<p>Yup, I have ADD. I know exactly what you mean about spending so much time studying with little results…some kids are always amazed that I spend 4-6 hours on homework a night. They assume since I spend so much time studying that I must be a fantastic student. When I tell them that I have a C in algebra, they’re shocked (“But how could you because you study so much?”) I can pay attention for some subjects, if I can see the relevance to them or if they use words and pictures. But my mind shuts down when it sees numbers. I make connections to the most random things, for example, I was reading about terminal angles and that made me think of hospitals, then that made me think of feta cheese, then that made me think of my rabbit. I have a hard time stopping my mind when it wanders. This tendency of mine can work to my advantage sometimes…I use associations to help me remember things. For example, I had to memorize some trigonometric equations. I was having a really difficult time remembering which order tan, sine and cos went in. But then I started reading it to myself outloud and I realized tan, sine, cos sounded like it could be a Chinese name. I made up this story in my head about a Chinese exchange student, Tan-Sin Cos. I probably wasted 10 minutes thinking about his school, his family and his life, but it worked–I remembered the order of the trigonometric expressions. It really helps to say things out loud. I always have songs stuck in my head and it’s aggravating, but I realized I can use this to my advantage by inserting vocabulary words, dates or names into the song lyrics. I used to wish my mind didn’t wander so much, but now I realize that the random connections I make can help me in some classes. When I think of President Benjamin Harrison, it reminds me of oatmeal cookies. This is totally unrelated, but while other people don’t really have an image in their heads that comes to mind when they read about Benjamin Harrison, I think of oatmeal cookies and this helps a lot of info about him come back to me. </p>
<p>Even though I take medicine, I’m still really forgetful and have a tendency to zone off, but it takes a little bit of the frustration away. If you want to consider getting medicated or getting tested for ADD, I would tell your parents that if you got the help you needed, your absentmindedness would be under control, and it wouldn’t inconvenience them as much. Explain to them that it’s important to you that you do well in school, and the only way to do that would be if you learn how your mind works and what you can do to make it more efficient. Show them a checklist of symptoms and circle the ones that apply, using examples from your life. It sounds like there’s a high chance you have ADD. But even if you don’t, getting tested for it might be helpful because you’ll discover if it’s not ADD, what it is that’s making it harder for you to stay on task and remember things. Whether you’re right or you’re wrong, you’ll learn something about yourself so that you can make things better.</p>
<p>Teachers get mad at me for being absentminded, too. They assume since I’m knowledgable about a lot of things that I have everything together. I’m notorious for forgetting homework. Sometimes I don’t have time to do all of my homework because it takes me so long just to finish one assignment. They don’t accept this as an excuse, they think that I was too lazy to finish it all. “I expect better of you, yawdy ya” Some teachers have brought down my self-esteem in this way. I’ve gotten used to apologizing for being absent-minded a lot. But some other teachers have told me “you don’t have to apologize for who you are” and that really helped. Don’t get down on yourself because some teachers don’t understand that you’re human (and possibly ADD). Humans, especially those with ADD, forget things. I was worried everyone thought I was an idiot because I’d always lose my purse, forget to collect change from the cashier or drop my cellphone when I went out with friends. But my one friend told me that she liked me even though I was a mess, and that if I changed, I wouldn’t be as exciting or amusing. Someone will appreciate you for being absentminded someday!</p>