I got this

Ever feel accomplished in your life? Where your hard work has paid off. You feel like the stress you have been through and the hours of work you do hasn’t gone unnoticed. Have you struggled in school? Have you worked so hard, but your grades don’t show it? You aren’t alone.

I have never felt accomplished until I graduated college with my associate degree and again today when I got an email from the current college, I attend that I have made the honors list. In all my academic life I have NEVER been on an honors list.

I have always struggled in school. Working hard to get good grades. But here is the thing, in my early years I was not motivated to do my best in school. I did the bare minimum to get by.

When I was in grade school, maybe 1stgrade, I was having trouble in school. Mom and Dad had me tested for a possible learning disability. Turns out, I had Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). It was hard for me to pay attention and stay focused on the topic at hand. On top of having ADD I was also diagnosed with depression. So, with both I wasn’t able to focus, AND my mind was telling me all these negative thoughts about how I’m not smart enough. By the time I got to middle school I was diagnosed with test anxiety. Which means I knew the material that I was being tested over but I freeze up when the test is in front of me. Even when I am able to have notes in front of me, I still freeze up.

I still have text anxiety. But over the years I have learned how to block out the negative thoughts that come with my depression. I have learned ways to help me do well on the test even with my anxiety. I figured out a lot of the anxiety I get from tests isn’t just the material but feeling rushed. When I take tests, I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and repeat my mantra “I got this” over and over. Plus, not looking at the clock helps too.

Over the years I have learned to excel at school. I went from a C student in high school to A and B student in college. I went from not being motivated in school to being motivated. Motivation has always been a challenge for me to do anything, really. That comes with having depression. Anxiety is all in your mind. With hard work and perseverance, you can excel at anything. If you think you can do it. You will.