Lowering Barriers to Learning: A Non-Traditional Student's Story with HiTA
Switching fields is a daunting task. I started with a Bachelor's in Psychology and later entered a Master's program in Computer Science. That meant catching up on prior material while studying alongside peers who initially were more at home in the subject. However, the hardest part wasn't the content; it was the hesitation. Was my question too basic? Had it already been covered? HiTA quickly became the way I kept moving: a place where I could ask anything without judgment and stay on pace with the class.
In practice, momentum comes from removing small frictions. With HiTA, starting a study session was as simple as opening a conversation. That low “activation energy” made it easier to begin earlier, return more often, and follow my curiosity instead of waiting for motivation to strike.
Once I was asking more freely, a second barrier showed up: the messy, thorny confusion that doesn't clear in a quick exchange. Professors and TAs have limited hours, and their time is shared among many students. Some misunderstandings require a long back-and-forth to locate the real sticking point, which isn't always possible through traditional means. With HiTA, I could iterate until things finally clicked. I could test my own explanations, ask for a different framing, and trace ideas back to the source materials, all without feeling like I was monopolizing anyone's time. That shift, from pausing to persisting until I understood, changed the texture of my learning.
HiTA wasn't handing me answers. It was giving me just enough guidance to keep me thinking. When I was unsure what to ask, I could begin with a rough, partially formed question and refine it through the conversation. When I knew exactly what I needed, I could ask for a hint, a definition phrased in my own words, or a pointer to where a concept first appeared in the course. That range, from broad scaffolding to targeted nudges, helped me keep momentum regardless of where I started.
As a nontraditional student, I also appreciated the psychological safety. The pride of figuring something out yourself is real, but so is the quiet anxiety of not knowing whether you belong. Having a judgmentfree space to probe a concept reduced that background noise. Instead of worrying about asking the “wrong” question, I focused on the next step that would move me forward.
For someone with ADHD (inattentive type), the benefits of lowering the barrier to initiation were even more critical. Executive dysfunction can make even simple tasks feel heavy at the start. With HiTA, there was always a small first step available: ask one question. That one step often cascaded into focused work. I didn't have to force momentum; I could create it by taking that first easy step.
Over time, a pattern emerged: confidence to ask without second-guessing, clarity from depth-on-demand until concepts made sense, and consistency from easy starts that built a study habit. Together, they lowered the barriers that stall learning and built momentum. I wasn't just finishing assignments, I was moving forward and ready for the next challenge.
What I valued just as much was how HiTA fit alongside traditional support. I still learned a lot from lectures, notes, and office hours. HiTA didn't replace any of that; it made me better prepared for it. I could use the assistant to surface where I was foggy, then bring sharper, more specific questions to my instructors and peers. In practice, that meant fewer dead-ends and more productive time with people.
HiTA helped me apply a principle I already leaned on from psychology: progress depends not only on willpower, but also on approach. By lowering the effort required to take the next step, it turned stalled moments into momentum and helped me bridge the gap between where I began and the field I'm now in.
About The Author
Brian Tandy