One of the best suggestions a teacher gave me, was: "Use the test, to take the test". Which essentially means, if you aren't sure of an answer, skip it. For now. Sometimes a question later on in the test will trigger that memory in your brain, and will allow you to go back to that question you skipped, and now be able to recall the answer. Also, if you have questions later on in the test, and the answers don't seem to make sense at first, go back and read through the questions that were unclear at the time. Sometimes you can use questions later on in the test to help you make a better decision about one you weren't sure of before. Also, be sure to read over your test when done, and check for obvious errors. But, don't overdo it. Don't go back and second-guess yourself on every question, or you'll never get through it. Another approach, is to go through the test, and rank the questions: 1. 100% Sure of the answer, 2. I have a gut feeling, but not really sure, 3. I have no idea what it could be. Then, you do the test in that order. Do all your #1s first, then #2, then #3. A lot of times, the answers you give in the easier questions will help you to answer, or trigger a thought, that will help you to answer the ones you aren't as sure of.
I actually find myself hyperfocusing on tests. For me, an exam is like the final boss of a video game. It's a challenge that I need to live up to, and that helps motivate me throughout the whole thing.
I just binge watched all your videos before I started my assignment that was overdue and that I would have failed... I wrote 1700 words in 2 hours, and submitted it 4 minutes before I failed. Needless to say your videos are addictive and I love them! :D
actually I prefer sitting in the last row because I can sense people behind me and I have this urge to look. if everyone's in front of me I may look as well but at least I don't look like someone who's possessed by the evil (by turning my head almost 180º).
+Leonor Morais hahaha yeah stay in the last row then -- I mentioned the front row b/c that's what Superbrain does! I think it's different for everyone. I get nervous sitting too close to the teacher and distracted if I sit too close to my friends.
+How to ADHD OMG Lolz yeah I also sit in the front cuz even tho I'm tempted, as long as I don't look I can't get in trouble, if I sit in the back and look around, then I'll get accused of cheating..
I'm not a student anymore, but I didn't see anything about how not to get distracted by all the little noises in a room. That effected me the most. Because it's really quite you hear everything! Flipping pages, clicking pens, falling pen's, zippers from pencil cases, sliding chairs, people who had short questions, the person next to you who crosses his feet the other way around, the teacher who is bored and does simpel things as wipe out the chalkboard (I'm dutch, so sorry if my English is incorrect). Maybe you don't know a good solution for that, but for me, that was the hardest part.
A few tips for taking tests: 1. For multiple choice questions, stick with your first answer, unless you're 100% positive it's wrong. Usually your first choice is correct, so don't second guess yourself! 2. If there's time, carefully go back and review each question and answer. We ADHDers are more prone to make careless errors like misreading the question/answers or mistakenly marking the wrong answer. It may seem like a pain now, but trust me, you'll cut down on careless errors by at least 99 percent. 3. To avoid missing key words, try underlining them so that you don't forget that they're there. Wording is especially important, so make key words or phrases stand out. 4. Drink plenty of water. It can be hard to focus if we're dehydrated, so make sure you drink some water. 5. If you want a little variety on the test, try using a four-color pen. For me, it makes the test much less boring to look over. I alternate colors after every question, but use whatever works best for you. 6. Keep losing your negatives in math? Mark them in a different color so they stand out from the rest of your work. (Again, the four-color pen works great here.)
Tips I find help with tests for those who may find them useful: - become the highlighter kid… sort of Forces you to highlight keywords, as you read. Even if the majority ends up highlighted, it ensures proper reading instead of just scanning. - Don’t immediately know the answer? Draw a star by it in the margin If you have time at the end of the test, you can more easily go back to find it & don’t waste time on it initially - highlight everything when proof-reading on a word processor un-highlight each paragraph after you proof-read it: makes keeping track of everything easy + offers a visual reward for completing a task
My system: Read all the way through first, star every thing that looks easy, X things that look hard, start with the easy ones, then go to the medium ones and then tackle the hard ones.
I really want to say how much I appreciate you for creating these videos. I'm a teenager and only in the past year have discovered that the problems I've been dealing with for as long as I can remember are because of my ADHD. Still, it can be really difficult to deal with it at times with homework and school and trying not to feel like a complete outsider socially. Everything seems so simple and easy for everyone else lot of times and I end up thinking that if everyone else can do it easily why does it take me so much effort to still not get it right and it can hurt after a while but people like you really help by showing that it's not our fault and it doesn't have to be a problem in our lives if we know how to deal with it the right ways so thank you!
It's one of the tools schools can allow for people with ADHD - naturally this has to be discussed beforehand. It can involves thing like them putting music etc on a formatted mp3-player, or other ways to prevent cheating.
That's an issue luckily a lot of schools do get, so the player gets formatted, and the IT will put on the preferred music themselves - not the students. But yes, yes you can. Reminds me of the shenanigans you could do with graphing calculators!
OMG you are the best I am in college and i need to start studying at least a montch before any exam but I tendo to start a week before it and never make it, this was helpfull! I need a ADHD and relationships part 2 please! My friends and work relationships are a disaster too not only romantic ones haha!
I'm so grateful that my college offers really good accommodations through Disability Services. I get to take notes in class on my laptop (which I find helps me a TON), and during tests and exams I get 1.5x the original testing time to work, as well as a designated quiet space to test in!
I study the material well, I know it well, I sleep well, I eat well, I take the meds at optimal timing to get the most effective release during the test, and I always run out of time even with extra time provided. This kills my score and thus my grade. I took a math placement test last December, this test has no time limit. I totally destroyed that test and achieved beyond what anyone expected from me. Nameless ADHD girl, how do I become accurate and thorough without using too much time? P.S. I'm surprised that your humor totally kills me like nothing else. 0:56 had me rofling for days.
