Dear Marjory

Dear Marjory,
I just found out that I’m not scheduled to graduate in June. I have been banking on a June graduation since I got to the Family Foundation School, and now I am really upset because it’s been put off for six more months. I feel like giving up. I turn 18 soon and I really feel like walking.
-Giving Up Fast

Dear Giving Up Fast,

I recognize that it is difficult to receive news of an extended stay here. Every student knows that it is not easy to attend school here, what with all the rules, regulations, and limited contact with family. The obvious advice I could give would be, “You should stay here! Don’t give up on yourself!” Nevertheless, you could hear that from anyone else. I will be straightforward instead of feeding you the typical jargon.

If you are faking your way through the program right now, you may be in a better position than you realize. You see, you can make a decision any time you want. Your choices may be few, but they are important. You can decide at this very moment that you are going to drop everything come your 18th birthday and walk eight miles down the road to Hancock, and see where the wind takes you from there. Or you can also decide to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and move on with your life here. You can immerse yourself in helping others, get involved in school-wide activities, and become an active participant of your own life. If you choose the latter option, you might still feel dismal, or you could see the promises of this program manifested in your life. Those promises, by the way, include knowing a new freedom and a new happiness, comprehending peace, and losing the feeling of uselessness and self-pity. That sounds appealing to me.
Therefore, the ball is in your court. No one can make this decision for you. This is your life; make of it what you will.
-Marjory