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DEI Blog: Third Time’s a Charm

October 16, 2023
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Developing My Creative Superpowers as a Transfer Student with ADHD

Written By: Evan Lockhart – Outreach Manager for the Office for Institutional Equity and Inclusion

First of All, What is ADHD Anyways?

October is ADHD Awareness Month! According to the National Institute of Mental Health, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a chronic disorder “marked by an ongoing pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with development.” While originally thought of as a disorder that primarily affects children, ADHD is a neurobiological disorder that affects individuals across their lifespan. Approximately 10 million adults in the U.S. have ADHD and among college students with disabilities, 26% are learners with ADHD. Symptoms of ADHD that can affect college students include poor time management, distractibility, disorganization, trouble forming relationships, and difficulty regulating emotions. ADHD is also the second most common neurodivergent disorder (a term that describes people whose brain differences affect how their brain works). In the case of ADHD, this divergent thinking is linked to increased creativity due to the brain’s ability to create multiple, unique ideas or solutions to a problem you may have – also known as an art school superpower.

 My ADHD Transfer Story

 When I began college as a photography major at Columbia College Chicago in 2007, I was incredibly excited. I was thrilled to be surrounded by creative people in a new and bigger city and have the freedom to do what I wanted, when I wanted. Turns out, when you have undiagnosed or untreated ADHD, getting a college degree can sometimes be a long, arduous process. I had trouble looking towards the future, and like many college students with ADHD, I struggled finding “the point” of my more tedious classwork. In February of 2008, my parents and I decided to disenroll me from college, just 5 months after I began. A few years and several Oakland Community College photography classes later, I transferred to CCS to resume my bachelor’s degree. As a transfer student (Happy National Transfer Student Week!), I came to CCS at 21 with the resolve to find “the point” of each of my classes. During my period away from full-time education, I spent a significant amount of time and energy thinking about what I wanted to do. I recognized that my “why” was to use my creativity to support myself financially while enacting societal change. Using what I learned from my academic and social struggles at Columbia, I entered CCS and immediately informed them of my learning difficulties, enabling me to receive accommodations throughout my three and a half years as a student.

As a transfer student with ADHD, I was able to excel and reach beyond my perceived potential because I was able to take the extra time to prepare myself for the rigors of CCS. It was in this liminal space that I fostered my passion for social justice that led to me being one of the founding members of Occupy Detroit – the ultimate focus of my senior thesis. If I had not diverged (pun intended) from the “typical” college path, I would not have graduated with honors from CCS, a school that has been in my life for 18 years. In my current position as the Outreach Manager for the Office for Institutional Equity and Inclusion, my goal is to help recreate the circumstances that allowed me to succeed to help our neurodivergent peacocks soar!

Using Your ADHD Superpowers!

While many discussions about ADHD and neurodivergence center around accommodations to make education equitable for all students, it is very important that we value the unique ways our brains work. As artists, the ability to hyperfocus (the ability to spend an inordinate amount of time doing one thing and one thing only) is incredibly beneficial when creating artwork. Our time-blindness, hyperfixation, passion, excitability, creativity, and even procrastination is our superpower. When I was in graduate school, I spent an entire school year drawing individual hairs on lifesize prints – spending 70+ hours a week in my studio. I could work longer than others, I was incredibly passionate, and I found that when I was doing what I loved, absolutely nothing could stop me. Our ADHD allows us to think on our feet, fantasize, think outside of the box, work well under pressure, and get things done on a short deadline (however self-imposed). They may say your procrastination will ruin your ability to do your job but really, it is preparing you for the short deadlines within art & design careers (that said, try your best to not procrastinate! There are tips below!). The key is though, like every good superhero, you have to overcome obstacles using all of the tools on your Batman Utility Belt.

College Success Tools for Superheroes!

Staff and faculty’s mission at CCS is to ensure that all students feel seen, heard, and – above all – supported during their time here. While it may seem like there is no recourse when you’re behind, late, or struggling to keep up with your course load – there actually is! Here are some techniques that helped me and many other successful adults with ADHD get through college.

