I have to be careful, when I think back on high school, or I start burnishing my memories with a sort of golden glow, because it took place in a small town with a lot of 19th century houses (which I didn't at the time realize were very quaint) & a lot of family farms still active just outside the village limits. When I go back to visit my mother, I'm appalled at all the development that has taken place & how the town is learning to market its good looks & turn into a sort of theme-parkish place.
Okay, so the setting was great. But that didn't help much. I wasn't happy there. I was fat, & at 17 had the hips of a woman in her 40s, floundered around helplessly in gym (the horrors of changing publicly in the girls' locker room!) & I wore wire-rimmed glasses. My hair was long. It really looks far better short but I hadn't figured that out yet. I read constantly, as a way of tuning out of the world. I wrote poetry & stories. (In fact, I wrote a historical novel, very bad, of course. I wanted to be like S.E. Hinton, who wrote "The Outsiders" when she was 18.) I was a member of the misfit clique -- I was friends with boys who were beaten up for being gay, and with three (from a total of maybe eight, all related) African-American kids in our overwhelmingly white district, and with foreign exchange kids whose accents rendered their conversation nearly unintelligible.
College was so much better. But it wasn't until I hit 30 that life really blossomed for me.
The only thing I liked aout High school was the cute guys, hanging out with my friends, and ditching. I hated everything else about it. We had a couple lockdowns, and even had a riot. Thankfully, I ditched earlier that morning, and missed the riot, lol. I ditched a lot during HS. OHHH..prom was totally worth it!! I LOVED prom!! I went to both junior and senior year prom. But other than that..everything else sucked!!! I'd never want to go back!!! I made some great friends, and I'm glad that we still stay in touch..and I married my HS sweetie. But everything else was awful.
High school was something I endured in order to get to college. We moved after my freshman year, and I was desolate, and pretty friendless for a while. My HS was huge and competitive (in everything, not just academics) and I was definitely not of the same socio-economic status as the majority of the people there. They were all pretty well-off, living in gated communities and getting cars on their 16th birthdays. I got a set of keys to mom's car (and was genuinely excited about it!).
Looking back, I wish I could have had more confidence and awareness that everyone else was probably just as insecure as I was. I think I would have reached out more, instead of isolating myself as much as I did.
College, on the other hand, was GREAT! I really found my niche and began to figure out who I was, while at the same time not caring as much what other people thought about me.
I hated high school. I was chubby, shy and not allowed to do anything...no dating, no dancing, etc. Dad was a millitary guy and a deacon in the church. The word "strict" does not even come close to describing his parenting style. My most fun years were when I joined the Air Force and went to England. I was 18, living in the dorms and away from parental restriction for the first time in my life. Let's just say that I made up for lost time.
Last edited by GirlyGirlSebas; 03-09-2009 at 06:07 PM.
I hated high school. I wish I hadn't, though. I wasn't involved in any group or club and I couldn't wait to get out each day. I silently made fun of anyone who is in a wussy club. I envied the cool groups. By the time I was a senior, I had enough credits that I could go half day and work half day (why didn't I think about going to the university half day?).
On the other hand, I loved college. Well, at least the first 3 years or so and then most of my friends had graduated and I was still plodding along and that part wasn't too fun.
When my DD was in high school, I lived vicariously through her in some respects. She is a musician and we got to attend hundreds of concerts, football games and parades. We (DH and I) were band boosters and we had a lot of friends who were boosters as well. Although DD herself wasn't crazy about high school, she did like the music part and loved that we supported her in that.
High school was the pathway to college for me. I was 300 lbs but I didn't really hate the school aspect of high school. I had some good friends, I've always been kind of awkward but I had my eye on the prize and that was moving away from home. I endured a bit of emotional abuse at home and every day usually ended in me crying. Then quite a few family members died when I was in high school. It wasn't a great time.
College was much better but I really do enjoy my life now more than ever.
I absolutely loved high school. I genuinely enjoyed going to school and had so much fun in my classes. However, my experience was very different from most others. I attended a private girls school and had 45 in my grade. Most people don't understand that and can't imagine it but I absolutely loved it.
You know whats weird?? I hated high school a lot. But my hubby thinks that HS was the best years of his life!!! He was in wrestling, student gov, photography, marching band, etc. He ran for Homecoming Prince & Prom Prince. Even ran for Vice President. Everyone remembers him, because he was friends with everyone. He was very social. He cannot wait for our HS reunion..while I'm totally dreading it. I'm only going if my besties are going, lol. I dunno how we ended up together, LOL!!
Last edited by Shopaholic1204; 03-10-2009 at 01:10 PM.
ha, i think its funny that everyone hated high school. im in my 3rd year in college, and i hate it. i absolutely hate it. i've never felt lonelier in my life even though im still in my home town.
hs was awesome because it was my home. my actual home always sucked and was constantly full of arguments and kids, not to mention the screaming. i did everything i could to get away from home. so i joined dance (for the sake of losing weight, which i never did btw) choir,colorguard which was then dissolved so i went into band,i dabbled in student council and toward my senior year i even did theater. i had advanced placement classes which meant i had a ton of reading and hw. i was at school at 5:30 am to make sure i got to band rehearsal on time after a night of studying until 1 or 2. then i'd just somehow make it through the entire day and do it all over again until friday nights which were game nights. i was so busy with dance recitals, choir concerts, band contests and just craziness with all the high school drama that can be expected.
i think what really did it for me was the fact that i had so many friends who just 'got' me. we had lots of fun stressing out over finals while eating out of a gallon container of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream in the back of a blazer with forks, mocking the librarian for telling us not to congregate in front of the building, huddling really close on cold mornings and singing nagila hava while a confused security guard looked on, or just eating off each others plates during lunch and on saturdays, which were our days, we'd sit in my yard and listen to everyone play guitars, watch a movie or go to the park. it was magic and i wished so many times it wouldnt end. i even tried to get some bad grades so i'd fail a class and have to stay but yeah that back fired. lol. i cant tell you how bad i felt the last time i sang the alma mater at my graduation.
I hated High School and I think I've been scared for life because of High School. Because I was over weight I had no friends and was the object of most people's amusement. There were other reasons too not just weight. In general because of High School I tend to not like, trust, or get close to people. In general I think people are deep down evil and selfish.
We moved after my freshman year, and I was desolate, and pretty friendless for a while. My HS was huge and competitive (in everything, not just academics) and I was definitely not of the same socio-economic status as the majority of the people there. They were all pretty well-off, living in gated communities and getting cars on their 16th birthdays. I got a set of keys to mom's car (and was genuinely excited about it!). 
