My name is Lee McPeters and this is my story.
So the first question on all of your minds is probably, “Why would he broadcast the fact that he is a C average student?” And my answer is that I accept it and am content with that fact. Now I don’t mean content as I only try hard enough to get C’s. I mean content because I know that I have tried and I know that I have gone through things that have made me struggle and have brought me to this point. Throughout the last 5 years I have struggled with many health issues that have hurt my experience and performance. I can’t blame that as the cause of all my issues with school though, as I can sometimes be my own worst enemy. Procrastination, shame, and denial were all things I struggled with as well. I started my college life at a community college where my GPA was a 3.6. Graduating with my Associates Degree, I transferred to UAlbany and after my first semester my grades had dropped dramatically. I
am now in my 3rd year here at UAlbany and my GPA is a 2.5.
So although outside issues affected me greatly, there were things inside me that affected me just as much, maybe even more. I know now that I am not alone and I want to use this blog as a way to reach others like me so that you can gain hope from my experience and know you are not alone.
I
wanted to write about this topic because I know I felt ashamed and alone. I felt like I was the only one who was doing poorly, and that I must not be good enough to succeed. I would tell people that I was doing ok and make it look like I was happy on the outside, while in reality inside I was fighting an inner struggle. I wouldn’t accept help from my parents, friends, teachers, or advisors. This only caused me to sink farther which led to denial. I would fall into the mentality of just being good enough. Thoughts like “At least I’m passing” or “If I fail it’s just one class, no big deal” started to fill my mind. All this time there were people and resources that were readily and easily available. All I had to do was ask. But my shame and my pride kept me from taking advantage of those resources. So although outside issues affected me greatly, there were things inside me that affected me just as much, maybe even more. I know now that I am not alone and I want to use this blog as a way to reach others like me so that you can gain hope from my experience and know you are not alone.
So a little about me: I am 23 years old, and a senior in standing. I started at UAlbany as a full-time student. I am now part-time. I work part-time as well. All these things lend to the experience I have had while in school and have made me the person, student, and worker I am today. All the way through high school I was home-schooled and it was an experience I will always cherish and I know it was influential in shaping me and my knowledge. Throughout high school I was active, participating in various sports. Rowing, skiing, and basketball were my three main sports. These activities kept me in relatively good shape as well as healthy. When I was 18, I broke my collarbone in a skiing accident. This led to my health declining and I believe it was the start of the issues that I have been dealing with for the last 5 years. Upon entering community college I adjusted well, as it was small and everything was easily 
accessible. Over the 3 years I was there, I made friends as well as mentors who helped me succeed. When I transferred to UAlbany, the almost 360 degree change was overwhelming. Classes were now much larger, and I had to start fresh and make new friends and mentors. With this change, I started to retreat inward and the pattern of self-sabotage started. This continued until about a year ago when I realized I wasn’t alone and I had people and resources who were there for me and wanted me to succeed. Since then things have been much easier.” It is a slow journey but a journey that I must say I wish I started sooner, and I hope that my story will help others.
Your Comments are Welcome!
About the Author:
Lee M. Class of 2017 | Transfer Major: Communication and English Spring 2016 Blog Theme: Struggling on the Pathway to Success - Thoughts of C Average Student
Pathways. According to Oxford Dictionaries (
So I have talked a lot about not isolating yourself and how asking for help is a sign of strength and maturity – not a weakness. In this post I want to talk about three of the most important sources of help in my life, and hopefully show their importance to you as well. For me, the three most important sources of help and support are my family, my advisor, and my professors. They are sources I can rely on and that I know will always be there for me.
Procrastination usually comes into play when I am overwhelmed. When there is so much work in front of me that I have no idea where to start and the size of it all just overwhelms me. I found that one thing that really helped me was planning ahead. Plan a few hours every day for homework or studying. Break the time up based on the volume of homework you have for each subject and then stick to it as best you can. If you don’t finish everything you planned for that day it is ok, just move it to the next day. Plan accordingly. I found this helped and I find myself the night before an assignment is due, or the night before a test, and my work is either already done or it is small enough amount that it is manageable and I can be relaxed. Now I know that there is times when a large amount of homework is assigned, but still plan it out and you will achieve it. 
Once you have your time planned out, find a place that works for you to do your work. It could be your room, the library, even somewhere where there is a lot of people. Everyone is different and I’m not going to say that there is only one place you should study. Find what is right for you and make it part of your routine. You will find that just being in that designated environment will bring your mind to a place of thinking about doing work and studying and it will come easier to you.
Finally, once you have steps 1 and 2 down, it is time for the follow through. Follow your plan, get in your environment, and do the work. You will find that a sense of accomplishment will come over you, and you will want to keep doing your work. 
In this post I want to talk about sleep. Even as I write this, I am so tired and it feels like most of the time I am never fully rested. That’s why sleep is so important. Your body can’t function without sleep and it shuts down slowly, which is not good when you are trying to study or do anything for that matter. I understand that sleep seems like a fleeting thing while you are in school. 5 classes, maybe a work study or off campus job, and homework take up what seems like every waking minute of the day. Try throwing in having a basic social life and there goes even more time. 
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