Ranja's Story

It all started when I had to go to a different school, in a new town, with lots of new people. It was a nightmare, really scary because I didn’t know anyone there, nor did I really want to be there at all. I had all my friends back home, where I belonged.

A few weeks into the year, I still didn’t belong among any of the students/groups in my class, nobody bothered to talk to me, and I was too shy to talk myself.

"Because of this I ditched classes a lot and didn’t do very well. I didn’t bother doing my homework and assignments, and was really distant."

Ranja, 20, Norway

Eventually everything started to get better, I got along with people and felt included, and regretted being there less and less. But when the year ended my actions at the beginning meant I had failed subjects. I was devastated and my parents were too. There was nothing I could do by that time.

But one thing I realised after meeting up with the Failing Forward group, is that...