In college w/ short attention span.

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Ever since entering college, I've noticed a sharp decline in my academics. To do the most basic assignment is taking longer than it should; I'll do approximately half an assignment after an eternity, then my mind will trail off as I then either (sleep/videogame/chat, etc). Sometimes I try focusing myself only to realize an hour has passed and I've sat around doing nothing (literally looking at problems while not organizing myself as where to go). So what would one suggest for helping out (and don't mention Ritalin as it doesn't work w/ me)?

I kind of did the same thing my first year. I ended up dropping out (don't do that!), working at a dead end job for a year, and then going back to a different university and finishing there. Basically there was just too much distracting stuff going on in the dorms, so I commuted to the local state U, and then I was fine.

The thing that has worked the best for me is to pretend that every class is really interesting. I would always pay the closest attention to class lectures, then kind of trip my way through the assignments. (don't do that either!) Maybe if you pretend the assignments are really interesting, too, then it might help?

I have a lot of trouble with assignments too, although this is regardless of whether I find the subject matter interesting or not. I often get sidetracked by my obsessions, which unfortunately have nothing to do with my choice of study. On top of that, I write veeeerryy sloooowwlllyyy. Which means I can take days to finish a simple essay. It's very annoying, because it means I have less time to study for the next day's classes.

I have the same problem.. I think it might be a form of ADD.

I wish I knew how to fix it.

MagicMike, could the decline in your academics be caused by too much stress? Too much stress and being overworked causes a decline for me. Also thinking that I have to work all the time also causes a problem.

back in school id never be able to do assignments but i think this might just have been because someone told me to do it, found it kind of awkward actually anyone else like that?

My other problem is that I go brain-dead during exams (meaning I have at least on average a 20-pt difference between my test and HW grades). What have people tried doing to fix this. Has anyone tried using Adderal? What about extended exam times or testing in a seperate room?

I also would like to know if Adderall or some other medication can help with ADD.

I have found, throughout about 15 years of post secondary education, that I cannot focus enough to complete an assignment UNLESS I smoke cigarettes. Someone posted awhile ago on these threads that nicotine has an ingredient that enhances concentration. That certainly fits my experience. I have no problem to quit smoking, as I have alot of stamina to endure cravings from withdrawal. What I cannot tolerate is that when I quit smoking I become very ADD. My attention deficit becomes much much worse without cigarettes. This problem does not go away. I quit smoking once for three years and even after all cravings had passed I still had ADD.

I've had to face the choice between smoking or being unable to concentrate to accomplish any task that requires focus and attention.

I would love to be able to solve this problem. It's the bane of my existence, because I know that cigarettes will kill me and also they give off the most horrible smell known to humankind.

I have a huge resistance to synthetic medication. Does anyone know if there are pills that can help?

The same thing happens to me. I haven't found a solution yet, but the best thing that works for me is to make finishing the work a secondary goal, as if finishing your work was considered only a side effect.

Heres an example: The whole purpose of me using the computer is to play games and surf websites. From all the years I have used the computer, I have developed my typing speed and naturally know where all the keys are. If I used the computer solely for the purpose of developing my typing speed, I would get bored out of it pretty fast.

Find something that interests you the most about work and think about all the important, but boring benefits as a secondary goal or a side effect. This way, you will enjoy the process of doing your work.

@anandamide: I suggest that you quit smoking. It may give you long term effects. Your health is first priority over your concentration. Concentration is something that is temporary, whereas effects on your health may be long-lasting. A long-term solution (with consequences) to a short-term problem isn't really a good idea.

I have no attention span.

I can just about manage for a one hour lesson but thats it.

Problem is most of my lessons last for two hours. Not very helpfull.

Maybe it's not attention span but something else. For some reason or another I've been doing atrocious on my tests. I just got my exam score for Calculus III. I only got a 32. This is a guy who until his previous two tests had an 80 test average which then dropped down to a 70 average. So in other words, I got a D for Calculus III and will have to retake it, a fact made all the more frustrating because I had A averages on pretty much every homework assignment.

College in general is stressful and distracting. I mostly didn't do my assignments when I was in school, which I wouldn't recommend. I skated through on being able to test well and persuade professors that I knew what was going on whether I did the busy-work or not.

When I couldn't get away with just not doing the assignments, I found that removing all distractions and setting small goals was helpful. For instance, if I had to work on a paper that I really didn't want to write, I'd break it up into smaller tasks with visible ends, like writing an outline, parsing out my basic argument, etc. Or else I'd give myself a word-count goal: when I finish 1000 words, I can go do this other thing for a while, instead. And if I did this in a place where there wasn't really anything else to do, like an isolated study carrel in the library or a deserted hallway in a school building in the evening, I tended to get it done faster.

My other motivator was sheer panic. I could let myself drift off and daydream if I still had a week to turn in an assignment, but when it was eight in the morning and the paper was due at ten, I'd sure as hell be able to focus. xD

Are there any medications, herbal remidies, self-help therapies, etc. that anyone can recommend to help me out with my lack of attention span?

Thanks for the feedback. By a moderately quiet area, you mean like a study hall, correct?