For years, I thought I couldn’t study.

Not in a dramatic way. Just a quiet, heavy belief sitting in the background.

Other people can do this. I can’t.

I’d sit there with textbooks, lined paper, scratchy pens, information that felt overwhelming… and my brain would just go nope.

And when people see you as intelligent, that makes it even harder.

Because the message becomes:

“Just get on with it.”

“You’re overthinking.”

So the shame creeps in.

But here’s what I know now:

I’m not thick.

I was never thick.

Nobody had shown me how to learn in a way that actually worked for my brain.

Because with ADHD, external things matter. A lot.

We are driven by dopamine. It’s not a preference — it’s how our brains regulate attention, motivation and engagement.

So if something feels dull, uncomfortable, scratchy, overwhelming or visually chaotic…

We’re not being dramatic.

Our brain literally goes offline.

The sensory side of learning (that nobody talks about enough)

People often ask about my notes and setup, and honestly, it’s not just aesthetic.

It’s survival.

Paper?

Has to be decent quality. Over 80gsm minimum. My sweet spot is 100gsm or more.

Thin, flimsy paper where the pen drags or bleeds through?

Absolutely not.

That alone can send me into overwhelm.

And notebooks?

Dotted. Always dotted.

Lines feel restrictive and busy. Blank pages can feel too open. Dotted sits perfectly in the middle, structure without overwhelm.

Sizes depend on what I’m doing:

A tiny one in my bag (because thoughts don’t wait)
A5 for planning and formulation
A4 for bigger subjects (though that can feel overwhelming at first)

A5 is my comfort zone. A4 is my “get it all out” space.

Pens (yes… they matter more than you think)

If a pen scratches, skips, or doesn’t glide?

Game over.

I get hot. Stressed. Irritated.

And suddenly I’m hyperfocused on the pen, not the learning.

So I use what works:

Sharpie S-Gel pens (they glide, no resistance)
Micron pens (thin tips, smooth, satisfying)

That smoothness = less friction = more focus.

Colour, structure & dopamine

I use colour. A lot.

Not because it looks pretty (although it does)… but because:

It keeps my brain engaged
It helps information stick
It gives me tiny dopamine hits while I’m learning

I also use my own version of Cornell note-taking, adapted to suit me.

Because my brain likes:

Knowing what it’s looking for
Having a clear place to put information
Being able to go back and instantly see key points

If it’s visually overwhelming, I won’t use it again.

If it’s clear and pleasing? I’ll come back to it.

Organisation (without overwhelm)

ADHD brains often want everything.

All the pens. All the colours. All the options.

Which can quickly turn into chaos.

So I’ve found what works for me:

Upright pencil cases that unzip and turn into pen pots.

They stand up.

They contain the chaos.

They limit how much I carry.

One for writing tools and highlighters.

One for colouring/doodling.

No piles. No overwhelm. Just enough.

The way I actually study

Here’s the honest bit.

I cannot write an essay over several days.

If I stop, I can lose the thread completely. I can go to the loo, come back and have totally lost my thought process…like..where on earth was I going with that head scratching confused type moment!

So I do it in one go.

Always have.

I used to feel so much shame about that.

Weeks to complete something… and I’d leave it until the last minute.

Now?

I understand it.

That last-minute energy = dopamine + adrenaline.

So instead of fighting it for weeks…

I work with it.

And guess what?

It gets done.

Learning environments matter too

Head → screen → page?

Hard.

Really hard.

So I ask for slides in advance.

Because trying to listen, process, and write at the same time? Overwhelm central.

And long, text-heavy PowerPoints?

If someone stands there reading them out…

I switch off.

Completely.

I want:

Visual prompts
Examples
Discussion
Engagement

Not something I could have just read at home.

Movement, fidgeting & being allowed to be me

I fidget.

I move.

I need breaks.

And when that’s welcomed instead of shut down?

Everything changes.

That’s why my workshops and teaching are neuro-affirming.

You can move.

Fidget.

Sit how you want.

Use what you need.

Because that’s how learning actually happens for many of us.

The biggest shift

The biggest shift wasn’t the pens or the paper.

It was this:

Realising there was nothing wrong with me.

I just learn differently.

Since then?

I’ve completed:

CPCAB Level 2
Level 3
Level 4 (2 years)
A counselling degree alongside it
Bessel Va De Kolks Trauma course
Rewind therapy
Couples
Solution focused
Single session therapy
Children & young people
Sexual abuse training
Narcissistic relationship & domestic abuse trainings
Groups & workshop training
Creative interventions pathway
Clinical supervision training
IFS
TA
Coaching
Sex & kink therapy
Inner child

And so so so many other trainings since.

Thats not to be big headed, although I am proud! Its to share with you that this only happened because one incredible professor showed me another way.

She introduced me to different learning styles and Cornell note-taking.

That was my turning point.

Why I share this

Because I wish someone had told me sooner.

You’re not lazy.

You’re not dramatic.

You’re not “too much”.

You just haven’t been shown what works for your brain yet.

And when you find it?

Everything changes.

You don’t just cope.

You start to enjoy learning.

And that’s exactly why I share this loud and proud.

Because there is another way.

And you’re absolutely capable of finding yours.

Stay safe, stay connected & take gentle care

Louise x

Just to be really transparent, I’ll pop some links to the bits I use, and they’ll be Amazon affiliate links, so I may earn a small commission if you choose to buy through them. Absolutely no pressure though, and I always say shop around, a bargain is a brilliant little dopamine hit in itself 😄 I’ve tried the cheaper versions of things like S-Gel pens before and honestly… they ended up costing me more because they just didn’t hit the same. So for me, S-Gels, Mildliners and Sharpies are pretty much non-negotiable at this point… unless someone has a hidden gem they want to recommend 🤣

s gel pens set 12 - https://amzn.to/4c6Wga4

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Sakura Pigma Micron Black & Gold Edition fineliner set | 6 sizes, black - https://amzn.to/4bWGwrk

Pigma Sakura Micron Wallet - 6 - Black - https://amzn.to/4vg5J7x

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Zebra Pen MILDLINER Dual Tip Fluorescent Highlighter Pens, Pastel Highlighter Pens For Adults, Broad & Fine Tip Markers & Highlighters For Many Uses, Double Ended Highlighters, 5 Pk - Assorted Colours -

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Stand up pencil cases

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Dotted journals

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