I flunked out of college....

Yeah, I did... See, I read this blog by Becky Higgins almost everyday. Becky is in my "apple" so she will be picked one day, but today I just wanted to write about what she wrote today in her blog. She talked about when she failed an English class in college. You can read it here: http://www.beckyhiggins.com/blog/2011/04/i-failed-english/

It instantly reminded me of when I flunked out of college. I guess if you were close to me you would probably know this story, but maybe for a lot of you, you had no idea (well, now you do). I will never forget that day when I found out. And what is so crazy is that the "writing" was on the wall, but I was still in denial when I get the notice in the mail. The experience seemed so surreal when it was happening, like so many other major events when they happen in my life. The next thing I know I received a delivery from my mom saying "Congratulations on completing your first year of college!" It was from my mom. Then I thought, how was I going to explain this to my mother?! But I made the call and when I tell you that was the hardest phone call I had to make... Well, I remember there was something going on where she couldn't pick me up right away and I couldn't bare to stay another minute on campus. I was so ashamed. So I called an ex-boyfriend to come and pick me up and take me home. Yeah, that's crazy, right? But he did and I am forever thankful that he found it in his heart to do it with no judgement. The whole way home I thought about how I needed a plan. So I decided I would go back and work at the hair salon and try to attend Georgia State and not even think about going back to UGA. When I told my mother this plan, I don't remember her exact words, but my plan was shot down quickly. She said I needed to find out how to get back at UGA and finish what I started. Becky talks about how failing English didn't and doesn't define who she is. Furthermore, any "marks" we receive from others is not who we are, it's our thoughts and our actions that defines who we are. She is right. My mom was right too. I think if I had gone along with "my plans" I was going to let that situation really "define" who I was as a person. BUT, I did what my mom told me to do. I went back to UGA and finished my degree. Side note: It's funny what people think when you flunk college.  Some of my friends asked me, "So what did you do, work?" Yeah, that an understatement. Let me tell you how this works, at least what I had to do.
1. Go to another school and take 30 hours (we were on qtr. system then) and make a 3.0.
2. Personally, I had to raise money to go to school because I did not qualify for HOPE or financial aid anymore.
3. Once I made the academic requirements I had to have an interview/ meeting with the Dean of Arts and Sciences at UGA and basically talk about why I should be able to come back! Not to mention... raise more money!
But I did it all! In fact, I went back a couple years later and earned my Masters degree. Yeah... it was tough, but I did it. I owe my mother the world for that... And right before I took that long drive down 316 back to school, my mommy and daddy took me to Disney World to see the love of my life... Donald Duck!