+puddi magnet ask if you can use a laptop in tests! often students who have extra time can also use laptops. I find it really useful because my brain works super fast and it's so tricky to structure arguments for essay questions
I've heard Dr. Russell Barkley recommends using a timer in a different way: ADHD students should be given the same amount of "test time" as other students, but the ability to "clock in" and "clock out," such as to take a brain break or head out into the hall for some jumping jacks, etc. Effectively, this does give extra time, but with a different framework that might be beneficial to ADHD brains.
A few things I would like to add in terms of tests is what a psychologist once told me. When you ride your bike to the test/exam hall certain parts of your brain are used. Then, when you sit down at your test and read the first question, it may very well be that your brain is still focused on the part that helped you to ride to school. Because of this you may seem clueless as to how to answer the first question of your test, which requires another part of your brain. If this is the case, move on to the next question first and know that you will have a better chance of answering the first question as your brain has shifted gears again. She also told me that if you read all questions in the beginning that it evokes fear, and also when you look around at what everybody else is doing (instead of focusing on the task or question). I do not know if you were taking tests yourself in this period, but if you did I hope they were a big success. :-)
One of my teachers (English) has a tangle (the fidget toy) and it's the best thing ever. She looked at me today because I had it and she was like are you gonna work? And I was like yea can I mess with this and she let me and at the end of class I was sad to part with it...oh well Monday I'll get it again!
Whenever I take a test I pretty much always finish first. I usually just rush through it as fast as possible as opposed to taking too long. What gives :O nice vid!!
I’m pretty lucky as I always hyper focus during tests. Doesn’t particularly help when I haven’t payed enough attention to learn the stuff I need though...
During exams, when I read a question half way through I loose track of what Im reading so I repeat it, but even still its not completely processed and i end up writing something down before ive properly thought about it :/
hi, I just wanted to say (even though you might not see this or read it) that I struggle with ADHD kind of bad... I have medication for it, but I don't feel as happy when I take it as apposed to how happy I feel while I'm off of it. I also have anxiety, depression, and o.d.d. which you've talked about before, and these video's that you make of tips and solutions have helped me soo much!! everything I've seen/tried from your video's so far has really made a difference in school and even with my studying!! I cant thank you enough or tell you how much I appreciate all of these video's!! Please keep making more, they have really made an impact on me and even helped me get out of some bad habits I just couldn't pull myself out of.. thank you soo much I love you, and have a nice day!!
this is a LIFESAVER rn, i just finally got diagnosed with ADHD (i’m 22) and i’m going back to school next month, which i’ve been real worried about. i was really bad at studying and test taking in school, i was smart but my grades were awful because i just couldn’t focus or pay attention. thank you so much for the resources! 💕
Thanks! I have a test monday and I'm really nervous about it, you see the thing is that if i have to study about a subject that doesn't interest me at all in any way shape or form i can't study well or effectively. I find myself makig food, drinking water, eating a snack, getting distracted by everything around me and worse of all FALLING ASLEEP today, i had to study this class and i fell asleep at 4 and i woke up at 8!!!?!?? And now im feeling all stressed and mad with myself because i let myself fall asleep.
Could you make a video with your best tips for avoiding simple, absent-minded mistakes on tests? I find that all the mistakes I have made on my past math tests have not been from a lack of knowlage, but rather from dumb mistakes like arithmetic errors, copying down a problem wrong, simply writing a random number down different from the one i intended (for no reason) etc.. it can be hard to catch these problems when I can't seem to notice them, no matter how stupid the errors are. What could I do to improve this issue?
I have the same issue, even when I check it over, 1+4=7 doesn't seam to pop out at me. Even when I redo a question this can happen, and I still haven't found a good way for noticing it.. The only thing that seams to help, even tho it's only a bit, is going slowly through the test. If you find anything useful please let me know! Thanks good luck!
+Jared Entwistle Going through questions backwards can help too, strange as it sounds :) Try reading a sentence from the end to the beginning, it's way easier to catch typos.
I love using the put a dot next to it and move on approach. There's no point in being frustrated on this problem the whole time when I can come back to it later 😊
one thing i always did to help with tests was when i was starting to get bored or distracted i would skip to the end of the test and work in reverse. i dont know how or why this worked for me and i really only used it in history because i was just naturally good at or enjoyed all the other subjects so i didnt need to apply it there.
Thank you thank you thank you! You r helping me help my daughter so much! I've felt lost trying to help her by myself and I don't have ADHD (I think). I didn't know what problems she faced or what to do about it
I love all this information. I could have used so many tips and help when doing tests/exams. I'm in the process of studying now. I'm 54, scared, and trying once again, something new so that I can become employable and make enough money to sustain me. I used those words specifically, as that is what I have been doing all my life, just getting by. I see hope for the future.
Im really lucky when it comes to tests because it interests me, so instead of spacing out like i do in things like conversations, I can focus really well, if not to well
Thinking the last exam I took about 2 month ago, remember everything before exam, have very confidence about it get an A, during exam time, yes can do it, start writing, somebody beside me turning the paper, noisy, and more noisy, then I forgot everything I learn. The seat was arranged by the school, I can't bring my cellphone into the exam area.
Something which works for me during exams, when you have questions consisting of multiple smaller questions or parts is to slowly read the question, then take a pencil (or if it is aloud multiple colour pencils) and underline every single thing you have to do in that question, and if possible number the different things you have to do. When you start write your answer you can use the same numbering in your answer as you used in question and you underline the most important word or words in your answer in the same colour you used in the question. When you think you are done with the question you can just simply check wether al the colours you used in your question are represented in your answer and you quickly check wether every number in question is put in the correct order in your answer. If you don't know one or a few of the parts of the question and you do know other ones, you answer the things you know and mark with a little cross or circle in front of your question what you haven't answered yet and you can go to the next question. After you did your other questions you can easily see which part of your question you already did answer and which you didn't and you can easily answer what you hadn't done already. By using this method I feel like I forget to answer way less parts of a question and I can more easily answer in more structured way.
