As Dead Week unravels and students struggle to prepare for finals, the temptation to stray from a strict schedule or routine can seem overwhelming.
Time management and focus are two indispensible skills for a student attempting to end a semester with a strong finish.
Some students, however, have a more difficult time sticking to a schedule and carrying out responsibilities. Prescription medication can sometimes be the answer.
Taylor Robison, a freshman majoring in business, said she began taking a prescription of Adderall in the past month and has noticed an improvement in her ability to stay on task during Dead Week.
“I feel a lot more focused, and it’s easier to pay attention in class and take better notes,” Robison said. “It’s definitely helped me. I can get up early and start studying, and when I get in the library, I can stay there.”
People with attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, A.D.D. and A.D.H.D respectively, are known to deviate from schedules and lose focus from day to day.
Adderall and Vyvanse are medications commonly prescribed to treat these two disorders, and students who manifest symptoms of A.D.D. or A.D.H.D. can visit the Student Health Center to be properly diagnosed and granted a prescription.
Kristine Wnuk, a junior majoring in psychology, said her prescription for Adderall has enabled her to focus more during her day as well.
“I’m really focused, and I feel like I want to get my work done,” Wnuk said.
Wnuk said the intake of her prescription for Adderall has not increased during Dead Week, despite the stress of preparing for finals.
Dr. Mark Thomas at the Student Health Center diagnoses students and said a prescription such as Adderall is a safe medication with minimal side effects, provided that it is used properly under the supervision of a doctor.
Thomas said without treatment, people with the disorder are three times more likely to get in a car wreck, abuse substances, fall into depression, develop suicidal thoughts or drop out of school.
Thomas said the medications to treat the disorder yield positive results for those who show the corresponding symptoms, but for those who are not properly diagnosed by a doctor, the medications can worsen an existing ailment such as a learning disability or an underlying heart condition.
Tim Hebson, dean of students and former director of judicial affairs, said offenses regarding Adderall are more severe than offenses regarding either marijuana or alcohol.
“The only one that is a felony is the one concerning Adderall,” Hebson said. “It could subject you to possibly being suspended from the University.”
According to the list of common sanctions featured on the judicial affairs website, sharing a prescription of Adderall with someone else is an automatic felony, whereas possession of alcohol or marijuana in small amounts is a misdemeanor.
Hebson said he would not be surprised if students use controlled stimulants such as Adderall in higher quantity during Dead Week in order to focus more attentively on their studies.
“Students don’t tell us that because it would be illegal,” Hebson said. “But I wouldn’t be surprised if it did escalate during finals time.”
Wnuk said people who know she has a prescription for Adderall approach her frequently in order to ask for some of it to help with cramming.
“Anyone who knows I have it, they’ll ask [for it],” Wnuk said.
Hebson said a prescription for Adderall is designed for a person on an individual basis that takes factors such as weight into consideration to determine a healthy dosage. As such, he emphasized the importance of visiting a doctor to acquire a safe prescription.
“We want students to know that if they need Adderall, they can get a prescription the right way,” Hebson said.
