When I was fresh out of high school, I felt that I most needed to get away from home in every capacity, the least of those being distance. So, I went away to college. I made plenty of good friends during my year there (I would like to keep the college unknown to anyone possible, to avoid any conflicts that may arise from this post).

However, regardless of the friends I did or didn't make, I did not perform academically. When I transferred out, I had 4 total credit hours coming with me. Any actual class I took, I failed. I failed either because I gave up or simply didn't try. I'm no longer ashamed of those F's on my transcript, I gained just as much from them as I have any other grade.

In the Spring, roughly around the middle to late part of March, I had a meeting. I was publicly taken out of class by a dean, and taken to the office of The President. He sat me down and asked me my opinion about college. Some things I forget easily, some things I'll remember for the rest of my life.

The following is as close to exact as I can remember our conversation.

President: What do you think about college? Do you like it? Do you think you should be in college?

Me: It's not bad, different than I expected. I think I'm fine being here.

President: Well, I think you might be wrong on that last part.

Me: What do you mean?

President: You'll never be successful in college, and honestly I don't think you should have ever enrolled. You were never ready, and I can honestly say that I don't think you will ever be ready. Have you ever given much thought to the military?

Me: Umm, not really...

President: You should. Some people aren't capable of making something of themselves and contributing to society. I think you'd fit in well on the front lines in Iraq or Afghanistan. Even if you don't join the military, I just don't think you need to be in college. You're just wasting your time and other peoples time as well.

Me: Okay?

President: Don't you have anything better to say to me than that?

Me: I'm not really sure.

President: Well, I am not surprised by that. We're finished here, please see your own way out.

Me: Okay. Bye.

**Please note that this happened before I came to Lindsey Wilson**

Even to this day, thinking back to that conversation still hurts. Part of it still cuts deep. It may heal completely, but I hope I never forget it.

Here is what I learned from it: People will either encourage you or discourage you. Your distance between you and them is critical. When someone beats you down, there are three possible options to how you react: 1. Let it destroy you from the inside out. 2. Shrug it off and keep going the way you were. 3. Listen, take it all in, learn from it. Don't let it destroy you, let it give you something to build you up. Be committed to proving them wrong.

I'll be the first to admit that my undergraduate career wasn't filled with academic honors, but one thing I do know, is that regardless of G.P.A., I've learned enough about myself, about my world, about people, and about the world. One thing I always wanted to do was to prove my first college president wrong. And, I feel like I've succeeded.