Thread by @mr_shiny

It's taken me a while, but I'm going to say something that's been haunting me for the past 25 years due to its stigma by the career-oriented world we live in, as well as the social stigma which has affected my perception of self-worth:

I don't have a college degree.

(1/21)

I came pretty close to getting one--after 5 years at the Univ. of MD in the 1990s. I was never a stellar student, getting mostly Bs and Cs. Things took a turn downward when I found myself feeling hopeless, unable to concentrate or function in school.

(2/21)

I had been involved in toxic relationships and engaging in self-destructive behavior and my grades were plummeting. I was very close: close enough to apply for graduation with the condition that I'd finish my courseload over the summer. I even walked with a cap and gown.

(3/21)

Leaving school was the best thing for me at the time. I had applied for jobs already, & I was hired several hundred miles away. And I knew that I would go back after that year to finish! I just needed a break before finishing up. But I then pushed it off to the next year.

(4/21)

Each year I'd make the same deal with myself, but it became even harder to go back with added responsibilities of a family, mortgage, etc. The thought of me dropping everything to finish terrified me.

(5/21)

I moved to a tech support job where I didn't need a degree. And moved up the ladder in a company I was doing well in, but in a job I really couldn't stand. But I was gripped with fear & hopelessness. People were getting masters degrees and not successful in finding work.

(6/21)

I was stuck: who would hire me without a degree? I knew I was a hard worker, but without that piece of paper...

Hopelessness set in. The accepted term used is "college dropout." And that's what I felt like: someone who couldn't get through college and "dropped" it.

(7/21)

I had met many college graduates who were simply not smart, clever or resourceful. But they finished, and I "dropped out." The stigma and shame of that label affected me to points where I saw no future.

(8/21)

We live in a society obsessed with where our career defines who we are socially, and I was never going to be proud of what I was doing with my life. I found myself dabbling back into self-destructive patterns. Deep depression and suicidal ideation.

(9/21)

In hindsight it's become clear that my process and behavior in college was affected by my undiagnosed mental health issues. Had I taken a look at help for my anxiety, depression and ADHD symptoms back then, perhaps things would have been very different.

(10/21)

My treatment now consists of medication and cognitive behavioral therapy. I'm grateful for a partner and a kid who have both been very supportive of me throughout all of this. They've seen me at my best and my not-so-best. Yet they still help me keep going. ❤️

(11/21)

In December I applied for reenrollment at U of MD, and in January I was accepted! I had been attending classes on campus for the Spring semester (now going online) -- sitting among students less than half my age and sticking out like a sore thumb. But still doing it.

(12/21)

It's different: the school I'm attending now is a more rigorous institution than the safety school I attended 25 years ago. The students are far more motivated. And so am I: we're finishing up Spring Break and I have a 4.0.

I've never had anything close to a 4.0 before.

(13/21)

I'm hoping to finish after this summer & finally get that undergrad degree. I'm looking at Masters programs in Public Health. &I feel that it's something I can do without the doom, despair and hopelessness.

Will it happen now that all this is going on? I still hope so.

(14/21)

Congrats for reading this far. There's actually some points:
* The expectation that those who want to have a successful career need to spend the next 4 years after high school in college does not work for everyone. We need to destigmatize other paths like trade schools

(15/21)

And we need to do this YESTERDAY. Because kids in 6th grade are already trying to work on their resume to look good FOR COLLEGES. That's not right. 6th graders should be learning to explore what their interests are -- not what admissions departments think they should be.

(16/21)

* The term "dropout" needs to be deprecated. Leaving school shouldn't be shamed as lack of motivation or intelligence or resources. People who leave school shouldn't be deemed as "dropping.' It leads to the assumption of failure which can lead to despair & hopelessness.

(17/21)

* College is TOO EXPENSIVE. There are many who dismiss it because of the cost. And there are many who stay in under intense pressure because of the financial investment they've already made-- when they could find their path elsewhere. This should not be a fear industry.

(18/21)

* 2-year degrees are substantial and should be treated as such. The stigma against community colleges discourages many, and the education that comes with an Associate's degree should mean more than it does now.

(19/21)

* Employers & HR departments need to reassess and relax qualifications. They should be looking at a candidate's knowledge, skills and ability rather than the ability to finish college with a Bachelor's degree. It's subjective and discourages potentially good candidates.

(20/21)

We need to rid work culture of the elitism caused by shaming those who haven't taken the same educational path that is expected of them by society.

We're about to see a global shift in employment in the near future. I hope as we go forward we can consider some of this.

(21/21)