Scatterbrained in the School System
Aspiring artist and Lakeland Regional High School student shares her experience living with ADHD
For Emily Wegman, her thought process is a little more abstract.
“Most people have one direct path and they go straight there,” Wegman said. “Think of it as two roads: everyone takes the straight path. I take the long, windy one.”
The American School system poses several challenges for students suffering from ADHD, especially for those who are interested in the arts. The school system is not geared towards scatterbrained or creative individuals.
Having an incredibly active mind is like a double-edged sword, the benefits are also its disadvantages. Because Wegman is detail oriented and likes to dissect things thoroughly, it allows her to think more outside the box.
Though, having such an overactive mind paralyzes her; it keeps Wegman from making progress as quickly. This made many school teachers single her out for not finishing assignments on time. Even after she was diagnosed with ADD and given special accommodations, Wegman was still mistreated by teachers occasionally.
A lot of the time, teachers would underestimate her abilities and say that she was not good enough.
Wegman enjoys writing and she can recall one incident where she was denied entry to a higher level English class.This was because her teachers believed the advanced class was too stressful for her so ultimately, she was placed in a class that was far below her comprehension level.
“We didn’t even get a choice and I felt like we should have,” Wegman said. “I felt sort of discriminated against.”
A teacher can truly change your perspective for better or for the worse. Wegman recalls having an English teacher by the name of Mr. White and his positive influence is part of the reason why she enjoys writing to this day.
Wegman enjoys being creative and uses drawing and writing as a form of catharsis or way to express herself. Although ADHD can heavily affect a person’s creative thought process, it definitely can aid her as well. The road to a finished product may be different, but as a result, it could yield something truly remarkable and innovative.
In some ways, ADHD fuels her creativity. Wegman said that she works a lot better when given more boundaries; however, she does enjoy holding the reins in her own work as well.
Wegman embraces her ADHD and is unapologetically herself. She doesn’t let others dictate how she should act and takes criticism with a grain of salt.