Pretty frustrating when you have to re read the same sentence over and over again even if it’s not that hard of a question, it’s almost like my brain does not want to answer the question
Thank you so much for all these videos! I'm in the middle of my finals right now and the first day of my finals I went to the doctor who said I probably have ADD. I still need to get tested and all of that, but all these videos are so helpful and I recognize so much! I finally feel less weird and it's such a relief I'm not the only person feeling like this. So thank you, I think this is the first step of finally getting to know why my brain is different and how to handle it. (Also now I have to watch this video again because I got distracted thinking about food because my stomach growled, then writing this comment and thinking about the monkeys and finally the history book on my bedroom floor that caught my eye. Okay bye ;D)
+Amy woohoo!!! Yeah I think a lot of dealing with ADHD is just about recognizing that our brains work a lil differently and figuring out what works for us. You're not alone!!!
+mason melum aw thank you, we try! next one won't be up for a few weeks while we recover from our move (and unpack!) but there are still sooooo many things to talk about. Anything you want to see?
If you do forget to take your meds before a test, just breathe and make that pep talk she talked about REALLY good. Remind yourself that you did study and that everything will be fine. Do what you can and don't think about the meds you forgot to take. What I did when I forgot to take my meds when writing a math test, I used my creative energy to channel a very smart character from a book, while semi pretending to be that character I could look at my test and think, this stuff is so easy, I don't even need my meds for this
The best way I've found to keep myself interested in a test is start by working backwards through it, then when I get bored start at the front and work normally, and switch between the two as needed.
You should make one about the relationship between the music we listen to & our ADHD. like if certain types make us more impulsive or make us go crazy! Thank you for your help! :)
i kind of love takeing tests... The rooms tend to be more quite than in normal school days... ok.. that is the only thing I like about taking tests....
Those are some great tips. I personally love granola bars. I get different flavors so I can mix it up and most of them are better than candy at not sugar crashing you. Also putting together what you will need in a backpack earlier so when your heading out the door is a great time saver (and stress saver). I'll miss you, and look forward to your return. :3
+How to ADHD If its a nicer setting you might try what I did - get a briefcase. Goodwill and other stores have them in every so often for low prices. They look nice and professional and you can store your glitter bottle and snacks in it. :3
Both of my gals are going through exam season here in the UK. Thank you for engaging videos. Myself and one of my daughters recognise the symptoms you describe, we embrace the answers to our frustrating behaviour. Sometimes we are so switched on, whilst other times can't even pay attention to what we are saying...my other daughter finds the whole notion of ADD appalling on so many levels and can't understand why I have to give it a name. (Even though she harbours symptoms herself).
Astonishingly, tests have always been my strong point in school... After pretty much skipping a semester of high school (parents wanted to try online school, see if I would do better, unfortunately internet) so I was way behind to graduate. My counceller, when I was back in brick-and-mortar, actually got me into a program at our local technical college to help students graduate, basically had almost all day to study every few days, then we'd have to test through a few basic courses, math, english, etc. I just read books in the time available to study, finished the Da Vinci Code and the Hobbit in the time to study, and I passed all the tests on my first go... Yet I feel like I've got a more severe case of ADHD... My own brain confuses me, this doesn't make sense xD
There's a fine line between double checking your answers and second guessing yourself, though. There may not be a prize for turning my test in first, but getting to leave after I'm done or at least have a break after I'm done, has always been rewarding enough. During air defense school for the army, I would use that extra time to train my Digimon. I started with the T-Rex and then at some point it got defeated and the next one that generated was an unstoppable, 💩 throwing slug 🥳
this helped me sooooo much with taking all AP and honors classes as a person with adhd. i've always just been smart and tests weren't ever hard until high school and i didn't know how to study. now i know and have straight 'A's (not really, i have 2 'B's but hey i have 8 classes) and i'm feeling a lot less anxious and stressed :))
Your college let you eat, listen to music and run a timer during an exam?! WHAT?! Mine won't let us take anything other than half a litre of water into a three hour exam.
We didn’t even get that you had to put your hand up wait for them to respond just to get permission to go to the toilet I’m 40 diagnosed with Aspergers at 23 and ADHD Inattentive just this year.
I have a practical exam today where I have to interview my teacher to get a dietary assessment while he acts as a mock patient...my brain just freezes all the time and trying to talk when the anxiety kicks in is so hard, at least with a written exam I can stop and calm myself down and I have plenty of time to think.
I wish I knew I have ADHD twenty years earlier. Also, I wish I knew all these tips back then. Maybe I would have gone to college back then, not this year (hopefully). Still, I'll save the cheat sheet for later use ;-) Thanks, Jessica, for putting so much effort into your videos!
