I will never forget that hour. I entered the office of my college advisor or academic counselor, we sat at a small table and she asked me questions as she filled out paperwork. Ordinary stuff. I was relaxed and felt trust in her. Then the dreaded question came, "Do you know how to study?"
My heart almost stopped. What should I say. I did not want to say no and be sent home, but I did not want to struggle on my own in a false world of lies about my shortcomings. I have always been an honest person and I heard myself say, "No, I have never studied because I do not know how to read." There was a silence, she looked at me and said, "How did you get this far?" Before I could answer she said it does not matter, if you are here you are motivated." This time my heart almost stopped out of a surge of joy. She was a psychologist and understood.
She then said, "I will put you in a How to Read class, a How to Study Class, and you pick a class you love because if you love it you will manage to pass it." WOW, I quickly said psychology. That was it. So simple, so free of judgement, no shame, a beautiful mater of fact lets do it attitude. I was elated. I did not even think about the reading classes I had failed. Hay, this was college, they should know how to teach me. Little did know they too would have no clue.
Comments