Have you ever felt like the traditional academic system wasn’t designed for your brain? If you’ve ever struggled to focus, keep organized, or manage the sheer volume of information school demands, you might relate to my journey. What if I told you that despite battling ADHD throughout my academic career, I graduated with honors without relying on medication or special accommodations?
As someone who spent years grappling with ADHD without even knowing it, I want to share my story—not to brag, but to prove that it’s entirely possible to thrive in an environment that wasn’t necessarily built for our type of thinking. In fact, it’s not just possible; it can be incredibly rewarding if you approach it with the right mindset and strategies. Today, I’ll show you how I turned my ADHD struggles into a success story that led to not only graduation but a career as the Chief of Staff at a law firm, marketing consultant for multiple companies, and a thriving YouTube channel.
The Struggles: How ADHD Felt in School
Growing up, I was always the kid who couldn’t focus in class. Teachers’ words would wash over me, and my mind would wander far away. I’d forget assignments, miss deadlines, and, by the time I was home, the overwhelming anxiety of all the things I had to do would set in. I felt like a failure. There was always a sense of “I’m not good enough” gnawing at me because I just couldn’t keep up with my peers.
One of my biggest struggles was with math. Despite studying for hours, I’d freeze during exams. A particularly vivid memory is from a math test where I simply couldn’t make sense of the material I had supposedly studied for weeks. I ended up with a 50, while everyone else around me was scoring much better. It crushed my confidence. I was doing the work but not getting the results.
In high school, I remember a counselor telling me that top-tier schools were out of reach and that I should consider community college. At the time, that advice felt like a punch to the gut. But in hindsight, it wasn’t bad advice; perhaps it could’ve saved me money. However, growing up in a small town, there was a pressure to escape—to get out of my environment, to prove I could make something of myself. I didn’t want to stay stuck in a place with no opportunities, and so, I pushed forward.
The Turning Point: How I Got Creative With My Strategies
Against the odds, I graduated high school and made it into college—specifically, a California State University. But that didn’t come without hurdles. My senior year, I’d received a D in trigonometry, so my first year of college included remedial math. If I didn’t pass, I was out. This was the point where I decided that enough was enough. I had to figure out a way to survive, and I had to do it without medication, without accommodations, and without the right diagnosis.
I wasn’t ready to admit I had ADHD yet. But I did recognize that something needed to change. So, I began crafting my strategy, one that didn’t rely on test-taking but rather on everything else that was in my control. I decided to focus on homework, office hours, perfect attendance, and always doing extra credit. My strategy was simple: If I couldn’t ace the exams, I’d make sure everything else was perfect. That meant showing up every day, engaging in every class, and always doing the work—because I knew I had control over these elements.
The System I Built for Success
I’ve learned that success doesn’t always come from doing the things that seem most obvious—like acing tests. Instead, it’s about consistency and creating a system that works for you. I focused on what I could do well and relentlessly worked at it. I utilized resources like tutors, extra credit opportunities, and after-school support to ensure I could maximize my understanding of the material, even if I struggled to keep it all straight during exams.
As my college years progressed, I leaned into my strengths—organization, persistence, and the ability to ask for help when needed. Slowly but surely, I found my rhythm. I realized that ADHD didn’t define my potential, and that the systems I was building—systems that worked with my brain, not against it—were the key to my success.
The Results: Graduation with Honors
After years of hard work, persistence, and creating a strategy that worked for my ADHD brain, I graduated with honors. It wasn’t easy, but it was totally worth it. I proved to myself that ADHD doesn’t have to be a barrier to success. It might present unique challenges, but with the right mindset, perseverance, and systems in place, you can overcome them.
Now, as the Chief of Staff at a law firm, a marketing consultant, and a YouTube content creator, I’m living proof that you can do it all—even with ADHD. It doesn’t matter whether you’re on medication or not, or whether you have special accommodations—what matters is finding what works for you and sticking with it.
Strategies for Thriving with ADHD in College
If you’re navigating school with ADHD or suspect you have it, I want to leave you with some actionable advice:
- Embrace your strengths: Figure out what you excel at and build systems around it.
- Ask for help: Don’t be afraid to utilize tutors, counselors, or any available resources.
- Focus on what you can control: Attend every class, do your homework, and engage with the material.
- Be kind to yourself: Stop beating yourself up for not being perfect—progress, no matter how small, is still progress.
- Find strategies that work for you: Color-coded notes, music, exercise, and good time management can make a huge difference.
Conclusion: ADHD Does Not Define Your Success
No matter where you are in your academic or professional journey, know that ADHD is just one part of your story. It’s a challenge, but it doesn’t have to hold you back. With the right strategies and a positive mindset, you can achieve great things.
Thank you for reading my story. I hope it has given you some encouragement and insight into how to beat ADHD and thrive in the traditional academic world. If you have any questions or want to learn more about how I learned difficult things with ADHD, check out my previous videos or leave a comment below. And, if you enjoyed this article, don’t forget to like and subscribe to my channel!