Hello,
I think I understand what you mean but I just want to clarify the issue you are tying to convey before I attempt to offer any suggestions...(this is more for my own benefit!)
You find it difficult to concentrate because you feel you are picking up on other peoples' thoughts, and the process of integrating these thoughts and processing them supersedes your own thought processes? I.e that is why you understand what other people are thinking but find it difficult to discern your own ideas? But you aren't sure whether this is because you are fantastic at understanding concepts and yet just get distracted, or whether this really is because you are picking up on other people's thoughts?
I think it could be both. You can always do some exercises to find out? I find that I pick up colours associated with people and feelings from them rather than their conceptual ideas. I don't know why and I can't explain it but I can control it. I just imagine a shield/ circle surrounding me and think to myself 'I don't want to pick up on their emotions'. It prevents you from picking up anything unwanted, so long as that is your intention. Whether you believe in psychic phenomena or not is irrelevant because this is also a psychological technique used to gain control over ourselves and our own thought processes.....It won't help you gauge whether this really is static or yourself but it may help you control it.
If you believe it is other people's thoughts and you want to explore this dynamic and have an open mind then there is lots and lots of information on the web about the different ways in which we as humans have the potential to tap into other people's emotions, and to attune ourselves....I am wary of using the term psychic but the psychic forum is a good place to start. I definitely believe that creativity and the ability to understand conceptual ideas is linked with all these ideas. This is more my personal recollections but I have had so many incidences happen now that make me believe that we are all connected in someway; if you already have that knowledge you are already on the springboard, you just have to bounce. There are also some meditations you can do (linked to the above comment about the sub-conscious) - which can help you gain control. It might be worthwhile doing some research or seeing if your college offers any evening meditation activities.
If, however, you decide that this is definitely not something psychically related then you may just have to accept the fact that you are incredibly brainy and will be the envy of all your friends
Not sure if this helps but I hope it does!