I failed my sixth grade science fair project. Not because I didn’t follow the scientific method, or because I didn’t understand the science behind testing cleaning supplies to see which was the most effective at ridding countertops of bacteria.

It was because I put off doing the project for a month when I couldn’t decide on a question.

This incident was not the last time my procrastination got the best of me. There were plenty of times I put off projects and essays until the last minute, telling myself that I’d be able to do everything in a single night. Yet my teachers and my parents didn’t notice that anything was wrong. After all, I was still getting good grades.

However, there were still signs that something wasn't right. Aside from procrastination, I would often find myself in class staring out at the distant mountains, thinking about everything but the lesson in front of me. I had a hard time completing tasks. In my personal life, I would often find that my energy levels were higher than those of the people around me, and I would interrupt people constantly.

If only we knew then what we know now and what researchers have uncovered in a new study on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

My ADHD diagnosis immediately helped the world make sense

Then came college. I attended one of the best schools in North Carolina, and quickly learned that high school had not prepared me for the academic rigor of my classes. Any other person would just study harder. I found myself unable to turn in assignments at all. I wanted to do them, but I would struggle to find stories and put off doing my projects until there was no more time to do them.

Once, during finals season, I remember sitting at a desk in the library drawing while everyone around me studied. I knew I should be following their example, but I just couldn't get started.

I began suspecting that I had ADHD. I even sought out testing, only to hit a wall when I........

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