This past spring semester, I received the first C of my life in a class. In fact, I received four C’s – one was even a C-minus. It was a low point for me. I was dealing with personal issues at the time, but I wasn’t dealing with them in a healthy way. I slept all the time, skipped classes, stopped talking to friends and pretty much just laid in bed all day. Eventually, I just stopped caring about succeeding and even my own life. I finally talked to some people and dealt with my issues, but not without my grades taking a serious hit. It’s a miracle I didn’t fail any of my classes, considering how little effort I actually put into them. My GPA fell 0.4 points. My parents were disappointed in me. I was disappointed in myself. I didn’t think I could make it past this monstrosity of a mistake.
However, I have learned a lot from this experience. I realized that when your professors and advisors say that they’re here for you, they actually mean it. I’m the kind of person who tries to deal with their own problems without going to others for help because I think it’s a sign of weakness, but I’ve learned that seeking help is in fact a sign of strength. It shows that you are strong enough to admit that you can’t handle something by yourself and that you care enough to get better. I also realized that this is life and sometimes life hits you hard – really, really hard – but that doesn’t make you any less than who you were before. We grow from our mistakes. This was a huge wake up call for me. I now know that I need to focus and work hard in order to fix what I did to myself, but I am not a failure. I am not worthless. I still have the possibility to succeed.
Yes, I got four C’s in one semester. Yes, I have to repeat a class. And yes, I will be working my butt off for the next two years to make up for it. But I will not let it ruin me. I will not let it take control of my life, make me think that nothing I do will lead me anywhere. It will make me smarter and stronger. It will make me a harder worker, a better student. It will allow me to realize my full potential.
If you are in a similar situation, do not give up! Pitt has so many resources to help you. The Counseling Center is amazing, and don’t be afraid to talk to your professors if you’re having difficulty managing your workload. It’s always better to get help earlier rather than later – I learned that the hard way. Remember that once you reach the bottom, you can only go up – just make sure to take note of where you started.