“You’re going to do great things!”“You have so much potential!”“You’re so talented. I see great things in your future!”So many people in my life have directed various versions of these well-meaning yet anxiety-inducing, expectation-laden comments to me during every phase of my academic career.
As a gifted child, I felt as though I could succeed and, at the same time, as if I had to… or I would be letting everyone down.This black-and-white way of thinking did get me to check off a list of great accomplishments:But hidden in these accomplishments are the many, many struggles and failures I encountered along the way:I eventually learned that my setbacks — so confusing and contrary to my successes — were actually due to undiagnosed and unmanaged ADHD.
I was twice exceptional (or 2e) all this time, and I had no idea.[Read: I Grew Up Gifted and Autistic — and Suffered the Burnout of Twice Exceptionality]My undergraduate transcript is a wonderful example of my interest-based nervous system.
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