LISTS AND CALENDARS! I can not say this enough. Write them in whatever way works best for you. You can write using a notes app on your phone, on a piece of paper, on the brim of your hat… Just remember, if it’s written down it CAN be found. Utilizing a planner or digital calendar is an excellent way to make sure you have a space to put important appointments, dates, and tasks. Setting multiple reminders on long term assignments can help ground elusive things like far off projects or your second cousin’s birthday.

ACCOMMODATIONS! It is your right under the Americans with Disabilities Act to ask for and receive accommodations. All students with disabilities are encouraged to disclose disabilities that may affect your academic success. We want you to succeed and provide the best education in a way that fits your needs. Information disclosed to CCS regarding disabilities will not be shared with anyone except CCS staff who will assist in meeting your accommodation needs.

COMMUNICATION! You are your own best advocate! We highly encourage you to communicate personally with your instructors at the beginning of each semester to let them know how you learn best. While we will contact your professor to let them know of your approved accommodations, talking to your professors personally is an excellent way to help them teach you. Ongoing and consistent communication throughout the semester will help to create a learning environment that works best for you!

ON-CAMPUS RESOURCES!

Below is a list of all of the fantastic resources we have available here at CCS to assist you in creating a successful plan for graduation.

Helpful Offices!

  • Students with Disabilities Page – This page has all of the resources and information you need for requesting accommodations for your classes at CCS. To request accommodations you will need to:
    • Contact the Dean of Students, Dan Long at 313.664.7675 or by email at [email protected]
    • Students requesting accommodations must provide documentation of their disability. This documentation may be either through the Disability Verification Form or by providing a letter from a treating doctor or mental health professional that includes the information outlined by the Disability Verification Form. It is important that whichever form of documentation you provide includes recommended accommodations that are related to the symptoms of your disability.
    • For more about accommodations at CCS, see the ADA presentation
  • CCS Wellness Center – The Wellness Center can assist you with outside referrals and advocacy for accommodations, and will assist with case management as needed. Visit their website to learn more.
  • Center for Tutoring and Writing – The Center for Tutoring and Writing is an incredible resource that provides CCS students with individualized academic support, academic coaching, writing support, and peer tutoring for traditional & digital creative skills, software assistance and more! Schedule an appointment with a peer tutor today!
  • Anti-Ableism (Disability) Resource Guide – The CCS Office for Institutional Equity and Inclusion has created an Anti-Ableism (Disability) Resource Guide with different resources for people with disabilities, including those with ADHD.
  • Academic directory – If you’re looking to contact your Chair or Program Manager, please visit our Academic Directory.

 

A few more Helpful Humans!

 

 

OFF-CAMPUS RESOURCES!

Web Resources!

 

ADHD Apps, AI Notetaking, and Planner Resources!

  • Tactiq – Tactiq is an INCREDIBLE software that allows you to upload videos or transcripts from meetings and uses AI to create summaries, meeting insights, notes, highlights, and follow up emails. There is a free account that you can use up to 10 times a month. I use this software for all of my virtual meetings and when appropriate, I record my in-person meetings to assist with note-taking.
  • ADDitude’s 25 Great Mobile Apps for ADHD Minds – This list includes note-taking software, internet blocking programs, checklists, graphic layouts, alarms, and so much more.
  • Sunsama – I’ve not personally tried Sunsama but I hear great things. It is free to try for 14 days and then is relatively affordable at $20 per month.
  • GOOGLE SUITE – Use it. Your school email provides access to the entire Google Suite of resources. Google Calendar is an excellent way to keep track of things you need to do AND it will allow other people to see when you are and are not available. Google also has note-taking software that can connect to all of your devices.
  • Apple Notes – If you’re an Apple person like myself, using the Notes app on your iPhone can be incredibly helpful. It instantly syncs to all devices and you can access it through the iCloud on the web.

 

Sources

https://www.statista.com/statistics/827023/disabilities-among-us-college-students/

https://us.tamu.edu/news/adhd-in-college-students?viewmode=0

https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/College-Students-with-ADHD-111.aspx

https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd-music#:~:text=Binaural%20beats%20are%20a%20type,frequency%20with%20your%20other%20ear.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20117669/

https://chadd.org/for-parents/college/

https://add.org/benefits-of-adhd-employees/

https://www.understood.org/en/articles/adhd-and-creativity-what-you-need-to-know

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/are-people-with-adhd-more-creative/

 

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