5 Tips for Neurodivergent People Starting College

When my back-to-school post went up a few weeks ago, many of you reached out with great questions about college specifically. So, I'd like to do a follow-up post tackling some unique back-to-school tips for neurodivergent people starting or heading back to college.

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1. Create a Neurodivergent Friendly Space 

Starting college often means moving into a dorm or new apartment. You can set yourself up for success by considering how your brain works when choosing items and organizing your space. 

First, organize your space to work with how your brain works. For example, if you often forget about items you can’t see, use hooks and magnets to hang important items on your wall instead of in a drawer. Organize your closet with clear dividers and clear shallow bins to help keep everything in sight. Clear buckets are a great way to store items for your common routines. For example, have one bucket for all your bathroom stuff, one for your favorite sensory and calming tools, and one for all your charging stuff.

Then, add some items to your dorm or apartment that make it more sensory-friendly. These can be anything that works for you! Many of these items might be things you already use at home, like fidgets, weighted items, and soft blankets. In addition, items like battery-operated candles, extra lights, and rugs can be helpful, as many dorms and apartments have harsh lighting and bare floors.

You can find some of my favorite dorm and college finds here:

2. Make a Schedule that Includes Downtime

For many people, college is the first time they have had a lot of unstructured time and are totally in charge of their schedule. Unlike high school, where you spend more time in school than doing homework, college is usually reversed. In high school, you might have spent 1 hour in class and then had a half hour of homework. In college, one hour in class usually requires 2 to 3 hours of preparation or follow up. So, making a schedule for yourself is essential to help with your school work and support your mental health. 

When making your schedule, include downtime or maintenance time each day. Use a visual timer or playlist to give yourself a set amount of time to let your mind wander and have your sensory needs met. Everyone benefits from downtime, but this is particularly true for neurodivergent people. Scheduling time to meet your movement and sensory needs proactively will help your brain and body function the rest of the day. This time can be used for anything you enjoy that allows your mind to wander. If you have yet to find things that work for you, try things like swinging, coloring, crafting, and laying with items of varying weights and textures. Instead of planning what to do during this time, just have things you love available and listen to your body. It’s ok if you use none of them, or all of them, or jump from thing to thing. The important part is that you have true mental and physical downtime where you give your body the input it is asking for. Doing this might feel silly at first if you're not used to it. But you will likely see that over time it benefits your overall regulation and mood. 

If you share a room with someone, talk to them about scheduling alone time for each of you. This can sound like, “Everyone needs alone time. Can we look at our schedules and find a couple of times each week for us to each have alone time in the room?” If you would benefit from additional alone time, check with the campus library. They usually have private study rooms that can be reserved. Some schools, dorms, academic buildings, or student life centers also have private study rooms you can use. 

3. Identify your Support Network

Starting college involves a ton of huge changes and adjustments. Finding a network of people to help and support you is critical. In addition to friends and family, I encourage you to look for one or more types of professional support. Here are a few great options that my clients have benefited from:

Counseling

Working with a counselor is a fantastic way to support yourself through the transition to college. Many schools offer free counseling to their students right on campus. The office that provides this is often called a mental health, counseling, or wellness center. If you have health insurance, you can also use that to find an off-campus counselor. 

ADA or Disability Services 

Like high schools, colleges have offices and staff coordinating and providing services for students with disabilities. If you had a 504 in high school, you likely qualify for supports, but they might look different than in high school. If you did not receive supports in high school, you may still be eligible to receive supports in college, particularly if you have a documented diagnosis from a doctor. Make an appointment with your school's ADA or Disability Services office to learn about and set up these supports. Supports can be wide-ranging but may include extended time on tests, a note-taker, or audio textbooks. 

TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) 

Student Support Services is a federally funded program operated by individual colleges and universities. It is designed to support students who have a disability, are low-income, or are first-generation college students. If you meet one or more of these qualifications, look for the SSS office at your school and ask how to join. Joining usually just requires a short application form. The program has benefits like scholarships, mentoring, tutoring, help finding summer jobs, and social gatherings. 

