Memoir
How I Dodged Flunking Out of School
Dear Mrs. Douglas
I'm sitting at my little desk playing with my pencil box, vigorously shaving my eraser on the top. My third-grade teacher, Mrs. Douglas, comes around to collect last night's homework. My heart drops to my stomach when I realize I didn't complete it.
Mrs. Douglas makes her way to my desk and asks for my worksheet. I tell her I don't have it. What comes next left a discouraging mark on my eight-year-old brain.
I'm not the only one who failed to complete the assignment because she begins lecturing the class about turning in work. I am the straw that broke the camel's back and now, the focus of the classroom. She yells at me for what feels like twenty minutes.
She tells me that if I do this in college, I will be kicked out! I can't handle the remark and I begin to cry in front of everyone. I don’t know it yet, but it will motivate me when I begin my higher education.
Fast forward to the spring semester of my freshman year in college. I have an easy summer semester to start, with a shaky fall semester full of parties and missed homework assignments. I begin my spring semester on academic probation after making the dean's list in the summer. The terms are: If my GPA doesn't improve by the end of the semester, I will be academically dismissed from the university.
To say the least, I am not on track to meet this goal. I’m not partying nearly as much as I did before, but I have a College Algebra class that is kicking my ass. The worst part is, this class isn't required for the Marketing degree I am currently pursuing.
This math class is a Gen. Ed. I was placed in when I drunkenly delegated my class scheduling to a girl in my dorm. Math has never been my strongest subject. This situation is reminiscent of the time I went to summer school for Geometry.
I visit all of my professors to express my concern for my academic standing. Some give me opportunities for extra credit, others are no help. My math tutor is supportive, but I'm running out of time.
It's now the end of the semester and my GPA is below where I started. A letter from the school lies on my desk. It's a notice of my academic dismissal from the university.
Telling my parents that I flunked out of college is not an option for me. Mrs. Douglas' voice is echoing in my ear.
"I told you so"
I devise a plan to petition the school's decision. I meet with my advisors, the dean of students, and several other people on the board that will review my petition. I write an essay to convince them I know where things went wrong and have a plan of action to turn my academic career around.
Several days pass while I'm keyed up in my dorm room anticipating the worst. I receive another letter from the university. I am reluctant to open it for fear of my worst nightmare becoming a reality.
I find the courage to peel back the envelope and skim the letter.
"After thoroughly reviewing your petition, the board had decided to reinstate you into the university with the expectation that your GPA will improve in the fall"
I am elated. Skating on a high throughout the summer, I am determined to revive my academic integrity. I return in the fall and make the dean's list again. The following semester, I discover my love for psychology and philosophy.
Before this close call, it was seldom that I devoted enough time and effort to my studies. The letter of academic dismissal was a turning point in my relationship with school. I spent the next two years working towards the double major and earned a degree in each subject.
I’d love to say I never missed an assignment again, but that simply isn’t true. Eight-year-old Alec has been vindicated!
Take that, Mrs. Douglas!