How Genio Transformed My Scattered Study Habits: A Student's Journey with ADHD

As a fourth-year dual-degree student juggling cybersecurity and law, I've spent most of my university career feeling like I was constantly one step behind. Not because I wasn't capable, but because I genuinely didn't know how to take notes properly. With ADHD making it even harder to filter what mattered, every lecture felt overwhelming. It was just a blur of information I couldn't quite pin down.

The Struggle Was Real

Picture this: You're sitting in a lecture theatre, trying to absorb complex legal precedents or technical cybersecurity concepts. Everyone around you seems to have their system figured out. Meanwhile, your notes look like a chaotic stream of consciousness. Random bullet points, half-finished thoughts, and no clear structure.

That was my reality for years. I'd leave lectures feeling exhausted, not from learning, but from the mental gymnastics of trying to simultaneously understand content, determine what was important, and write it all down coherently. By the time exams rolled around, my "notes" were essentially useless. Just a disorganised mess that somehow made me feel more confused than when I started.

Finding a System That Actually Works

Everything changed when I discovered Genio. The difference was immediate. Instead of frantically scribbling everything down and missing half the lecture, I could take notes on the fly while actually staying present in class. The interface made it simple to capture thoughts quickly without worrying about perfect structure in the moment. For someone with ADHD, this was game-changing. I could finally participate in discussions and actually absorb what was being taught, rather than being stuck in my own head trying to organise information.

Three Game-Changing Features for ADHD Students

1. Quick Capture, Organise Later

Genio lets you dump information rapidly during lectures without stressing about structure. The real magic happens when you can go back and organise later, when your brain has had time to process what you learned. This two-step approach suits ADHD brains perfectly. We're often better at structuring information after the initial capture phase.

2. Quiz Me: From Passive Notes to Active Learning

Here's where Genio really proved its worth. The Quiz Me feature turns your notes into interactive tests, which is crucial for actually retaining information. For me, it meant I could identify gaps in my knowledge before exam week panic set in.

3. AI-Powered Study Notes

Preparing for exams used to mean staring at pages of disorganised notes, trying to condense them into something useful somehow. Genio's AI tools help pull together coherent study materials from your scattered lecture notes. It's like having a study partner who actually understands what matters and helps you focus on the essentials.

Practical Tips for Getting the Most Out of Digital Note-Taking

Start messy, refine later: Give yourself permission to capture information imperfectly during lectures. Your goal is understanding, not perfect notes in real-time.

Test yourself regularly: Don't wait until exam week. Use tools like Quiz Me weekly to reinforce learning and identify weak spots early.

Create a post-lecture routine: Spend 10-15 minutes after each class organising and clarifying your notes while the content is fresh. This small investment saves hours during exam preparation.

Use AI as a study assistant, not a replacement: Genio's AI features work best when they complement your understanding, not replace your thinking. Use them to structure and test knowledge, but engage actively with the material.

The Real Impact

Look, I'm not going to pretend Genio magically fixed everything overnight. I still have ADHD, and some days are harder than others. But having a system that works with how my brain functions, rather than against it, has made university actually manageable. I'm no longer drowning in unstructured notes or cramming the night before exams because I can't make sense of what I wrote weeks ago.

More importantly, I'm actually learning. I can focus on understanding concepts in lectures instead of panicking about whether I'm capturing everything correctly.

My grades have improved, sure, but honestly the biggest win is just feeling less overwhelmed and more in control of my studies.

If you're struggling with note-taking, especially with ADHD or similar challenges,

I'd say give it a shot. Sometimes you just need to find the tool that matches how you think, not force yourself into a system that works for everyone else.

This is a sponsored post by Beautifully simple learning tools | Genio, formerly Glean