Hello my name is Dylan barbe
My extenuating circumstances and plan to diversify my method to meet and/or exceed the Satisfactory Academic Progress required by the U.S. Department of Education.
First I want to say a wise man by the name of Simon Sinek wrote “how you do anything is how you do everything”. For me I either give 100% or 0. I am not fond of failure but am open minded enough to realize I have either set myself up for failure or found myself in a circumstance in which success is unattainable.
The first semester at TSTC I was finishing the few repairs on the RV which I had planned to utilize as my environment to study in for the semester at TSTC. I found black mold in the RV to my suprise. I evaluated the time it would take to lay down a new floor and cut out the existing subfloor affected by this black mold in my RV. I also evaluated the time it would take to finish the courses I had ahead of me. I felt very confident I would have more than enough time to do both.
Then a tropical storm came just as I finished tearing out the laminate flooring and replacing the damaged subfloor which had black mold.
This created a huge problem as it destroyed my entire subfloor. I knew I wanted a 4.0 in every class. I also knew it would be very possible unless I “bit off more than I could chew”. So I decided to drop 3 classes and I finished 1 class with a 4.0.
Then this semester came and so did more unexpected setbacks.
1st was my disability case with the state of texas. I had been denied for Disability Benefits from the Social Security Administration. Which actually happened just before the semester started. But what I wasn’t expecting was to be denied legal aid which caused me to act as my own attorney. Not to mention continue without the benefits that would allow me to be financially stable, see counselors and doctors in regard to the health conditions I have both mentally and physically. Which are PTSD, Anxiety, Depression, Neuro Underdevelopment Disorder & ADHD.
I have provided documentation from my doctor.
Another surprise was looking for local contractors to help me. I informed my enrollment coach that with the funding available I probably wouldn't be able to hire one and sent her a low estimate of how much it would cost if I attempted this myself. Something I knew I could do. But the funding requested was not secured.
But I did not give up and kept diversifying my approach to creating a conducive environment for my future growth and development at TSTC.
Which was to work every day on things I had no clue how to do. But I had 0 doubt that I could figure it out. I was getting about 3 hours of sleep a day if I was lucky. Bought all the tools I would need and went for it. At night I would sleep at my mothers house. The same place I finished my last class. A place that was full of distractions in the previous semester. A place that would provide Water, AC, plumbing and clean air to breath.
Then yet another surprise came. I was banned from my mothers home. My mother and I both knew I couldn’t be living there for an extended period of time. But sleeping a few hours a night after the previous semester where I lived there doing school work and odd jobs for the many residents who treated me like family wasn’t something we ever anticipated would result in that kind of repercussion. None the less rules must be followed and I started living in the construction site my RV had turned into. I reached out to TSTC for help. Patrick Joseph Jr. Director of Case Management & Retention Services. Did an amazing job of providing support. He found a solution that I was ecstatic about. Living on TSTC’s Campus. I agreed to move in and was looking forward to the opportunity to work in a positive enviorment. The very same day or day after I don't remember exactly but I went to my RV. I was cleaning up when my park manager made it clear I needed to fix my RV. As it was an obvious eye sore at the time in the park. I had very little sleep at the time and it’s been the same ever since. Day in and day out I have been working on my RV as well as for free to help the park so I don't lose my home. I have two children who were taken from me by the mother of my children's mother or their grandmother. This RV is the only hope I have to move close to them. I couldn’t make a decision to lose not only my method of seeing my kids but the value of my RV. Financially, morally and in every other way no matter how amazing it would be to live in an air conditioned apartment with running water I couldn’t choose to abandon my RV.
So I continued to work on it day in and day out until it was no longer an “eye sore”. I also continued to pursue disability benefits representing myself. I submitted an appeal and on the 17th of may this month I go to see a doctor from the state who will make a determination of my mental conditions as the last step before my final disability determination hearing. I have also installed a breaker box, ran electrical sufficient for an air conditioner as well as stove or microwave to cook with. I have installed plumbing and replaced half of the subfloor. The rest will only take a few hours. I am only putting it on hold as the most important thing is getting an Air Conditioner installed so I truly have a place in which nobody can kick me out of and I can 100% without a doubt in this world study in and complete all of my classes. I am currently writing to you from my RV. I have the internet installed. I have electricity and am only lacking an air conditioner which I could more than afford with financial aid. However without it I have no way of paying for college much less an air conditioner. I know this is a ruff start. But I don't quit anything once I start it. I may delay it. But that's because how I do anything is how I do everything. Either I am going to ace every class and maintain a 4.0 GPA or I'm not going to complete it at all. If I were to fall short of a 4.0 GPA I would retake the class. This education is for me. But the desire comes from wanting to give my children something to look up too. To be a father they can be proud of and there is nothing that can stop me from doing that. I just ask that TSTC lifts the suspension so my progression is not further hindered.