Are you living with ADHD? Join a Deakin support group to help you manage your studies
Undertaking university study can be difficult at times. In addition to juggling assessment requirements and attending classes, you also need to find a way to make your uni commitments work alongside your professional and personal responsibilities.
This balancing act may feel especially overwhelming for students who experience day-to-day challenges as a result of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
If you are living with ADHD, you may feel like you’re struggling or worried about the impact your symptoms could have on your ability to study effectively. However, with appropriate support, you can achieve success at university and in your chosen career – and we are here to help you find strategies which work for you!
Join an ADHD Support Group
If you’re interested in meeting other students with lived experience of ADHD, to learn and share practical strategies to manage the challenges of university, join an ADHD Support Group this study period!
There are face-to-face support groups available at the Burwood and Waurn Ponds campuses, or you can opt to join an online group being held via Zoom. These groups form an inclusive space and will be facilitated by Deakin’s experienced, professional counsellors and disability liaison officers.
Register your interest in joining one of the ADHD Support Groups by completing this survey.
Got any questions? You can send them via email to [email protected].
See our tips for managing your studies
The Current Students website includes some handy advice on how to reduce the challenging impacts of ADHD on your studies. Keep in mind that what works for one student may not work for you, so trying different strategies – which we’ll explore further in the ADHD Support Groups – is crucial to finding what study routines and resources are most suited to your needs.
To effectively manage your studies alongside symptoms of ADHD, you may find it helpful to:
- Prepare early. Planning ahead for each trimester can help you stay organised and reduce feelings of stress once classes begin.
- Consider how you can best manage your time over the trimester. You may find it helpful to keep your study sessions short and during a time when you’re naturally most alert. You could also consider undertaking a smaller study load or building extra study time into your week (beyond the University’s general recommendation to study a minimum of 10 hours per week for each unit).
- Check out the various learning resources available. The library hosts a wide range of assistive tools and apps which may help you manage your readings. Watching and/or listening to recordings of your classes and tutorials, which allows you to pause the content, may help you follow the presented information more easily and enhance your note-taking. You could also keep track of your assessments by using the various study planners available via the Study Support webpage.
We look forward to welcoming you to an ADHD Support Group soon! If you would like further help, you can also contact Deakin’s Disability Resource Centre and Counselling and Psychological Support service.