John Ballen

And I just immediately bombed. First semester, like I got a 1.016 GPA, which it should have been like a zero. I basically didn't go to class. I was involved in this riot. So at some point, our football team, which was a team that no one cared about, even the people who went to the school, we didn't care about it. No offense to the Minutemen. They're very good now.

And I just immediately bombed. First semester, like I got a 1.016 GPA, which it should have been like a zero. I basically didn't go to class. I was involved in this riot. So at some point, our football team, which was a team that no one cared about, even the people who went to the school, we didn't care about it. No offense to the Minutemen. They're very good now.

But at the time in 2006, they weren't. They made it to like this conference game or something. This is like not big time D1. This is like D1 AA. It's like very high level football, but not going to be on TV or anything. And the college, the student body, again, they don't really care about the football team. But for some reason, when they lost this game,

But at the time in 2006, they weren't. They made it to like this conference game or something. This is like not big time D1. This is like D1 AA. It's like very high level football, but not going to be on TV or anything. And the college, the student body, again, they don't really care about the football team. But for some reason, when they lost this game,

It just like instilled this need to riot on campus. And it was like concentrated in this one area of campus where I happen to live. And I like went out there and I was like breaking windows and being this horrible kid. And the security cameras everywhere recording you. And it got to the point where at the end of the semester, there was like this witch hunt to –

It just like instilled this need to riot on campus. And it was like concentrated in this one area of campus where I happen to live. And I like went out there and I was like breaking windows and being this horrible kid. And the security cameras everywhere recording you. And it got to the point where at the end of the semester, there was like this witch hunt to –

to find the people that had been involved in this riot. And there was like the website had posted, the college police website had posted all these images of just faces of people in the crowd that were a part of it. And anybody could anonymously name people if they saw them. And it was like, everybody got expelled. And I found pictures of me and I just got my grades back 1.016.

to find the people that had been involved in this riot. And there was like the website had posted, the college police website had posted all these images of just faces of people in the crowd that were a part of it. And anybody could anonymously name people if they saw them. And it was like, everybody got expelled. And I found pictures of me and I just got my grades back 1.016.

And at the same time, I'd been telling my brilliant parents Yeah, I'm doing great in school. Things are going really well, getting good grades. And I had to tell them, like, actually, it's the opposite, and I'm probably going to get expelled if I don't withdraw.

And at the same time, I'd been telling my brilliant parents Yeah, I'm doing great in school. Things are going really well, getting good grades. And I had to tell them, like, actually, it's the opposite, and I'm probably going to get expelled if I don't withdraw.

So my dad comes out to the school, and he, like, sits down with the dean, who also says, John has all these violations of living in the dorm, like noise complaints and being a jerk. We're going to kick him out of the dorms. Even if he stays at the school, he has to live off campus. And my mom and dad are like, you're coming home. We're done with this. Like, you're an adult.

So my dad comes out to the school, and he, like, sits down with the dean, who also says, John has all these violations of living in the dorm, like noise complaints and being a jerk. We're going to kick him out of the dorms. Even if he stays at the school, he has to live off campus. And my mom and dad are like, you're coming home. We're done with this. Like, you're an adult.

So I come home, and I was living in my mom's basement in Quincy. And I remember the first couple of weeks I was home, I actually felt mad at my parents. Like, how dare they make me withdraw from the school, even though there's all this information that it's completely my fault. But I had like an epiphany when I was literally in my mom's basement when I sort of realized like, oh, this is my fault.

So I come home, and I was living in my mom's basement in Quincy. And I remember the first couple of weeks I was home, I actually felt mad at my parents. Like, how dare they make me withdraw from the school, even though there's all this information that it's completely my fault. But I had like an epiphany when I was literally in my mom's basement when I sort of realized like, oh, this is my fault.

Like I have created like a habit pattern and a way of thinking that's put me in my mom's basement with no direction. Like I've been gifted all these opportunities that I've squandered. And something sort of changed in my head where it was like – I don't want to be a screw-up. I don't want to be that. I'm looking at my family members as being so successful, and I just was like, I can't be that.

Like I have created like a habit pattern and a way of thinking that's put me in my mom's basement with no direction. Like I've been gifted all these opportunities that I've squandered. And something sort of changed in my head where it was like – I don't want to be a screw-up. I don't want to be that. I'm looking at my family members as being so successful, and I just was like, I can't be that.

I'm suddenly becoming self-aware that that's the path I'm on. I'm going to be the guy that floundered everything and didn't amount to anything. And so I just made it simple. I was like, I'm just going to go to a local school, get good grades, and graduate from college. That's going to be my focus for now. And I did that. I went to a local school. I got my grades up.

I'm suddenly becoming self-aware that that's the path I'm on. I'm going to be the guy that floundered everything and didn't amount to anything. And so I just made it simple. I was like, I'm just going to go to a local school, get good grades, and graduate from college. That's going to be my focus for now. And I did that. I went to a local school. I got my grades up.

I actually transferred back to the school that I withdrew from to finish out my couple of years in college. but it was like a drug, like having a goal that I was working towards, like doing something that was worth my time and like studying. I was like struggling with school, but I worked so hard.

I actually transferred back to the school that I withdrew from to finish out my couple of years in college. but it was like a drug, like having a goal that I was working towards, like doing something that was worth my time and like studying. I was like struggling with school, but I worked so hard.