+Matthias Wichert yeahhh wish I'd known too -- I didn't finish college because I wasn't managing my ADHD well. Hoping to go back myself now that I know what to do! :)
when i was working on mine twice as long as everyone else no literary i took 4 hours and they took 2 but i felt good about what i turned in and i heard other people stressing over if they did the questions right they weren't confident of what they turned in but i was
Totally just watched ALL your videos and subscribed :P I'm not diagnosed with ADHD but I kinda am with depression. In school I didn't think much of it cause I got normal grades and a lot of people don't believe me for that reason (or cause I'm not hyperactive ALL the time) but I have noticed recently that I have struggled with symptoms throughout middle and high school that are getting worse an probs not so noticeable to others (now I'm in collage trying to adult to no avail). Why I said kinda diagnosed with depression is cause last semester I saw an on campus therapist and she suggested I go to a different type of therapist that will be able to prescribe me with meds or work with it more.. I mentioned ADHD but not much happened with it cause apparently doing poorly in school is a must for ADHD?(but right now, honesly, I am doing pretty bad this freshman year) Anyways :P thanks for the information and help you give! Whether or not I have ADHD, every one of your videos will help me for sure! When I find the self discipline to apply it ;)
Test-taking is one of the things I can hyperfocus on, and I've been applying some of these tips before when I was a student. I'm worried for the schools that don't allow iPods for white noise/music (because some students were caught recording answers and listening to them), and for those that don't allow snacks because they could contain cheat sheets. I hope schools in my country can be more accommodating towards students with ADHD.
The thing with me is that i take the tests to fast because my brain wants to get it over with. Im usually sitting there rereading the same 200 page book constantly.
True story: One time, my cat, who likes to take pieces of paper between her paws and shred it to pieces, ate my algebra homework! I had finished all of it, and only the top of it was a little ripped, so I just took it with me and asked my teacher for a new worksheet, and when I told her my cat ate it, she was like "Well, that's a new one!" She was a cool teacher, so it was fine.
PLEASE READ IF YOU SEE THIS!! I havent seen anyone mention this. I have to read each test question 4-5 times (No exaggeration) in order to understand what it is asking or if im in the middle of reading the question and I hear a noise, I have to reread it. It doesn't matter how many times I read it, if theres a noise while im reading, I have to start over until I can read it in silence which sometimes takes FOREVER!! I was diagnosed 5-6 months ago and I'm also a Sophomore in College so tests are REALLY IMPORTANT. Is there anything I can do to allow me to read a question a less amount of times?? Its so exhausting.
what if you can't have food or drink(except gum) no earbuds, and what if I always am in a quiet room, with a bunch of other people with ADHD...and I can't have a fidget toy...my school stinks and I hate it. but your video was really helpful! I hope I will get to uses these techniques for other tests.
One of the best suggestions a teacher gave me, was: "Use the test, to take the test". Which essentially means, if you aren't sure of an answer, skip it. For now. Sometimes a question later on in the test will trigger that memory in your brain, and will allow you to go back to that question you skipped, and now be able to recall the answer. Also, if you have questions later on in the test, and the answers don't seem to make sense at first, go back and read through the questions that were unclear at the time. Sometimes you can use questions later on in the test to help you make a better decision about one you weren't sure of before. Also, be sure to read over your test when done, and check for obvious errors. But, don't overdo it. Don't go back and second-guess yourself on every question, or you'll never get through it. Another approach, is to go through the test, and rank the questions: 1. 100% Sure of the answer, 2. I have a gut feeling, but not really sure, 3. I have no idea what it could be. Then, you do the test in that order. Do all your #1s first, then #2, then #3. A lot of times, the answers you give in the easier questions will help you to answer, or trigger a thought, that will help you to answer the ones you aren't as sure of.
I actually find myself hyperfocusing on tests. For me, an exam is like the final boss of a video game. It's a challenge that I need to live up to, and that helps motivate me throughout the whole thing.
the same here, i was surprised when she talks about it is hard to stand still during the test.
You are the most amazing human being I have ever encountered. Your channel is a lifesaver. Thank you thank you thank you!!!!
I just binge watched all your videos before I started my assignment that was overdue and that I would have failed... I wrote 1700 words in 2 hours, and submitted it 4 minutes before I failed. Needless to say your videos are addictive and I love them! :D
actually I prefer sitting in the last row because I can sense people behind me and I have this urge to look. if everyone's in front of me I may look as well but at least I don't look like someone who's possessed by the evil (by turning my head almost 180º).
+Leonor Morais hahaha yeah stay in the last row then -- I mentioned the front row b/c that's what Superbrain does! I think it's different for everyone. I get nervous sitting too close to the teacher and distracted if I sit too close to my friends.
+How to ADHD haha, yeah it's probably different for everyone, haha.
I don't like sitting close to the teacher either!
+How to ADHD OMG Lolz yeah I also sit in the front cuz even tho I'm tempted, as long as I don't look I can't get in trouble, if I sit in the back and look around, then I'll get accused of cheating..
I'm not a student anymore, but I didn't see anything about how not to get distracted by all the little noises in a room. That effected me the most. Because it's really quite you hear everything! Flipping pages, clicking pens, falling pen's, zippers from pencil cases, sliding chairs, people who had short questions, the person next to you who crosses his feet the other way around, the teacher who is bored and does simpel things as wipe out the chalkboard (I'm dutch, so sorry if my English is incorrect). Maybe you don't know a good solution for that, but for me, that was the hardest part.
Study with that noise in the background- myNoise.net has a great one!
A few tips for taking tests:
1. For multiple choice questions, stick with your first answer, unless you're 100% positive it's wrong. Usually your first choice is correct, so don't second guess yourself!
2. If there's time, carefully go back and review each question and answer. We ADHDers are more prone to make careless errors like misreading the question/answers or mistakenly marking the wrong answer. It may seem like a pain now, but trust me, you'll cut down on careless errors by at least 99 percent.
3. To avoid missing key words, try underlining them so that you don't forget that they're there. Wording is especially important, so make key words or phrases stand out.
4. Drink plenty of water. It can be hard to focus if we're dehydrated, so make sure you drink some water.
5. If you want a little variety on the test, try using a four-color pen. For me, it makes the test much less boring to look over. I alternate colors after every question, but use whatever works best for you.
6. Keep losing your negatives in math? Mark them in a different color so they stand out from the rest of your work. (Again, the four-color pen works great here.)
