The Battle Noone Saw:
Growing up, I always felt like I was trapped in a cycle of frustration and confusion. In class, I grasped concepts quickly and for a moment, everything made sense. But the moment I walked out, it was like my mind hit a reset button. I would re-read my notes, trying to hold on to what I had learned, but the information slipped away like water through my fingers.
No matter how much I studied , I would forget things so fast. It was exhausting, draining and painful. Exams were the worst. I would sit there, staring at the questions knowing that I had learned everything but my mind would go blank. It was not that I didn’t study, it wasn’t that I wasn’t smart. But when it mattered most, my brain refused to cooperate.
I remember one particular exam in highschool that broke me. Chemistry was one of my best subjects-I loved it and performed well in class. But on the day of exam, something inside me froze. My hands trembled, my mind went blank, and panic took over. I couldn’t do it anymore. I couldn’t remember a single thing. My frustration built up so much that I ended up breaking a pipette. In that moment, I decided I couldn’t do it anymore – I walked away from the exam. And just like that, a subject I had mastered in class gave me a D on my final grade.
It was heartbreaking, I knew I was capable. I knew I had potential. But the school system didn’t understand students like me-students who learned differently, who needed extra support, who struggled not beacause they were lazy or careless, but because their minds processed information in a unique way.
The Impact: When No One Understands
That chemistry exam was just one of many moments that made me feel like a failure. I started questioning myself—why was I like this? Why could I understand things so well in class but struggle to recall them later? I watched my classmates excel in exams while I fought silent battles with my own mind. It felt like my intelligence was being measured by something I had no control over.
The worst part wasn’t even my grades—it was how people treated me. Teachers assumed I wasn’t trying hard enough. Classmates who once admired how well I answered questions in class were confused when my exam results didn’t match my potential. Some even mocked me, wondering how I could be so “bright” in class yet perform poorly in exams. I felt ashamed, frustrated, and alone.
I lost confidence in myself. Slowly, I stopped believing I was smart. I stopped putting in as much effort because, in my mind, what was the point? No matter how hard I tried, I would always struggle when it mattered most. The school system wasn’t designed for students like me—students who needed a different approach to learning and remembering.
A Hopeful Path Forward: What I Wish Schools Knew
For years, I believed I wasn’t good enough. But over time, I realized something important—I wasn’t “dumb” or “lazy.” My brain simply processed information differently. And instead of being supported, I was left to struggle alone. If schools truly understood students like me, things could be different.
Here’s what I wish schools knew:
1. Not Every Student Learns the Same Way – Some of us need repetition, visual aids, or practical application to retain information. A one-size-fits-all approach leaves many students behind.
2. Exams Do Not Always Measure Intelligence – Just because a student struggles with exams doesn’t mean they don’t understand the subject. Schools should explore alternative assessments like project-based learning, oral exams, and continuous assessment tests.
3. Students with Learning Challenges Need Support, Not Judgment – If I had been given learning strategies tailored to my needs, I would have performed much better. Extra tutoring, memory techniques, and a more flexible exam environment could make a huge difference.
4. Mental Health Matters – The pressure to succeed in a rigid system can break a student’s self-esteem. Teachers and parents must be more supportive and understanding instead of labeling students as failures.
A Message to Students Like Me
If you have ever struggled like I did, if you’ve ever felt like you’re not good enough because of how you learn, I want you to know this: You are not broken. You are not a failure. You are not less intelligent
The problem is not you—the problem is a system that doesn’t accommodate different learning styles. Keep pushing forward, find study techniques that work for you, and don’t let the school system define your worth. You are capable of more than you think.
Conclusion: Schools Must Do Better
Learning disabilities are real, and they affect countless students who are forced to struggle in silence. It’s time for schools to acknowledge this reality and take steps to ensure that no child feels like a failure just because they learn differently.
Article By: Esther Ayuma Andegwi
