A New Path Forward

Technology fascinated Garrett Lang. The Northampton Community College (NCC) alum constantly researched information security and coding so he could find ways to improve processes. He aspired to be a leader at a technology company, and that motivated him to earn his GED and head to NCC.  

Tragic life circumstances caused him to drop out of high school with only a year left until graduation. “My friend committed suicide, and people were talking about it in a negative way. It really affected me mentally.”  

In 2012, Lang received his GED so that he could attend college, and in 2015, after saving up and with the help of financial aid, he enrolled at NCC.  

Lang got involved with the campus community while attending NCC. He lived in the Bethlehem Campus Residence Halls and made friends there. He was part of NCC’s Computer Club, and he played in League of Legends against Anime Club to raise money for Extra Life, a fundraising program of Children's Miracle Network.  

Although it felt like he was immersed in campus life, Lang started to experience depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.  

“I noticed some signs of paranoia at first, but it wasn’t prevalent,” he says. “It wasn’t something I really understood was happening at the time.” 

Seeing Lang’s potential, Psychology Professor, Sid Skinner, was pivotal in trying to help Lang get into a good school after NCC. “She saw my abilities, and then, she helped with applications.” 

After attending three semesters as a business administration major, Lang transferred to Temple University to complete his four-year degree and pursue his dreams of running a tech company. However, as he continued his next chapter, his mental health challenges soon became impossible to ignore. 

“Toward the end of my time at Temple, I started hearing voices and couldn’t tell what was real. My first reaction was, ‘you believe what you hear,’ and it was hard for me to accept that I wasn’t really hearing these things. I had a psychotic break where I would see snipers on buildings and think that they were going to shoot at me if I went by windows or outside.”  

For a month, Lang survived on whatever he had in his dorm room, including tap water and limited food, until he finally couldn’t take the seclusion any longer. He lost 20 pounds and reached out to his family for help. He left Temple just shy of graduation, and started recovery after being diagnosed with Schizophrenia. He went through a program named Connect to Empower through CMSU (Columbia, Montour, Synder, and Union Counties), which helps people with first episode psychosis to manage their symptoms.  

Eventually Lang returned to NCC, changed his major to psychology, and graduated in 2022.  

^{Lang and his mother with NCC degree}

“Coming back to NCC was a cost-effective way to get credits needed for a new major instead of continuing at Temple. Ultimately, because of what I went through, I want to help a lot of people. I was inspired by my professors at NCC to create a major that suited me,” Lang says. 

Mental health is still a priority for Lang. He says it’s a constant work in progress and uses coping strategies like going on walks, listening to music, progressive muscle relaxation, and guided meditation.  

The dream of becoming a programmer or running a tech business someday is still there for Lang, but right now, he’s focused on the mental health field. He is currently studying at Commonwealth University at Bloomsburg Campus with a custom major, a multidisciplinary study in philosophy and psychology, and is on track to graduate with a 3.8 GPA. 

After a gap year volunteering in the mental health field, Lang’s goal is to attend Cornell University for his master’s degree in human development. “I want to make as big of difference I can. I don’t know where that exactly will be, but I want to push the boundaries on how to do that.” 

Someday, Lang may even want to teach at NCC. “My favorite time was at NCC, especially on campus. I felt like I really belonged to a community when I was here. I want to give back to NCC because the College and professors showed me how to learn and what I could achieve.” 

From a high school dropout to pursuing graduate school, Lang feels strongly about bettering yourself. Throughout his journey, he didn’t let challenges de-rail him, taking everything a step at a time. Encouraging others as they face challenges gives him an even deeper sense of purpose. 

Lang’s advice is, “Definitely keep some goals in mind because progress is what gives us purpose. Believe in yourself. Do what you’re capable of, not what anyone else thinks you’re capable of. So, if you can only help yourself that day, that’s okay. But, if you can do more and help more people, then, do that. The aim should be to help as many people as possible.”