Five sentence summary:
Before the semester begins, determine add/drop dates, pick back-up classes, make sure you have your accommodations in place and potentially ask if there's anything new that might apply to you, and organize all of your sticky notes, calendars, highlighters, etc. Once the semester has begun, start feeling out your courses and potentially dropping ones that won't work and adding ones that show more promise. Set yourself up for success as much as possible by quitting classes with ableist instructors or ones that don't have the best overall design for your interests. Finally, once your schedule is finalized, add all the major deadlines for all classes to a calendar and identify if you'll need to book any tests with the disability office.
I almost always found the start of a new semester overwhelming when I was an undergraduate. There's so much to think of, so much new information, and our routines, our systems to stay on track all change. It's a lot. Honestly, the start of the semester is still overwhelming from the flip side, but I've learned a few things.
Before the semester starts
1. Determine your class registration dates and times. When can you register? Set alarms.
2. Determine when the add/drop period is. You can typically change courses for a week or two after the semester starts, but find out the date and find out any policies and procedures if you haven't done this before. 3. Pick your classes, your back-up classes, and balance your schedule. If you need to take five courses this term, find eight that you could take this semester. You'll want alternatives (keep reading to find out why). Don't take too many hard classes in a single semester. Hard may be hard in terms of they include a lab component, hard may be hard in that the classes bore you to death but are required. Make sure you have a good balance of classes that will be fun and exciting and classes that are boring and/or more work. You also want to make sure your week/days are balanced. If you don't do well with morning classes, don't expect this to suddenly change. 4. Register with the disability office (if new) or remind yourself of what the process is for notifying your professors of your accommodations. In some cases, the office handles it all for you. At other schools, you need to fill out an online form every semester. 5. Review what accommodations are available to you and ask your disability advisor if there is any new technology that you should consider. Yes, you may not have needed to record your lectures your first year, but you may find that one history lecture that is three hours long is harder to maintain your focus during. Schools also get new tools, so something unavailable last year might be offered this year. What are some potential accommodations for ADHD? 6. Buy your notebooks, pens, sticky notes, and etc. Organize all of it too so you're ready to go. Make sure to pack some snacks and some sort of drink in whatever bag you use for that first week. That break you have for lunch might be shorter than you thought or the class you planned to eat dinner during might not allow food. Throwing in a charger for your phone and any other electronics you rely on isn't a bad idea either.
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Five sentence summary There are many accommodations that can make managing ADHD much easier. The table below may be helpful in determining what accommodations you should investigate. By thinking of meetings as lectures, defenses as tests, and so forth, graduate students may find a lot of the accommodations in the table could apply. The Job Accommodation Network can be a great source for more information and ideas on potential accommodations. ADHD manifests itself in different ways in different people. Some of these accommodations may work for you and some may be useless. Some may work at certain times and not at others. Some may not be available at your college.
If you're learning and you have ADHD (you're an undergraduate student, you're taking a single class at a college, you're a graduate student, or you're enrolled in a course for professional development or for a skill), here are some accommodations that might be useful. Five sentence summary:
If your professor refuses or changes your accommodation, start with the assumption that they don't realize their mistake or are unaware of what you need. Clarify what you need, remind them of the specific accommodation and that it has been approved, and refer them to your disability advisor or that office if they have questions. Send a follow-up email and document as much as you can in writing for your own record and if things turn sour. If your professor outright refuses, politely inform them what you are entitled to under the ADA and/or refer them to your disability office.
A few disclaimers here:
A professor can (wrongfully) deny your accommodation for a number of reasons. They can also decide they know better than the Disability Office or you and modify the accommodation to suit their needs, which is also illegal 98% of the time. Good professors want students to succeed and learn and they'll want to make sure you have what you need to succeed. At worst, you're well within your right to explain to them that they're violating your rights under the ADA but let's start assuming your professor isn't a jerk. |
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AuthorThere's a reason theADHDAcademic is an anonymous account and there's a reason why this website will remain anonymous. That said, there are some basics it might be helpful to know about me: DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical professional or a lawyer of any kind. All text, graphics, and content on this website are for educational purposes only. Any and all content should not be substituted for medical or legal advice. Although I strive to provide the most accurate, current, and scientifically sound information, content should never be substituted for professional advice. Always consult a medical and/or legal professional before making any decisions. Links are provided only for reference and do not necessarily imply endorsement.
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