Strategies to Succeed at School

When transitioning to post-secondary, parent/teacher involvement decreases, and more responsibility is placed on the ADHD person for decision-making, long-range planning, and advocating for oneself needs. To set yourself up for success during this important time, consider accommodations that will work best for you, such as: Taking extra time to complete a program by reducing course load Taking online courses or considering community college rather than a four-year degree To help support you, engage with school resources such as student services, student health centre, peer tutoring, and the accessibility centre. It is important to continue to schedule regular visits with your healthcare provider during school breaks to help you manage your ADHD.

Study Space
- Choose a quiet work area away from other people
- Follow preferential seating by sitting near the front of the classroom or lecture theatre
- Position yourself away from distractions such as televisions, windows, kitchen, games and personal devices
- Choose a study space in which the door can be shut
- Use noise reduction headset if surrounding noise is distracting
- Ergonomically optimize the study area so that the chair, desk and computer are all at the correct height and position
- Remove clutter and unnecessary items from the study area

Study Organization
- Break big projects into smaller tasks
- Organize multiple shorter meetings, rather than a single long meeting
- Try to keep meetings 45 minutes in duration or less
- Request weekly, if not daily, informal verbal feedback from supervisors
- Prioritize work items and set daily, weekly, and monthly goals
- Use whiteboards, apps, spreadsheets, lists, and project management software to stay organized
- Use warnings/alarm reminders prior to meetings or when switching tasks
- Paperwork/wrapping up projects can be challenging. When possible delegate, streamline, or use incentives to complete the final mundane details