And I was in my final year, exams weren't far away -- the consequences of my errant behaviour couldn't have peaked at a worse possible time.
My world had ended, I was sure of it.
It was midway through my weeklong exile that the nagging feelings of despair took an unexpected turn.
Sitting in the public library (where I hid every day, having not confessed my monumental sin to my Dad) for reasons I didn't understand at the time, I was struck by a wave of inspiration.
I grabbed a pen and paper and wrote a pledge to myself: I would become a teacher and lead a class that students wanted to attend.
I kept that note and, at the height of my career as a university educator some years later, proudly attached it to a national teaching award submission, which I subsequently won.
I speak to people all over the world about that story because, with the benefit of age and experience, I now understand why I made that promise to myself at the tender age of 17.
Being suspended was indicative of how a negative experience can stimulate enlightenment.
It can reveal the best way forward and motivate you towards it.
Moments of adversity, failure, rejection, they force you to think differently about yourself.
They disrupt your usual outlook, which is often healthy and, as it was in my case, even necessary.
Today when I am confronted by undesirable situations and, trust me, as the leader of a multinational business this is hardly unusual, I tackle them with a clear, positive focus because I know that they are an opportunity to recalibrate.
They're certainly not to be feared or embarrassed by.
Failure, adversity, rejection: the depth and duration of their blow to your confidence is up to you.
This is true no matter your station in life.
At school, university or in the workplace, time and again I see people "kicking stones" or blaming others when something doesn't turn out the way they wanted it to.
They dwell on the negatives, become resentful, let it permanently collar their self-belief.
This is so unfortunate because failures are just bumps in the long road of life: their design is to unsettle your progress momentarily, not indefinitely -- unless you let them. I remind myself and others of that every time we're confronted by an undesirable situation.
A lot of it comes down to the level of expectation you have of yourself.
We all want things to go right, we all want to avoid disappointment, which naturally makes falling short difficult to accept.
While setting high expectations of oneself is a great personal motivator, ensure you're not trying to reach the unattainable.
This is a common issue I see in young people who, out of eagerness to impress their colleagues and advance their careers as quickly as possible, commit to more than they can handle and miss their mark as a consequence.
Embrace ambition, but ensure it's not of the blind variety.
Consider and set realistic goals for yourself.
Hasten slowly, carefully -- this will minimise the chances of any self-induced letdown.
It's the moments of strife that provide the purest insight into the character of the people working with me.
I'll either see the best or worst in an individual.
I constantly look for and appreciate the staff member who can maintain a cool head.
This comes naturally to some, it takes a lot to faze them; whereas others develop a thicker skin over time.
Either way, I can't emphasise enough how much value leaders place on someone who can address a difficult issue with a composed, solution-guided focus.
If I had to rank that on the employee value scale, it would certainly occupy a top spot.
One thing you can count on in life is that irrespective of the effort you put in, things aren't always going to eventuate the way you hoped.
If you can find a way of accepting that inevitability then when issues arise, you'll be grounded by a far more advantageous mindset -- you'll know it's just one of those times where your fortitude will be tested.
Make that attitude your default setting and over time you will likely find problems much easier to overcome. I know I did.
And that attitude can be infectious. People will often emulate it: a cornerstone of inspirational leadership. The earlier you start developing and prioritising that approach, the better leader you will ultimately become.
I challenge you to never let adversity, failure or rejection anchor your progress in life.
Grasp them, squeeze every lesson you can out of them and apply them to navigate toward future success.
As a suspended schoolboy who went on to become a disruptive chief executive, author and television host, I believe negative experiences can be your best compass in life.
Alex Malley is chief executive of CPA Australia and author of the best-selling book, The Naked CEO
