Dear Millie,

I have learned that I won’t be able to graduate at the end of 2021 like I am supposed to. This means that I am going to have to take an extra semester.

I don’t know how to deal with this. It’s going to cost me more money and I feel like a failure. Everyone else in my class will be gone and I’ll be stuck at Simpson for another semester.

I am also worried about how to tell my parents that I’m not on track to graduate. They are going to be very upset with me. I feel like I’ve disappointed them.

What should I do Millie?

Sincerely,

Failure Felicity

Dear Failure Felicity,

It’s O.K. to take an extra semester in order to graduate. It takes some people longer than others to get everything done.

Lots of people have changed majors or transferred making it hard for them to graduate on time. You don’t need to feel like a failure. Employers are not going to care if you took a little longer to graduate if you are a great candidate for the job.

Unfortunately, it is going to cost you more money to take an extra semester. I would work really hard to try and get scholarships for that semester to cover the extra costs.

As for your parents, I would tell them as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the madder they are going to be that you haven’t told them. 

Remember that you are still going to graduate. Just put in the extra work and you’ll get through it.

Yours Truly,

Millie