This past weekend I got back from 10th year college Reunion. I didn’t reconnect with many lost acquaintances. This was no great shock. I was not a social person in college. I ended up going to reunion and hanging out predominantly with friends I already see regularly in Boston. Despite not being the most social person in college, I was also a pretty mediocre student. Returning to college, I was reminded exactly how unacademic I truly was. I passed all my classes (excepting one early withdrawal), but my GPA was rather unspectacular, and my class attendance less than exemplary. I had no relationship with any professors. I never made use of office hours. All in all I wasted the academics of college. This not to say college was wasted. I made good friends, and laid a solid foundation for the rest of my life.

Reunion provided a opportunity for reflection. I didn’t set myself up for future success with my college academics. However, I was fortunate that my academics in high school allowed me to attend a prestigious school such as Dartmouth, and I had solid work experience during my off terms. I graduated into a good job market and was able to land myself a job in consulting. From there I’ve caught some breaks to be in the place I am today. Thankfully I’ve worked harder at my career than I ever did in college.

Traveling back to school and reveling in my mediocrity made me both appreciate where I am today, and affirmed my belief that everyone can have a second chance, and even a third. While the mistakes of the past certainly impact the reality of today, they do not spell doom for the future. The key is a willingness to reevaluate and do what it takes to make changes to either or both work and personal habits. You might be in dead end job but that doesn’t mean you need to be in a dead end career.