Facing Failure (Post #7)

“I think you should make your own mistakes, the way that I made mine. Why should you try to avoid failure, misery, heartbreak, sorrow, drunkenness, sexual confusion and apathy? I couldn’t avoid them, you probably wont, and they will end up serving as resources for your writing. I managed to live through them, though I expect to see those bad friends again some day." -Charles Baxter

Sound advice. It was through a major mistake in my life that allowed me to realize the stupidity of my past actions. It was because of that mistake that this is my first year in Michigan, yet a sophomore in college. Confused? Let me explain.

I wasn’t accepted into Umich on my first try. It was because I fucked up in high school. It wasn’t that I failed in all my classes.

Nope. I had good grades and all but I became lazy. I thought just because I was smart, I would get in. So I didn't try as hard as I should have on my college essays thinking I would get in anyway.

I didn’t get in. I watched my friends go off to great schools while I attended Baruch College, a city university. I hated it. I knew I didn’t belong there.

It was then that I learned that just because I thought I was smart, it didn’t necessarily mean that I deserved anything. I had to work for it. And that’s what I did. I studied at Baruch (had no life outside school) and managed to transfer to Umich.

I was humbled and it was through my mistake that I learned a lesson about life.

I still have my Baruch ID on my desk to remind me everyday while I work

“Don’t screw up.”