MP3. I use it for required reading, so I can listen to the chapters whilst doing other things, but you can really do it for any block of text. It is a computer voice, still, so if that's something you don't like, then maybe give this one a miss.

I don't know how to do this same thing on PC, so if anyone else knows, then please add on to this post.

#Mac help #text to speech #accessibility #accessible technology #IT #ADHD #dyslexia #ASD #assistive technology #disability #neurodivergent #grad student #uni #uni help #study help #study tips

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girlmikeyway · 2 years

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am i an idiot for not realizing sooner how dirty of a line "we can go to town, we can turn around, we can do anything" actually is. dALLON????

#was this obvious to everyone and im just a neurodivergent dumbass or-#im a whole uni student who's consumed their body weight in smutfic why did the pieces only click for me now #idkhow #clusterhug #text #ash speaks

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notabled-noodle · 2 years

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the fact that I’m currently getting high distinctions in uni, and doing well generally, is because my entire personality is a bunch of weird coping mechanisms stacked on top of each other

I spend more time studying than my neurotypical peers. I spend more time making up memory games on the off chance they’ll help me remember enough to do well on exams. I wake up early every morning to give my brain time to get all the executive dysfunction out of the way before uni starts. I’m anxious, I’m a perfectionist, and I don’t look after myself properly

if you looked at my grades, you’d think “oh, this person is not struggling right now”. but if you asked me, I’d say “the better my grades are, the harder I struggle”

#I get better at school when my life goes to shit because all my coping mechanisms are connected to studying #anyway #noodle rambles #noodle is a uni student #studying while neurodivergent

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thefadingyouth · 1 year

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Galilee

Crumbling roads that leads to a lonely pond, The sound of bikes wheeling hitting the rocks in the street. The sound tells me your back.

Sipping on Sweet tea and Pepsi while on the porch swing, you smell of cigarette smoke and like incense it makes me feel like i’m closer to god.

The smell of Sunscreen and chlorine linger as the summer sun drudges on.Laughs from everyone else as we chase each other through the yard, as the parents smoke by the grill.

You’ll tell me about your friends and their trading cards,

I’ll sit and smile

Like the sermon on the hill, I’ll listen to all you say.

As long as you’ll talk to me.

You’ll walk to that pond and I’ll follow like a lamb.

Playing with your lighter, i’ll watch in awe as if you were turning water to wine.

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plasticanwires · 1 month

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ever since the school counsellor said its okay to compartmentalise everything and use academia and/or fiction as a crutch on the way to mental stability ive been gaf a lot less

#actually that is not what he said but he implied it so i can justify that. also reinforced the neurotypical uni student lifestyle #its weird. its strange that some people will imply ur neurodivergent asap w/o prompting. no stop doing that

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gippyworm · 8 months

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Man as soon as I am not "early" with my assessments I have instant attention issues... even if I don't perceive the task as that hard UGH. I might give feedback to the teachers because I wouldn't have to keep rushing all my shit if they would just release the content the Friday before each week like my first year classes did 🥲

#Did a survey through the uni about neurodivergency and study because it said neurotypicals are also welcome #altho i am doubtful that I am typical tbh but whatever #and it mentioned in accommodations that some neurodivergent students feel the need to access content early and Im 🤔#it made me think deeply and i realised thats been my problem this whole year. maybe i will talk to someone about it #i might even email future lecturers when next semesters classes go live and ask if they can pretty please release content early #anyway #chatterboxing

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katya-goncharov · 1 year

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still trying to apply for council tax discount and it's an actual nightmare

#i literally can't afford to pay it right now #but the savings i have in my bank account are JUST above the amount people are apparently allowed to have to qualify #and it really sucks because i NEED those savings. since i'm unemployed right now and not eligible for any student loans. which means i have #to pay for tuition AND rent AND cost of living all from my savings and a little bit of money from my parents #anyway it's literally such a sucky situation and i'm terrified that if i have to pay the council tax i'm going to run out of money before i #can complete my degree. it's just such a stupid situation and i hate the way the entire system is against me!!!!!#i can't even apply for unemployment benefits because as a part time student i'm not allowed. it's like the unique situation i'm in has #completely fucked me over and i literally don't know what i'm going to do.#all because i couldn't cope with a full-time uni course. probably because i'm neurodivergent - also the reason i can't find a job. only i'm #undiagnosed so i'm not entitled to any support for that either. anyway ugh this sucks so so much!!!!!!!!#emma vents

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adhdarcheologist · 1 year

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have so many things (literally a list) that I would love to do posts about but I haven’t been able to get my ADHD meds here and it do be hitting me harder than I anticipated it. I need to get used to working without them again.

#apparently I’m a uni student and thus to high functioning for meds #ahahahahaha #define functioning #my dudes please #today’s flavour of neurodivergent is disassociating at the keyboard #screams

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