For those of you who don’t know me well, I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was 19. This definitely surprised my mom, I’m pretty sure my dad didn’t know what that meant or what to think/say, but it did give me some level of validation.
I was what my mom referred to as a “good student” my whole life… I got good grades, I was interested in learning and I was typically easy to be around. I knew in 3rd grade that I was struggling with math, and that never really stopped. I had some great years where all of my grades were impressive, I was reading well above my age level (I read Jurassic Park and the Lost World when I was 12 in just a few days-and LOVED them both!) but I also had some not great years, like the time I had to repeat sophomore year math… we assumed it was from poor direction from a lackluster teacher- but I chose another elective as soon as I was able to the following year 🤷♀️
Then came college… I started out as a biology major because I loved the subject and it could lead to many careers. I quickly realized that the LONG classes (1.5 to 4.5 hours) were NOT for me, so I didn’t attend them regularly. Not surprisingly, my grades for my first term were rough… I assumed biology was ‘too hard’ and not for me. After all, my roommates had started off as bio majors and switched their majors and were doing great! So I took a semester of all ‘core classes’… and I realized that biology was the ONLY thing for me! I absolutely hated all the core subjects, I seriously struggled to get any work done in such boring subjects as history, philosophy, statistics and excel 😫. I was only interested in science. This helped me channel my energy when I went into sophomore year… I cared much more than I did freshman year, I had a new respect for my original major and I went to my classes, did the work and studied. I did very well in my science classes, but still not great in the others.
I ultimately left Marist after my junior year for many reasons (that will make a great post one day) to return home and attend a different college where I had the same problems. At this point I had received my diagnosis of ADD (at the time there were 2 types and it was just ADHD as it is now) and I was put on medication. My grades went through the roof and I was finally able to focus and do my work and my grades reflected that.
I spent a lot of time working while I was a full-time student. I started to have issues with my school schedule and work, so I stopped school. I started again a few years later with a different program and I completed a semester, but stopped again due to finances. It was during this period that I decided to join the Navy. I was tired of going to school, accruing debt and having nothing to show for any of it. Plus, I wasn’t getting any younger and I knew I’d need benefits sooner than later.
I went from working in the restaurant business and learning every position possible, starting a degree in biology/pre-med, to the Navy where I was taught how to maintain FA-18 fighter jets. It’s probably unsurprising after reading this far that flight schedule was my favorite part of that job and scheduled maintenance was a complete bore 🤷♀️ I took some classes when my schedule allowed it- first was to re-do some prerequisites for nursing school (which I thought would be a good fit for me), then I got into a health/fitness/nutrition program, but none of these ever added up to a completed degree.
If we fast forward to life after the Navy, I chose EMS… first EMT school and after my first day of EMT I knew I needed to become a paramedic… So I went through that program and passed my boards to become a Florida State Paramedic and finally completed a college degree! It took me TWENTY years after high school to finally have an associates after all those years of changing majors and programs and starting and stopping.
I currently work in a hospital which is the level 1 Trauma Center for the area and I’m challenged and humbled daily… but I wouldn’t change anything… not my job, not my path, not my past experiences. They have all made me who I am.
And very true to my neuro-divergent brain, I have come to the end of my thoughts for this in this moment 😅 even though I started writing this because I was listening to Jurassic Park on audible and I was reminded of how much I LOVE a good action story ❤ Go figure 🤷♀️
#ADHD #AdultADHD #LateDiagnosis #neurodivergent #allbrainsmatter #thestruggleisreal #neuroatypical #ADHDismysuperpower #ADHDaware #ADHDgirl #ADHDwomen #ADHDmatters #ADHDkids #ADHDkid
Once Upon a Lifetime 