How Sophie Found Balance at University and the Confidence to Explore and Connect

We spoke to Sophie, a final-year autistic student with ADHD, about her experiences and what helped her at university.

Before starting with Brain In Hand, Sophie felt anxious about starting university and living independently for the first time. She faced challenges with advocating for herself academically, homesickness and socialising.

How Brain In Hand helped:

In her first year, Sophie began using the Brain in Hand app to set reminders and add tags, helping her remember when to ask for deadline extensions. These gentle prompts reassured her that it was okay to ask, and it was an important part of managing her workload. Before university, Sophie hadn’t travelled by train on her own, by using Brain In Hand’s calendar and scheduling feature, Sophie learned how to plan her journeys effectively, enabling her to travel independently.

The Results:

Thanks to the support she received and with her confidence building, Sophie regularly visited home to spend time with her family. She’s noticed a reduction in her anxiety as she has learned to recognise her feelings and address them. Sophie has more confidence and capacity for socialising. She told us that she’s got five times more energy than in her first year, involved in extracurricular activities and spends more time with her friends.

“I've got confidence and ability now, thanks to everything I've been through up to this point, and the support I had along the way.”

She admits that “Without the support, I would have dropped out.”