When I was in 5th grade, I was diagnosed with ADD or Attention Deficit Disorder. ADD is real. It is not some made up disease to justify naughty children or poor work ethic. It is a real learning disorder. My parents and teachers and noticed that I was easily distracted and had a hard time focusing on my day to day life for longer periods of time. ADD is different than its sister diagnosis ADHA which stands for Attention Hyper-active Deficit Disorder. My family has a history of both, so my parents decided to have me tested. I was then successfully diagnosed and was started on medications to help me manage this strange disorder.

It has been a constant battle ever since I first diagnosed. ADD is real and it is hard. The hardest day-to-day activity is school. Schoolwork, tests, essays, quizzes, anything that may seem fairly simple to someone who does not have ADD feels like a huge weight being put on the shoulders of someone who does. Having ADD ,everything immediately takes more time. A classmate could write a paper in a day while it might take someone like me two days. School has always been the toughest fight. I have always felt dumb, stupid, and bewildered by my classmates grades. Everything just seemed, still does seem, so much harder for me than everyone else. I didn't know why no matter how much harder I tried, I could never get an A. I was so frustrated...I still am.

Now that I am in college, I have learned that things take more time for me. I may need some extra help staying engaged in class or more time for tests. I have learned to stop comparing myself to my classmates and to know that sometimes I might have to spend an extra hour studying for the next quiz or writing a paper. If you have ADD, and just the thought of school overwhelms and frustrates you please know that you are not alone. I too have sat too many times in class, absolutely paralyzed, with tears in my eyes because no matter how many times the teacher explains something, you just can’t seem to hear it. ADD is real but you are smart, don’t quit. Keep trying.