I am entering into my final year of college at the University of Wyoming. But if you would have told me that two years ago, I wouldn’t have believed you. Here is my story.

I grew up in the suburbs, where everyone around me had everything handed to them. And frankly, so did I. I grew up an only child, and I got almost everything I wanted, but my parents still managed to keep me somewhat grounded. That being said, even high school came easy to me. I was no 4.0 student, but I probably could have been. I had fun in high school while keeping about a 3.5 GPA. I thought I had it all, but that was because I never really had to work for anything. I started working at about 15-years-old, but it was an easy, minimum wage job to get me a little extra spending money.

I decided to attend the University of Wyoming in the late fall of my senior year of high school. I was ready to get away from the suburbs and everyone that came along with them. Little did I know, this was going to be the biggest change of my entire life…

My freshman year was similar to most others. I made a whole bundle of friends, fell in and out of love with a boy, and was taking all the “easy” 1000 level classes for my major. (Which I later ended up changing). I was living large and in charge. No parents to tell me what to do, different friends and a town I loved. But, I wasn’t paying nearly enough attention to my academics.

I failed my first round of tests, but so did many other people I knew. People were telling me that “that always happens on your very first college tests. Don’t worry about it.” So I thought I was in the clear. “The next ones will be easier and I will even out my grades then,” I told myself. Well, this didn’t happen. I ended my first semester of college with a 1.7 academic GPA.

I told myself I would get my sh*t together second semester, because I was on Academic Probation and simply had to get above a 2.0 GPA. Again, I was way too wrapped up with my friends, a boy and having fun rather than school. I ended second semester of my freshman year with a 1.9 GPA. I was that close and couldn’t manage to pull it through.

I had to sit down and have “the talk” with my parents about what my next move was. I was terrified. They basically told me I should move home, go to a community college down the road, and work where I was working over the summer. I was heartbroken. I made a compromise with them and they let me move back to Laramie and attend LCCC Albany County campus.

I was at LCCC for two semesters, and it was the best decision for my academic career that I could have made. I was undeclared, took all the required classes that I could, and reapplied to UW. I got in, declared the major I was actually interested in, and started classes in the fall.

I have been at the University since. I was a Communication major and recently switched to Agricultural Communication. I have two, maybe three semesters left, and could not be more proud of myself for staying strong and continuing my education.

The moral of this long and boring story is that I never gave up. I was so extremely down on myself, so discouraged and could have taken the easy way out by moving home, and I didn’t. I had to prove to my family, friends and most importantly myself that I was going to finish what I started and get my bachelor’s degree.

While this may be just a little feat, it was one of the most discouraging events that I have been through and I hope that it inspires others to continue to pursue what they are passionate about and never give up.