Dean’s List
Apparently, I made the Dean’s List and didn’t even know it.
I received this peculiar letter yesterday from my university. I’m a Phi Theta Kappa (Honor’s Society) member (1992 & 2010/Ivy Tech) already, but the Dean’s List at my current University had always eluded me, barely. I made the mistake of choosing a guy I was dating (three years ago) over my education and dropped several courses during our short time together. My GPA took a nose dive and I’ve spent the past three years working feverishly to rebuild it. Lesson learned!
My ultimate academic goal is not to make the Dean’s List: My goal is to apply and integrate what I learn in school into my every day life, for myself and others. Making the Dean’s List is a necessary affirmation that I made the right choices along the way and as a devoted goal-setter, I’ve reached my personal goal. Finally.
My accumulative GPA for this past semester is 3.75. (Not good enough by my own standards, but I’ll take it!)
Tonight, I’m a happy camper. 🙂
I’ve also started the Master Cleanse cleanse. It’s not a “diet”, but rather a lifestyle. I made a delicious supper of mesquite chicken, broccoli and cheddar (real cheese only!), stuffing and polenta squares, but since it’s after 9, I settled for a glass of “master cleanse goodness” instead: water, cayenne pepper, maple syrup and lemon juice.
I don’t know when I became such a health nut, but it’s not entirely a bad thing.
The Dean’s List!!!
🙂
m o n o c h r o m e j u n k i e † 
Congratulations to you! 😀
January 11, 2014 at 5:42 am
Thanks, O! :0)
January 11, 2014 at 10:05 am
Congratulations! I’m so proud of you and not in an envious way as I would normally feel for someone else! I have a problem with jealousy when my life is such a mess, but I’m sincerely proud of you and will live vicariously through you 🙂 I’ve had such a hard time with bipolar and add destroying my academics the past few years that my GPA plummited
But I’m making it slowly the best I can and now I’m at the end! Also, your cleanse looks delicious 🙂
January 12, 2014 at 7:04 am
Thanks, BB. :0) It’s taken three long years to build it back up but once I set my scope on something and commit- it’s a done deal. When I was misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder (years ago) I remember thinking and feeling that I had a third head or some other phenomenon, and that I needed to “become the part”. Not that I wanted to, but I didn’t understand what it meant. At first, I believed the doctor because, after all, he’s a doctor, right? And I mean, he talked to me for all of 14 minutes. Isn’t 14 minutes enough time to diagnose somebody you’ve never met or spoken with before?
(Do you see where this is going?)
I know ME better than any doctor. The doctor earned his degree from an accredited institution (applause) but still, the areas of psychology and neuropsychology are delicate ones. I’ve dedicated years of my life in these areas, studying disorders, the brain, and the effects of various substances/medications and the brain, and I came to realize that the doctor who had seen me was diagnosing “symptoms of chronic sleeplessness” rather than “bipolar disorder”. Anybody will exhibit a vast array of “psychologically distressing symptoms” after not sleeping for 4 days- even that same doctor would have. But he had to diagnose me with SOMETHING, right? (Right.)
I do believe bipolar disorder exists, but many people are misdiagnosed because bipolar disorder has become the “catch all- go to” disorder that a doctor will prescribe (and ascribe) to a patient when he or she is unsure exactly what IS going on. I’ve seen it happen to so many people over the years.
Unfortunately, people will (subconsciously) take on the role and characteristics of “disorder” and from its discovery and inception, he or she will believe that they are “mentally ill”- after all, a doctor said so, right?
(See where this is going?)
And the medications they prescribe are all too often experimental and will give the patient adverse reactions, changing their moods and feelings dramatically, and everybody (including the patient) chalks it up to simply “having bipolar disorder”. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy of the worst kind.
That’s not to say that bipolar disorder/manic depression doesn’t exist, but I do believe that more than 50% of patients are misdiagnosed and “given it”, as there are numerous temporary situations and circumstances that mimic the same patterns of behavior (such as PMDD, which is once per month) and doctors are quick to diagnose said patient with “bipolar disorder” because much like fibromyalgia, it covers a wide area of uncertainty and the doctor won’t look like a fool in the end. But many doctors have all but destroyed lives from such gross and careless misdiagnoses; they get a paycheck regardless.
When you feel stressed, depressed, angry, sad, exuberant, frustrated, overjoyed: realize that these are human emotions! It means that you’re human when you feel these things. If you tell the wrong doctor that you feel these things, he’ll classify you as having SOMETHING. I assure you.
I’m really excited that you’re at the end of your studies; it’s been a wild ride, eh? ;0) It’s hard enough on its own but to overcome ridiculous obstacles and STILL hang in there- that’s an incredible feat and I applaud you, BB. Congratulations. :0)
January 12, 2014 at 12:13 pm
congratulations! me and my girlfriend did the master cleanse for 2 weeks…it’s surprising after only a few days how great you feel….physically and mentally…..also i couldn’t agree with you more with your hitting the nail on the head about being misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder.
January 12, 2014 at 2:14 pm
Thanks! :0) I made it to day two of the master cleanse…heheh. (I have an insatiable sweet tooth at night, it really is my downfall.) I love the way the master cleanse makes me feel super light though, even after just two days. And isn’t it funny how the properties of the four ingredients actually take on a medicinal flavour when combined? (I found that to be both bizarre and interesting.)
January 12, 2014 at 11:27 pm
must be the sweet/cayenne pepper mix…its not easy to do the cleanse however its odd that after a certain number of days you feel like go forever…i also liked watching people expressions when you explain to them what you are doing
January 14, 2014 at 11:44 am
Congrats – that’s a huge achievement. I also did the master cleanse. I lasted 5 days and ate my coffee table, then the lolly aisle at Woolworths. One of the best books on fasting I have come across is The Short Cut: Regeneration Through Fasting by Julia Seton. It was written in the 20s and it’s incredible and very spiritual. you can get it here: http://books.google.com.au/books/about/The_Short_Cut.html?id=pIgCJEZxE6gC
I’m not linked to this author and it’s not a commercial work. It’s very old school and mostly unread by people of our generation.
—Alyce
January 13, 2014 at 1:26 am
I’ll be sure to check that out, Alyce- thanks for that. :0) (The last book I read that you recommended was a gripping read by Portia De Rossi- excellent book!) And well, you lasted three days longer than I did on the master cleanse. I’m taking a sharp cheddar and strawberry banana yogurt break, but after that, I’m going to dive back into it. (I swear I’m not lying. SWEAR.)
January 13, 2014 at 2:54 pm
I’m air high fiving you from Charleston SC. Seriously, so proud of you girl. Your an amazing inspiration. Let’s make a promise to each other….. no more choosing guys or anything really over our education. Ever again. Life is too short. Somehow I missed like 10 of your posts lol. You were gone for a while and them bam…you are back :))
January 17, 2014 at 3:39 pm
I’m down with that!
Besides, I bought a box of Fraznia (Red Chillable) recently and forgot I was ever even in a relationship!
Boxed wine makes everything better.
*Air high five* and *shaking on the deal*. ;0)
January 17, 2014 at 4:15 pm