Life

Two things didn't mix well in my life. One was being a full time student and the other an athlete.

It was great not having parents around telling you to do your homework or to go to class, of which I never

did. I had a choice, which was more important, playing lacrosse or studying. Like any first year college

student I picked lacrosse. At that point I didn't realize what I was getting myself into. Who at that age

would know either?

My worst nightmare came true in the summer of 1989. I was academically dismissed from the

university. I thought to myself "no way, this could never happen to me, I played lacrosse, had a girlfriend,

and I was popular, how could this have happened". The worst part of the whole experience was the car ride

home from the post office. The feeling of emptiness overwhelmed me, I felt as if I had nothing inside my

body. I thought, "what am I going to do?" Then I had to face my parents, boy was I scared. What was I

going to tell them? Sorry mom and dad but I wasted your money; I had no excuses so I told them the truth.

What happened after that changed my life forever.

It was either the military or go to a community college and try to redeem myself. I wanted to do

neither, but I had to choose. The military was off my list and going to a community college sounded o.k.

So I registered and the rest of that summer I had to deal with the fact that I had not accomplished anything

in the past year and this was wake up call and the only chance I had left to prove to myself that I could do

something. The fall semester rolled around and I realized that I wanted to do the work for myself not for

anyone else. This proved to be beneficial, for I received a 3.67 grade point average for that semester. That

spring was just as good, that year my grade point average was a 3.46. I was happy, and so were my

parents. I proceeded to reapply back to my former university and was accepted. I gradated with over a 3.0

in my major and was offered a job in Washington D.C.

Being dismissed from college was one experience that I have never regretted and never will. I can

see why this happened; I was a student athlete, which doesn't mix. Being an athlete in college I had to

practice Monday through Saturday, I was always tired, too tired to study and go to class. I did learn a

couple things though, sportsmanship, self-discipline, teamwork, cooperation, and concentration. Too bad

none of these attributes rubbed off on my schooling. The university said that they would help me out with

my