Tips I find help with tests for those who may find them useful:
- become the highlighter kid… sort of
Forces you to highlight keywords, as you read. Even if the majority ends up highlighted, it ensures proper reading instead of just scanning.
- Don’t immediately know the answer? Draw a star by it in the margin
If you have time at the end of the test, you can more easily go back to find it & don’t waste time on it initially
- highlight everything when proof-reading on a word processor
un-highlight each paragraph after you proof-read it: makes keeping track of everything easy + offers a visual reward for completing a task
My system: Read all the way through first, star every thing that looks easy, X things that look hard, start with the easy ones, then go to the medium ones and then tackle the hard ones.
I really want to say how much I appreciate you for creating these videos. I'm a teenager and only in the past year have discovered that the problems I've been dealing with for as long as I can remember are because of my ADHD. Still, it can be really difficult to deal with it at times with homework and school and trying not to feel like a complete outsider socially. Everything seems so simple and easy for everyone else lot of times and I end up thinking that if everyone else can do it easily why does it take me so much effort to still not get it right and it can hurt after a while but people like you really help by showing that it's not our fault and it doesn't have to be a problem in our lives if we know how to deal with it the right ways so thank you!
How would one be able to use headphones during a test without being accused of cheating????
It's one of the tools schools can allow for people with ADHD - naturally this has to be discussed beforehand.
It can involves thing like them putting music etc on a formatted mp3-player, or other ways to prevent cheating.
Cy-V The Tech Savy would abuse this :|..
Cy-V But thank you for the info :>!
That's an issue luckily a lot of schools do get, so the player gets formatted, and the IT will put on the preferred music themselves - not the students. But yes, yes you can.
Reminds me of the shenanigans you could do with graphing calculators!
Cy-V It's so easy to cheat with a graphing calculator.
OMG you are the best I am in college and i need to start studying at least a montch before any exam but I tendo to start a week before it and never make it, this was helpfull! I need a ADHD and relationships part 2 please! My friends and work relationships are a disaster too not only romantic ones haha!
Working on it!! :D
How to ADHD you saved my life 😎🔥😍
Thank you for the cheat sheet! I'm printing out copies to give to my students, both ADHD and neurotypical ones!
+Holly Fertsch yay thanks for letting me know, it's cool to know it's useful! :D
I'm so grateful that my college offers really good accommodations through Disability Services. I get to take notes in class on my laptop (which I find helps me a TON), and during tests and exams I get 1.5x the original testing time to work, as well as a designated quiet space to test in!
I wish I knew when I was younger so I could ask for accommodations like these in exams
Every time I watch one of your videos, it helps me improve something about my life! Thank you so much Jessica!
Man what what I have given to have this TH-cam channel when I was in school. This information is all incredibly helpful and easy to understand!
I study the material well, I know it well, I sleep well, I eat well, I take the meds at optimal timing to get the most effective release during the test, and I always run out of time even with extra time provided. This kills my score and thus my grade. I took a math placement test last December, this test has no time limit. I totally destroyed that test and achieved beyond what anyone expected from me. Nameless ADHD girl, how do I become accurate and thorough without using too much time? P.S. I'm surprised that your humor totally kills me like nothing else. 0:56 had me rofling for days.
+puddi magnet haha thanks I actually went back and looked to see what part made you laugh :) Have you tried using a timer for each question?
+puddi magnet ask if you can use a laptop in tests! often students who have extra time can also use laptops. I find it really useful because my brain works super fast and it's so tricky to structure arguments for essay questions
I've heard Dr. Russell Barkley recommends using a timer in a different way: ADHD students should be given the same amount of "test time" as other students, but the ability to "clock in" and "clock out," such as to take a brain break or head out into the hall for some jumping jacks, etc. Effectively, this does give extra time, but with a different framework that might be beneficial to ADHD brains.
A few things I would like to add in terms of tests is what a psychologist once told me.
When you ride your bike to the test/exam hall certain parts of your brain are used.
Then, when you sit down at your test and read the first question, it may very well be that your brain is still focused on the part that helped you to ride to school. Because of this you may seem clueless as to how to answer the first question of your test, which requires another part of your brain. If this is the case, move on to the next question first and know that you will have a better chance of answering the first question as your brain has shifted gears again.
She also told me that if you read all questions in the beginning that it evokes fear, and also when you look around at what everybody else is doing (instead of focusing on the task or question).
I do not know if you were taking tests yourself in this period, but if you did I hope they were a big success. :-)
One of my teachers (English) has a tangle (the fidget toy) and it's the best thing ever. She looked at me today because I had it and she was like are you gonna work? And I was like yea can I mess with this and she let me and at the end of class I was sad to part with it...oh well Monday I'll get it again!
I bought all the supplies for my glitter bottle like 2 weeks ago, but haven't made it yet....
+Jessica Perez what's the next step? :)
Whenever I take a test I pretty much always finish first. I usually just rush through it as fast as possible as opposed to taking too long. What gives :O nice vid!!
+Aaron66111 yeah I have to make myself slow down otherwise I do okay but make dumb mistakes.
+How to ADHD yeah haha I will have to try this instead of my sonic the speed test taker approach >
Some math questions say something like order from least to greatest but I read it to quick and read order from greatest to least
Yeah
I’m pretty lucky as I always hyper focus during tests. Doesn’t particularly help when I haven’t payed enough attention to learn the stuff I need though...
