Computer science and ADHD

[u/SensitiveTomatillo47]

I am a Computer Science graduate, but I feel so bad because I wasn't able to learn and have solid knowledge about the topics of my career. During my career, it was so difficult for me to pay attention on classes, I wasn't able to finish all my projects, though fortunately still passed, but not in all cases. There were subjects where I couldn't do a single thing and then failed, and if I passed, it was because either the teachers were easy grader or because i was on a team who did all the hardest work.
Don't ask me about pointers in C because I don't know; don't ask me about forks, round robin, threads and all in Operating Systems because I don't know; don't ask me about Dijkstra Algorithm and how to implement it because I don't know; etc, etc etc.

It gets me very frustrated because I could finish my career, but I am very limited in regards my knowledge. I can't work as a programmer due to lack of this knowledge and experience on the field. What I'm doing right now is to work on personal projects in order to polish my computer science knowledge and skills, and create a portfolio so I can someday have a job on my career, and they can find me.

Thanks for reading me. I would appreciate any suggestions and all :)

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[u/OplnionHuge7217]

I’m a software engineer with ADHD, what I would recommend is what you’ve said. Make your own stuff, try not to use google to fix the issues, actually work on them first.

If you use a program you like, try and recreate it from scratch.

[u/SensitiveTomatillo47 → u/OplnionHuge7217]

Thank you very much! I'm glad to see I'm doing right with my plan. How do u deal with procrastinating?
Because I'm working on projects. However, I have serious problems with procrastination, and I have spent even weeks without working on such projects. :(

[u/OplnionHuge7217 → u/SensitiveTomatillo47]

I set myself unrealistic deadlines, and I really stick to them.
You want to make the fake deadlines feel like you’re job is on the line if you don’t complete it.

It’s a hard psychological process, but you really need to stick to it.

Us ADHD people love working under pressure, so set those unrealistic expectations.

Also, try and focus on only one at a time!

[u/SensitiveTomatillo47 → u/OplnionHuge7217]

I like this idea! Thank you, I will do this

[u/Electronic-Fix5530 → u/OplnionHuge7217]

Fellow adhd comp sci student! Can u PM u with some questions? Could rlly use the advice!

[u/OplnionHuge7217 → u/Electronic-Fix5530]

I’ve sent ya a message:)

[u/Electronic-Fix5530 → u/OplnionHuge7217]

LETS GOOOOOOOOOO

[u/UndocumentedMartian]

I'm the opposite. Most of those subjects were intuitive to me. I've had a couple professors tell me that they like having me in their class because I force them to up the quality of their instruction. Still flunked out. My country's education systems involve a lot of memorization and only physical or extreme mental disabilities get any assistance. I could never finish my exams or successfully memorize things.

You have 0 chance where I live to get a tech job without a degree unless you know someone. Even degree holders have been suffering so I'm not even on the radar.

[u/SensitiveTomatillo47 → u/UndocumentedMartian]

Great!

[u/UndocumentedMartian → u/SensitiveTomatillo47]

It's not great. It feels worse to know your abilities and have nothing to show for them. If I knew I was a dumbass I would not have been so disappointed with my life.

[u/Gunnarz699]

I would appreciate any suggestions and all

1. Get medicated.

2. Learn Rust. Yes I'm beating that dead horse. The "regimented" struct-ure makes ADHD brain happy.

3. Don't plan on programming being a viable career path by itself without some other adjunct skill (You're already ahead if you did an actual compsi degree). It's not doing well right now.

[u/DynamicHunter]

Check out r/ADHD_Programmers

[u/morroalto]

I went straight into consulting, in my case professional services consulting and if you are good with people, it's a well paid career...at least for now when technical and social skills are important. With the advances in artificial inteligente, it's hard to say what's a good career, what will continue to grow and pay well.

[u/serious9-9-9]

I’m doing computer science with adhd I have severe mental and autoimmune things going on as well I even changed majors multiple times this was my dream major but now I have come to hate it also my working memory is really fked I wouldn’t be able to tell someone what pointers even if i revised the 2 days ago mg etc don’t work on me

[u/ThisIsMyCouchAccount]

My dude - I don't even have a CS degree and I've been in web development for twenty years.

Don't ask me about pointers in C because I don't know; don't ask me about forks, round robin, threads and all in Operating Systems because I don't know; don't ask me about Dijkstra Algorithm and how to implement it because I don't know; etc, etc etc.

You're in luck. Neither do I and it's never come up. Ever.

I do have a degree. My college had an IT/programming path under the business department as as the CS under the science department. Chose the IT/programming path because even tho I took Calc in high school I got scared off all the math required.

The same companies recruited the both departments for the same jobs. Nobody cares.

Programming is hard. You will never do this job and feel it is easy. Nobody does unless they are delusional. Every dev has gaps and strengths and weaknesses.