<p>I been reading all these stories about people failing through college and how miserable they feel… I just had to put this out somewhere just to get off my chest.
All my life i have been a decent student always on the honor roll even aced the SATs with flying colors and I got into a decent 4 year college. However, I battled cancer non hodgkins to be exact and having that in my way I was always feeling out of place with people. I had it since I was 5 and been battling on and off my whole life. I made it through my first year in college pretty lousy cause I was depressed and alone - I lost my scholarship and started lying about attending school. I also had a lot of family issues and my parents were very physically abusive towards me. I began rebelling and making outrageous lies and decisions. I eventually fell into the influence of drugs when cancer came back the second time around while I was supposed to be in my fourth year of college. I left that four year went to a community college and was stuck for 2 years not acquiring any credits just F’s and INC. I always started the class with great enthusiasm but some where down the line I lost hope and purpose in my educational career. Before I knew it I turned 24 and again I faced another hospitalization session for a surgery. But this time I really took things into perspective and went back to school for a semester and got all As for the first time.
As I gathered hopes for a better future I looked to transfer back to my four year, but then I started seeing all my friends graduation pictures then finishing their masters having great careers and just so much more happier than I am. Success and happiness seems so far and I feel so much at fault for being such a failure. I was supposed to graduate 2012 but now that I look at my list of courses I’ll be lucky if I graduate 2016… Four years after my real graduation time, it’s pathetic and I don’t know how to feel about myself. </p>
<p>Hey, it sounds like you’ve been through a lot and came out as a much stronger person. You did incredibly your last semester. You don’t sound like a failure at all to me. 24 is so young. I know a couple of people in undergrad who are taking like 6+ years to graduate because they just can’t get their stuff together, or else they keep switching majors, or something else. Plenty of other people go to college for the first time when they’re 26, or 30, or 55. Two of my closest friends are 25 and 30, and we’re all getting bachelors. You’re far from the only person who isn’t following a strict four year timeline, and it sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders and a very promising future. Good luck, I’m sure you’ll do continue to do great!</p>