Problems with ambiguity

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Hi. I'm a college student and am having a major issue with my studies. I think in very black and white terms. I'm studying software development and love to learn how to program. The issue i'm having however are with certain subjects on the course that involve researching things, creating reports and referencing.... etc.

The issue I have is that I can only follow direct instructions with definitive conclusions. I can't deal with anything that is open to interpretation.

This is a big problem for me. Because when it comes to doing assessments in these particular subjects, I don't even know where to start.

I just want to program, but can't progress on my course unless I do this other stuff.

Is it just me. Or is this a common issue? If you've had the same issue, how did you get around it?

I am undiagnosed (self-suspected, supported by some people who know me well), but I have similar issues with assignments, or even strange exam questions. Being in high school, I often ask my teacher for clarification on the necessary features of assignments, and sometimes also ask peers how they are approaching specific requirements. The teachers are usually very helpful.

In exams, I just guess, and hope that I'm doing the right thing on the more open-ended questions (e.g. Use necessary calculations to make a comment on the suitability of x, y, and z for specific sections of a certain procedure, such as a, b, and c.) Some people write sentences, others make tables, or draw diagrams, or flow charts, or dot points, or structure by x, y, and z, or by a, b, and c. And any of these is accepted as long as the necessary information has been communicated. Very strange.

Unfortunately college is somewhat different from my highschool days. Things were considerably more structured back then. When you enter college or university, you're expected to have a greater degree of independence over your own work. Which means that the help lecturers give you is very limited.

I do ask them for help. But they kind of look at me as if to say "you're not a kid anymore. Figure it out yourself".

It's hugely frustrating. I feel so overwhelmed and out of my depth. I'm 26 years old and I still can't get a grip of the adult world. I just don't seem to fit in at all. Sucks man