All throughout high school, you are told that there is nothing more important than a few numbers that would determine if you were "worthy" enough to get into college. The same thing goes when you go off to school, your GPA determines everything it seems like. It's everybody's goal to try and get a perfect GPA and stay on the Dean's List all four years. Well, I am here to tell you, my GPA was far from perfect my first year at Ball State, but I couldn't be more proud of myself. Yes, it is discouraging to see that I am going to be on academic probation next semester, but I feel like that was the kick I needed to be able to get myself in gear. Although I might have not learned every lesson in my classes, I learned more about myself and the world this last year than I have in my 19 years on Earth.

Before you ask, yes, I do know that companies look at your GPA when determining to hire you or not after you graduate. But, I have three more years to fix this, where if I didn't learn more about myself these past two semesters, I'm not sure where I would be today. I was put through a lot of stress, mainly during the second semester due to some choices of the people around me and how that was impacting my life choices as well. I found who my true friends are, and how I should be treated by someone. I found someone that makes me happy no matter what and that is what I find is more important than a grade that I got on a worksheet.

School work is insanely important, but if that is what is consuming your life, your priorities are in the wrong places. College is about the work you put into it, but finding and experiencing new things is also very important. I am proud of myself because I grew as a person, and as a daughter. Before, I feel as though I didn't have as strong of a connection with my parents, but after going away to school, I would call them almost every night to see what was going on at home. I also learned more about my mental illness and how I need to adjust to what is going on around me and inside of me. I found a person that I could finally confide in and that helped immensely. We are each other's support systems at school and we can count on each other to hold us responsible for our actions.

Grades are VERY important, don't get me wrong. But in the first year of college, there will be hiccups. As a freshman, we are trying to figure everything out, but a GPA shouldn't be the most important thing ever, what should be important is how we cope with the stress of college and how we are finding and making our path for the rest of our lives.