I just found out that I’m currently failing my 1st semester of undergrad at NYU and I’m very worried. Everyone says I should take a medical leave because it’s the reason my grades are so horrible right now, but if I do I can’t come back until next fall. It’s really stressing me out. I think I completely messed up my future. Please help.
First, take a deep breath.
You haven’t ruined your future. You have plenty of time to fix your GPA.
You need to take care of your health first.
If you experienced a physical or mental illness this semester that impacted your ability to perform well in school, then this is the thing you need to address right now. If you need some time to recover from your illness, it makes great sense to take a medical leave. No one (not even med school admission officers) expects you to be an Ironman and soldier on no matter what. Self-care and realizing when one needs help are important parts of being an adult.
Taking leave is not the end of the world, especially if you can return next fall and be healthy and successful. Your future won’t be ruined and no one will care if graduate a semester or year later than your peers.
Life isn’t a race; getting into med school isn’t race.
If your illness has been documented (by a physician, therapist or other healthcare professional) you could ask your college to consider a retroactive medical withdrawal for this semester. This will allow you to get Ws instead of failing grades. Not all colleges will allow retroactive medical withdrawals, but it’s worth asking about.