Staff – Academic Events & Communications
People have a lot of misconceptions about ADD. They don’t realize that hyperactivity is not the only marker. You wouldn’t think that the quiet girl with her nose stuck in a book has ADD. But I definitely struggled with it a lot growing up.
I’ve had a lot of ups and downs with medicating my ADD. Medication that helps you focus can not only make you forget to eat or sleep, it can also muffle your creative impulses. There is always a fine balance between being functional (i.e. driving safely, being on time, holding a conversation) and making space to allow yourself a little freedom for creativity and exploration. I think I’ve found that balance now, but sometimes I wonder if I wouldn’t be more creative or artistic if I hadn’t been so (hyper)focused on perfectionism and fitting into what society deems as neurotypical.