Academic Help 

All schools have various academic supports that are free to all students. These usually include a writing center to help with papers, office hours with professors to ask questions, skill-based classes for study skills, and tutoring. Each school has a different name for this office. It is often called an Academic or Student Success Center. Ask your advisor or the disability services center for more information if you are having trouble finding these services. 

Crisis Hotlines 

If you or a friend are in crisis, helplines are staffed 24 hours a day to help and support you. Some schools and communities have additional support lines, but you can always call these national lines.  

Suicide & Crisis- 988

Sexual Assault- (800) 656 4673 

I recommend making a cheat sheet of support resources for yourself now. That way, you have it available when you need it and don’t need to go searching for resources. If making one yourself feels overwhelming, ask a counselor, mentor, friend, or parent to make it with you.

4. Prioritize and Plan for Your Personal Needs 

College is a huge change that requires developing new systems and plans. Plan for some of these common situations so they don’t catch you off guard. 

• Keep easy, high-protein snacks in your room. Busy days and lots of new experiences can tamp down your hunger cues. You might suddenly realize you are hungry late at night or when you return to your quiet room. 

• A last-minute bin can be helpful when you are running late or need items you can bring with you. This could include deodorant, wipes, and even a disposable toothbrush and toothpaste. 

• Sleep with a full water bottle next to your bed, and use a medicine tracker if you take medicine. This will help ensure you stay hydrated and take your medicine on time, even with your new schedule and routine. 

• If your bathroom is in the hall, make a plan for your door. Dorms often have bathrooms in the hall and doors that automatically lock. If unlocked doors are common at your school and you are comfortable with that, a door stop can keep your door from closing and locking behind you. If not, hang your key on a hook by your door so you don’t forget to grab it on your way to the bathroom. 

• If you are used to counting on quick delivery, have a backup plan. At many colleges, mail, and packages go to a large room to be sorted and then delivered. Amazon items marked same-day or next-day might sit in the mail room for a day or two before they make it to you. If you need something quickly, delivery services like Instacart or Uber Eats might be a better option.  

5. Remember, Struggling Does Not Mean You’re Not Capable! 

College is a huge transition for everyone. Your brain and body are processing and adjusting to many new things simultaneously. You have a new place to live, new classes, new friends, and new food options. It takes everyone a while to adjust, and it is normal for the first months to feel like a roller coaster with great moments and moments when you are sad or overwhelmed. 

This transition can take longer and feel more intense for some neurodivergent people. I like to think of it as an on-ramp for the highway. Sometimes, you have a long ramp, and getting on and merging into traffic is easy. Sometimes, you have a short on-ramp, and it’s stressful. You don’t have enough space or time to speed up and merge. Neurodivergent people often benefit from a longer on-ramp or more time to acclimate to new changes. Knowing this, you can do some things to give yourself a little more time to adjust to all the changes. 

• Don’t take the maximum number of credits. Taking less than the maximum number of credits will give you time to focus on the classes you have. Remember, getting used to everything takes time, so it’s a great idea to leave extra time in your schedule for that. 

If you are a full-time student, make sure that you are taking enough credits to be full-time, which usually means a few classes less than the maximum amount. 

• Consider a non-lecture class. Choosing one class that is not a lecture class is a great way to keep yourself well-rounded and give your brain and body balance while you adjust. A physical fitness, art, or dance class will give your brain and body opportunities to think and work differently. 

Lastly, remember that this transition is a struggle for everyone, and that doesn’t mean you can’t do it or college is not for you! Plan on it taking six months or even a year to get used to all the changes and start to feel more comfortable in your new life.

You can do this! 

Note: While it is normal for the adjustment to college to take time if you are feeling depressed or anxious, have thoughts of hurting yourself, see persistent shifts in your mood, and/or experience a loss of future thinking, it is time to talk to someone. No school or college experience is worth your mental health. Talking with your support team or therapist can help you figure out a plan forward.