"two minutes per question" *cries in 3rd year calculus with online exams with no "back" button allowed*
Thanks for making this channel it's quite helpful
During exams, when I read a question half way through I loose track of what Im reading so I repeat it, but even still its not completely processed and i end up writing something down before ive properly thought about it :/
omg that happens to me all the time... idk why though
+LethalTrigger impulsivity
Failed my exams because of this
hi, I just wanted to say (even though you might not see this or read it) that I struggle with ADHD kind of bad... I have medication for it, but I don't feel as happy when I take it as apposed to how happy I feel while I'm off of it. I also have anxiety, depression, and o.d.d. which you've talked about before, and these video's that you make of tips and solutions have helped me soo much!! everything I've seen/tried from your video's so far has really made a difference in school and even with my studying!! I cant thank you enough or tell you how much I appreciate all of these video's!! Please keep making more, they have really made an impact on me and even helped me get out of some bad habits I just couldn't pull myself out of.. thank you soo much I love you, and have a nice day!!
I love the part about the test being done and “ your still alive”!
this is a LIFESAVER rn, i just finally got diagnosed with ADHD (i’m 22) and i’m going back to school next month, which i’ve been real worried about. i was really bad at studying and test taking in school, i was smart but my grades were awful because i just couldn’t focus or pay attention. thank you so much for the resources! 💕
Thanks! I have a test monday and I'm really nervous about it, you see the thing is that if i have to study about a subject that doesn't interest me at all in any way shape or form i can't study well or effectively. I find myself makig food, drinking water, eating a snack, getting distracted by everything around me and worse of all FALLING ASLEEP today, i had to study this class and i fell asleep at 4 and i woke up at 8!!!?!?? And now im feeling all stressed and mad with myself because i let myself fall asleep.
Jessica: I have prepared a cheat sheet in description below.
Me: Omg she is an angel!!!
Could you make a video with your best tips for avoiding simple, absent-minded mistakes on tests? I find that all the mistakes I have made on my past math tests have not been from a lack of knowlage, but rather from dumb mistakes like arithmetic errors, copying down a problem wrong, simply writing a random number down different from the one i intended (for no reason) etc.. it can be hard to catch these problems when I can't seem to notice them, no matter how stupid the errors are. What could I do to improve this issue?
I have the same issue, even when I check it over, 1+4=7 doesn't seam to pop out at me. Even when I redo a question this can happen, and I still haven't found a good way for noticing it.. The only thing that seams to help, even tho it's only a bit, is going slowly through the test.
If you find anything useful please let me know! Thanks good luck!
+Jared Entwistle Going through questions backwards can help too, strange as it sounds :) Try reading a sentence from the end to the beginning, it's way easier to catch typos.
+How to ADHD Wow, that's a really interesting tip! I'll definitely try it out and see how it goes. Thanks so much!
+How to ADHD Hi! I want to know if a person with
ADHD study medicine or anything which requires more studying? please answer me.
I love using the put a dot next to it and move on approach. There's no point in being frustrated on this problem the whole time when I can come back to it later 😊
one thing i always did to help with tests was when i was starting to get bored or distracted i would skip to the end of the test and work in reverse. i dont know how or why this worked for me and i really only used it in history because i was just naturally good at or enjoyed all the other subjects so i didnt need to apply it there.
ooo good one! I for some reason read magazines backwards.
Thank you thank you thank you! You r helping me help my daughter so much! I've felt lost trying to help her by myself and I don't have ADHD (I think). I didn't know what problems she faced or what to do about it
I love all this information. I could have used so many tips and help when doing tests/exams. I'm in the process of studying now. I'm 54, scared, and trying once again, something new so that I can become employable and make enough money to sustain me. I used those words specifically, as that is what I have been doing all my life, just getting by. I see hope for the future.
thank you for reading my question
This channel is just amazing. Your videos helped me tell my story to my parents wich I have kept to myself for 4 years. Thank you :)
Im really lucky when it comes to tests because it interests me, so instead of spacing out like i do in things like conversations, I can focus really well, if not to well
Thinking the last exam I took about 2 month ago, remember everything before exam, have very confidence about it get an A, during exam time, yes can do it, start writing, somebody beside me turning the paper, noisy, and more noisy, then I forgot everything I learn. The seat was arranged by the school, I can't bring my cellphone into the exam area.
Something which works for me during exams, when you have questions consisting of multiple smaller questions or parts is to slowly read the question, then take a pencil (or if it is aloud multiple colour pencils) and underline every single thing you have to do in that question, and if possible number the different things you have to do. When you start write your answer you can use the same numbering in your answer as you used in question and you underline the most important word or words in your answer in the same colour you used in the question. When you think you are done with the question you can just simply check wether al the colours you used in your question are represented in your answer and you quickly check wether every number in question is put in the correct order in your answer. If you don't know one or a few of the parts of the question and you do know other ones, you answer the things you know and mark with a little cross or circle in front of your question what you haven't answered yet and you can go to the next question. After you did your other questions you can easily see which part of your question you already did answer and which you didn't and you can easily answer what you hadn't done already. By using this method I feel like I forget to answer way less parts of a question and I can more easily answer in more structured way.
Pretty frustrating when you have to re read the same sentence over and over again even if it’s not that hard of a question, it’s almost like my brain does not want to answer the question
This how's really helped me in my GCSEs
Thank you so much for all these videos! I'm in the middle of my finals right now and the first day of my finals I went to the doctor who said I probably have ADD. I still need to get tested and all of that, but all these videos are so helpful and I recognize so much! I finally feel less weird and it's such a relief I'm not the only person feeling like this. So thank you, I think this is the first step of finally getting to know why my brain is different and how to handle it.
(Also now I have to watch this video again because I got distracted thinking about food because my stomach growled, then writing this comment and thinking about the monkeys and finally the history book on my bedroom floor that caught my eye. Okay bye ;D)
+Amy woohoo!!! Yeah I think a lot of dealing with ADHD is just about recognizing that our brains work a lil differently and figuring out what works for us. You're not alone!!!
i cannot tell you how grateful i am for u !!! thank u so so so much u are like an angel
I love your videos! I feel like nobody actually understands or is able to make entertaining videos. you've done both. keep up the amazing vids!!
