Underacheiver No More

My name is Joe Grabowski, and I am currently pursuing my Bachelors Degree in Behavioral Sciences at Granite State College.  I originally began my college experience in the fall of 1986, but being the chronic underachiever/procrastinator that I was, I dropped out of school only two years later.  Life happened, and over the span of the next twenty years, I married, became a father and an uncle, and immersed myself in my career as being a home care provider for a developmentally disabled man.  I also found myself in the role of worship leader, and eventually as an associate pastor, at my church.

Life was very good, and rich in many ways, but I had long carried the self-condemnation of failing to finish my college education.  For years, I had entertained the idea of returning to school, but I always found myself held back by fear, not the least of which was a chronic anxiety that I would revert to my underachieving patterns.  Although I was significantly older, it wasn't hard to imagine that I would approach a return to college with the same immature attitudes that had plagued me throughout public school and my first two years in college.

After turning 40, however, I reevaluated several aspects of my life, and with the support and encouragement of my family, I decided to take that first step.  I decided to look into Granite State College because I had previously attended the Education and Training Partnership foster parent classes held through GSC.  Much to my relief, the staff and advisors whom I spoke with were incredibly helpful.  I quickly came to learn there really is no such thing as a stupid question. 

In the fall of 2008, I enrolled in my first two classes, Nutrition Concepts and Controversies, which was my first experience with an online class, and Critical Thinking, which marked my first time back in an actual classroom since taking a "break" twenty years prior.  I loved both experiences, but as a student living in northern New Hampshire, I found that the online classes afforded me much more flexibility with my family and job.  Best of all, I quickly rediscovered a passion for learning that I hadn't had since early grade school, and even developed a self-discipline that I hadn't know I was capable of.

Since taking the leap, I've made the Dean's List, and recently was inducted into Alpha Sigma Lambda, a national honor society for adult learners.  Additionally, my success with my experiences with Granite State College to date inspired me to pursue another dream I had long since abandoned.  I took the Mensa admission test when it was offered locally, and was overjoyed when I received notice of my acceptance.

Among the many things I have learned so far along this stretch of my life's journey, perhaps one of the most valuable life lessons I've gained is that it is never too late to redeem discarded dreams and forgotten potentials.  I hope to encourage anyone even contemplating beginning or returning to a college for lifelong learning, and to share some of my own successes and struggles along the way.  It's been one of the best decisions I've made in my life, and I look forward to the adventures yet to be had!