It's me in this clown makeup and I don't like it.

College was really hard for me. A big bundle of distractions at a vulnerable age in my life. I about failed out twice out of STEM degrees. I finally found a Liberal Arts degree that I could get a BA in.

Then a few years later, I had married somewhat. I went back and completed by STEM degree, somehow.

Now I'm back at it again 20+ years later, working on my Masters in IT. It takes all of my ADHD coping skills. Making lists. Exercise. Counseling. Supporting friends and family.

It's possible, but it's hard.

I would have loved to get my diagnosis and start taking meds before I dropped out of college twice. Would have saved a lot of pain and money.

I got diagnosed at 29.

My life has gotten so much fuckin better since it's amazing.

My pediatrician told my parents that I definitely had ADHD, needed to be properly tested to confirm, and to get some medication to straighten things out.
I vaguely remember my mother saying that she didn't think it was right to medicate away childhood exuberance, and that I just wasn't challenged at school.

Fast forward 30 some years, and I get diagnosed and some medicine. My passionate love for a million different things hasn't been diminished, but now I can actually make progress on hobbies, and sometimes finish projects.

I feel as creative as I've always felt, just able to direct it more coherently so that it's actually productive.

I built shelves and put all the tools away afterwards. In the tool bag even, which is now back in the garage, and not just tucked away in a room I wasn't using.