+mason melum aw thank you, we try! next one won't be up for a few weeks while we recover from our move (and unpack!) but there are still sooooo many things to talk about. Anything you want to see?
I really wish I'd known about this channel when I was still in college.
If you do forget to take your meds before a test, just breathe and make that pep talk she talked about REALLY good. Remind yourself that you did study and that everything will be fine. Do what you can and don't think about the meds you forgot to take. What I did when I forgot to take my meds when writing a math test, I used my creative energy to channel a very smart character from a book, while semi pretending to be that character I could look at my test and think, this stuff is so easy, I don't even need my meds for this
Good Accommodations for Dyslexia include Extra Time, Read and Write and my personal Fav... Dragon Natural Speaking.... Oral Testing is a god send.
The best way I've found to keep myself interested in a test is start by working backwards through it, then when I get bored start at the front and work normally, and switch between the two as needed.
You're so awesome everything you talk about actually helps !!!
+Cinnamon Cap So good to hear! Thank you!! :D
You should make one about the relationship between the music we listen to & our ADHD. like if certain types make us more impulsive or make us go crazy!
Thank you for your help! :)
i kind of love takeing tests... The rooms tend to be more quite than in normal school days...
ok.. that is the only thing I like about taking tests....
i really like your videos. they have healped me alot. i plan on making me a glitter bottle as soon as i can. so thank you
Those are some great tips. I personally love granola bars. I get different flavors so I can mix it up and most of them are better than candy at not sugar crashing you. Also putting together what you will need in a backpack earlier so when your heading out the door is a great time saver (and stress saver).
I'll miss you, and look forward to your return. :3
+Skywise Minecraft yes yes yes!! otherwise I always forget something. I take my backpack with me everywhere.
+How to ADHD If its a nicer setting you might try what I did - get a briefcase. Goodwill and other stores have them in every so often for low prices. They look nice and professional and you can store your glitter bottle and snacks in it. :3
I, of course, decided to watch all three parts of this the day after I took my final exams.
Aw hope you did well!
Both of my gals are going through exam season here in the UK. Thank you for engaging videos. Myself and one of my daughters recognise the symptoms you describe, we embrace the answers to our frustrating behaviour. Sometimes we are so switched on, whilst other times can't even pay attention to what we are saying...my other daughter finds the whole notion of ADD appalling on so many levels and can't understand why I have to give it a name. (Even though she harbours symptoms herself).
I was employing so many of these strategies already, way before I discovered I have ADHD. Thank you 🤗
These tips are super useful, thank you so much!! :"O
Thank you so much, this helped a lot, and the links attached to the description box too!
Hi! I also have ADHD. Can you explain why songs constantly get stuck in my head for days on end, sometimes even multiple songs at a time? Thanks! :)
You can ask her small questions like these on her Twitter.
TheNarwhalDerp Thank you so much!
Charlotte Roberts No problem! :)
Charlotte I feel like songs are always playing in the very back of my head
Charlotte i have that as well.
I’ve always had test anxiety. As soon as the test starts I can’t even think about what I learned. I completely freeze.
Omg my brain was literally going in 300000 directions while trying to watch about how to focus thank god for the cheat sheet you are the best
Astonishingly, tests have always been my strong point in school... After pretty much skipping a semester of high school (parents wanted to try online school, see if I would do better, unfortunately internet) so I was way behind to graduate. My counceller, when I was back in brick-and-mortar, actually got me into a program at our local technical college to help students graduate, basically had almost all day to study every few days, then we'd have to test through a few basic courses, math, english, etc. I just read books in the time available to study, finished the Da Vinci Code and the Hobbit in the time to study, and I passed all the tests on my first go... Yet I feel like I've got a more severe case of ADHD... My own brain confuses me, this doesn't make sense xD
+Brent Traxler nobody ever said we weren't smart :D that's pretty impressive though!
Whoa! That's amazing :):)
There's a fine line between double checking your answers and second guessing yourself, though.
There may not be a prize for turning my test in first, but getting to leave after I'm done or at least have a break after I'm done, has always been rewarding enough. During air defense school for the army, I would use that extra time to train my Digimon. I started with the T-Rex and then at some point it got defeated and the next one that generated was an unstoppable, 💩 throwing slug 🥳
this helped me sooooo much with taking all AP and honors classes as a person with adhd. i've always just been smart and tests weren't ever hard until high school and i didn't know how to study. now i know and have straight 'A's (not really, i have 2 'B's but hey i have 8 classes) and i'm feeling a lot less anxious and stressed :))
here's a tip that helped me: recorded yourself reciting or singing your notes during a morning run and the shower after
you are amizing what might also help in school are rest breaks which my school allowes for me they are my life when i have to sit a 3hr english exam
I bombed my first test and had an anxiety attack....god it was a timed test. I freaked. thank you so much for the info!!!
Are personalities affected by ADHD, because I get this feeling that all of us have similar personalities?
I heard that either infp or enfp are the most common mbtis with adhd
Sounds like a lot of very useful things, which is probably why my brain is rejecting and ignoring them while I procrastinate.
Your college let you eat, listen to music and run a timer during an exam?! WHAT?! Mine won't let us take anything other than half a litre of water into a three hour exam.
We didn’t even get that you had to put your hand up wait for them to respond just to get permission to go to the toilet I’m 40 diagnosed with Aspergers at 23 and ADHD Inattentive just this year.
I have a practical exam today where I have to interview my teacher to get a dietary assessment while he acts as a mock patient...my brain just freezes all the time and trying to talk when the anxiety kicks in is so hard, at least with a written exam I can stop and calm myself down and I have plenty of time to think.
