Just how did I get through college?

I was watching an elliot hulse video and he was going on about how he was labeled ADHD and he was helping some college student with a question about how to manage through college with ADHD. Elliot said ADHD was bogus but that's beside the point. It made me wonder, how did I get through college?

It's never been suggested that I have ADHD and I wouldn't think something like that is an issue. For me, it's more of a depression issue. I struggle with initiation. Going to class can be a problem, reading the book, doing the work, etc, etc. I'm not learning dissabled, if I go to class I'm going to learn and gain intellegence. If I read the book I'm going to comprehend it, like I said, it's all a matter of initiation. "What's the point?, I don't have the energy, I lack the motivation, I'll do it tomorrow." This is the type of self talk I deal with. So, how did I get throgh college?

For starters, there was an entire year that I gave up alcohol, not a drop. I'd like to be able say that it was the best year of my life but I can't say that. I had bouts with insomnia, I drank way to much coffee, I dated the wrong woman, winter laster too long and spring came too late. BUT, I really got to know myself. I didn't go out much, I watched a lot of Netflix and Redbox, I got into green tea. In a nut shell though, I'm from northeast Iowa, and if you can be from northeast iowa and give up alcohol for an entire year, than you can do almost anything. Most of the time it's not about what you give up, it's about enhancing your willpower, and will power is somethign that I was lacking. A problem with initiation is a problem with willpower.

The other thing I did is I lived by myself in a small crappy apartment. This was probably bad for any depression sympotoms I have but it was very good for keeping things simple and keeping distractions down. I didn't many people at my apartment complex. I didn't party with anyone there and I kept to myself. This meant that I had a place to read and study all to myself. The library at school was even too loud and distracting for me. There was a second floor at the university library that was suppose to be a talk free zone but nobody took it seriously. So living alone had it's pros and cons. I didn't meet people and kept to myself which was a negative, but I also didn't have anybody possibly leading me astray to go drink or whatever. There weren't many like me at college and most partied on the weekends. It's college, I get it. In the end I would say Isolation was a tool that probably helped me get my degree but at the same time it could have hurt me as well, it's tough to say. I lived on campus the first year I was there and there were more distractions for sure.

Caffeine is another one of those things that possibly helped me or possibly hurt me. I admit that it got out of hand. Torwards the end I was drinking coffee or energy drinks and caffeine pills on top of that. Caffine does help me with initiaton, though. Those days when I just didn't feel like doing reading or going to class caffeine would help me get there or read. I also struggle with being a little anti-social and for some reason caffeine helps me converse, it helps me initiate conversation.

The University was depressing, though, now that I look back. Classes were small, and most people were off the farm. It would have been nice to go to a larger University for the atmospher and the diversity. BUT, at the same time it would have been nice to go to a upscale private school with even less distractions. It's a tough call.

I didn't date much in college. This was a good thing I'm sure of it. The little I did date seemed to really distract me from my studies. If I could do it over again, I wouldn't date at all. Dating always seemed to bring on more stress and drama, two things I didn't need more of while I was trying to get my degree.

I wish there would have been more to do in my college town. There were 13 bars and about as many churches so mostly you could either get drunk or go to church. I probably should have gone to church more, but at least I wasn't getting drunk.

Overall, even though it sounds sad, Isolation and Caffeine helped me get through college, I'm sure I'm not the only one who would say that. Other than that, you have to go to class and you have to read, and you have to do the assignments. Getting a decent grade wasn't much of a problem for me, I mean I didn't get A's, but I could pull a B if I read and did the assignment or took the test.

My suggestion for future college people? Learn to read large amounts now. If you are a good reader and you don't mind reading a bunch, you will have a big edge on others. I was never really much of a reader. I read slow and I'm not very good at skimming. So, I read slow but I really take it all in. Reading is huge in college. If you kick ass at reading, you'll kick ass at college. I didn't read much in high school and I didn't read for fun. I would suggest to start reading for fun at a young age and keeping it up, it could be a game changer. That's about it, maybe I will update this post at a later date. That's all for now.