Can you make a video on how to make a homemade fidget toy?
oh I would LOVE to!! have you tried any?
+How to ADHD Nah. But, you should make a video on ADHD tips and tricks including more than just explanations on how to make a fidget toy :D
I wish I knew I have ADHD twenty years earlier. Also, I wish I knew all these tips back then. Maybe I would have gone to college back then, not this year (hopefully). Still, I'll save the cheat sheet for later use ;-) Thanks, Jessica, for putting so much effort into your videos!
+Matthias Wichert yeahhh wish I'd known too -- I didn't finish college because I wasn't managing my ADHD well. Hoping to go back myself now that I know what to do! :)
when i was working on mine twice as long as everyone else no literary i took 4 hours and they took 2 but i felt good about what i turned in and i heard other people stressing over if they did the questions right they weren't confident of what they turned in but i was
Could u do a Q&A?? Like get a couple questions and answer them in one video! I think that would b awesome!
Great idea, yes!!!
+How to ADHD sweet! So excited!
Do you have a specific question you'd like answered? :)
+How to ADHD hmm, I'm 100% sure I have ADHD but my parents don't think it's a thing. Could u help me persuade them to get me diagnosed?
I'm working on that episode as we speak... :):)
I always take the test backwards. Last question first so I know how much more I have left. The stress of worrying I take too long is less this way.
high school suck im not allow to listen to music in class and i cant eat in class
we're not allowed figit toys or music in the exam AND WE CAN'T DOODLE ON THE PAPER AHHHH
Staceylegs thumb up for this comment for having no dislikes
stacey excacly my problem
Totally just watched ALL your videos and subscribed :P I'm not diagnosed with ADHD but I kinda am with depression. In school I didn't think much of it cause I got normal grades and a lot of people don't believe me for that reason (or cause I'm not hyperactive ALL the time) but I have noticed recently that I have struggled with symptoms throughout middle and high school that are getting worse an probs not so noticeable to others (now I'm in collage trying to adult to no avail). Why I said kinda diagnosed with depression is cause last semester I saw an on campus therapist and she suggested I go to a different type of therapist that will be able to prescribe me with meds or work with it more.. I mentioned ADHD but not much happened with it cause apparently doing poorly in school is a must for ADHD?(but right now, honesly, I am doing pretty bad this freshman year) Anyways :P thanks for the information and help you give! Whether or not I have ADHD, every one of your videos will help me for sure! When I find the self discipline to apply it ;)
0:15 "How?!" OMG SO RELATEABLE
Test-taking is one of the things I can hyperfocus on, and I've been applying some of these tips before when I was a student. I'm worried for the schools that don't allow iPods for white noise/music (because some students were caught recording answers and listening to them), and for those that don't allow snacks because they could contain cheat sheets. I hope schools in my country can be more accommodating towards students with ADHD.
i usuly finish first
The thing with me is that i take the tests to fast because my brain wants to get it over with. Im usually sitting there rereading the same 200 page book constantly.
also my parents don't believe me, I keep forgetting to take out the trash and I keep getting grounded, help?
don't believe what?
Omg, I use the plastic rings from Gatorade bottles as a fidget toy
You made my day this morning replying to a message I sent on Facebook ~ Kevin
+Cinnamon Cap Oh hey Kevin! You got me through the final push to upload this vid! Thanks for your message :D
This helped so much!!! Thank youu
loveyou loadss xx
Sometimes teachers don't allow headphones or listening to music while taking a test though, unfortunately
make a video of how to cope with people talking or yelling around you plz
just a heads up: juice is fructose, not glucose.
Make a video about the Medications of ADHD!!
It's in the works :)
True story: One time, my cat, who likes to take pieces of paper between her paws and shred it to pieces, ate my algebra homework! I had finished all of it, and only the top of it was a little ripped, so I just took it with me and asked my teacher for a new worksheet, and when I told her my cat ate it, she was like "Well, that's a new one!"
She was a cool teacher, so it was fine.
I love your videos!they are really helpful for me:) bec. i have adhd and i am studying med. i have exams every day
+su su every day? I can't even imagine! What works best for you?
+How to ADHD encoding and studying at nights really works for me:)
Can confirm no prize for finishing the test first
it's sad that we are not allowed any electronics during the test so no music qq
PLEASE READ IF YOU SEE THIS!! I havent seen anyone mention this. I have to read each test question 4-5 times (No exaggeration) in order to understand what it is asking or if im in the middle of reading the question and I hear a noise, I have to reread it. It doesn't matter how many times I read it, if theres a noise while im reading, I have to start over until I can read it in silence which sometimes takes FOREVER!! I was diagnosed 5-6 months ago and I'm also a Sophomore in College so tests are REALLY IMPORTANT. Is there anything I can do to allow me to read a question a less amount of times?? Its so exhausting.
I wear ear muffs and earphones to block out noise... or am places in a quit places
lol too bad I'm only seeing this the night before the final I Did Not study for...press f
what if you can't have food or drink(except gum) no earbuds, and what if I always am in a quiet room, with a bunch of other people with ADHD...and I can't have a fidget toy...my school stinks and I hate it. but your video was really helpful! I hope I will get to uses these techniques for other tests.
try to argue your case with evidence from the internet.
+fieldy409 what? I'm actually asking? I'm not trying to hate on her video, she awesome, I'm not arguing any claim, I'm asking what should/could I do.
+Izpep3410 I'm also not allowed food, drink, or earbuds.. I find playing my my fingers or nails helps sometimes for focusing..
SuperBRAIN
Thanks! and sorry i didn't reply sooner
+Izpep3410 it's okay! No big deal :):) hopefully that helped somewhat.
Video about studying for new sat