did you like High School?

[Noah930]

HS was OK. Not great, not bad. If you only go to one school, it's what you know, and you don't think about what other experiences are out there.

Oddly, it (HS) was better afterwards. Like vash, through Facebook I reconnected with classmates these past few years. Someone used FB to help organize a reunion a few years ago. Since then, we've organized smaller scale dinners every few months. Maybe 8-15 guys, no spouses/SOs. Maybe because our school was smallish (140 kids/grade) and all-boys, there's a certain camaraderie that we still have.

The dinners have been an absolute blast. I see guys I haven't seen in 20 years. I hear about the cool things going on in their lives. We talk about old times in HS. We talk about college. Heck, at one dinner I walked in late and we talked about kids and schools for 30 minutes. And we laugh for about 3 hours straight.

[tops911]

hated it, I was bored out of my mind. In fact I have no fond memories from school.

[bri450sl]

I liked it. At the time, I felt the world was mine and high school was the same. So long ago now.

[Crowbob]

Not until a few years after graduation did I realize the faculty and administration treated me and my buddies very, very differently than the rest of the kids. I thought all the kids got rides home from the teachers and coaches, could skip classes, do reports on 'Astronomical Phenomenon' and read Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Vonnegut, Hemmingway, etc. Was always surprised and never could figure out how I got the grades I got.

Was totally oblivious to the crushes some of the then-hotties had for me. Never took the bus to or from school because the older jocks gave me rides.

Was in band, jazz band, played football (then cross country when everybody else kept growing bigger), ran track. Thought it was cool that we got unplugged at the talent show while doing a Stones medley. Almost had us a riot.

My entire senior year I took only two classes in the morning and sat the rest of the day on the bench in the main hallway goofing off with almost everybody and anybody who came by-students or faculty.

Complete and total blast ala Ferris Bueller as I think back on it. Wish I had known it at the time.

[SilberUrS6]

Liked it junior/senior years, was OK frosh/soph. Had fun with a lot of cool people, but really I liked college a lot better. Really, if I had to change two things, it would be to choose differently on which girls to date. The ones I picked were fun, but I'm really curious about how it would have gone if I had dated a couple of different ones.

Oh, and I would change my academic counselor to one who wasn't drunk most of the day. I might have gotten useful advice sooner.

[Nostril Cheese]

Originally Posted by Crowbob

Was in band, jazz band, played football (then cross country when everybody else kept growing bigger), ran track. Thought it was cool that we got unplugged at the talent show while doing a Stones medley. Almost had us a riot.

I have the distinction of getting live music banned from my school. My band started playing Megadeth and the entire quad erupted into a mosh pit. Everyone freaked out. We kept playing. Got two detentions. It was worth it.

[on2wheels52]

I'm pretty sure I was in the top ten academically of my senior class.
We were the largest class in the school at that time. 24 graduates that year
Jim

[71scgc]

I hated the school I went to. Probably would be more accurate to say the school I went to hated me.
They seemed to have it in for me from day 1. My brothers (2 older) not so much. They suffered from a "Trickle up effect" I call it. They got in trouble/ were looked down on because of me. Weird. But it was a weird public school that thought it was a private school.
I was popular to a degree. Was notorious at a greater degree. I didn't have problems with the other students, just the faculty and administration.

I wish I would have paid better attention in math classes. Would I go back? Knowing what I know now, yes. Otherwise, Hell No!!
I was much better off and more successful in the U.S. Army.
I went to one reunion, the tenth. I was like the only person there that wanted to raise hell and party it up. Kinda let me down. Nowadays they conveniently forget to invite me to their gigs, even though they know how to contact me. That's cool. I couldn't care less about most of them, and have contact with the real friends I had, though the list is short. They hung. That means something to me. These few, these wicked few, are no BS loyal. As loyal to me as I am them. I would kill or be killed for any of them, without question.
If I run in to any of the former staff from the school, they still wrinkle their noses up at me. Except for a couple of the coaches. Seems they fell out of favor ,too.

Carter

[fintstone]

It was wonderful and horrible. I was very popular and had lots of friends. Classes were easy and i didn't really do any homework. I was one of the brighter kids (gifted and talented classes) and one of the better athletes. For some reason, girls liked me a lot. Now the down side...We were very poor (and social status/wrong side of the track still meant a lot back then). I lived about an hour away from school so It was very difficult to do any social activities....so I really could not date or attend many school functions except those I participated in (had to walk home). Especially since I started school early and was about 2 years younger than the other kids (so I couldn't get a driver's license until my senior year...and didn't have a car). There were constant fights (many just beatings), although they were usually one-on-one; the size/weight mismatches were usually an 18 year old, 6'4" 250lb man and a 5'4" 130lb, 13-15 year old child. No one did anything about it. Not only did I get my own share, but I intervened in a couple which turned it into a daily thing for quite a while.

Senior year was great because most of the real animals had graduated or quit school. I met a super hot college girl who had her own car and enough self-esteem to go out with a younger guy in her car (didn't I say for some strange reason girls liked me?). She taught me how to drive her stick shift ('66 VW). I skipped a lot of school that year and hung out with her all day (child abuse?). We are still married almost 40 years later .

Went to a 30-year reunion and the folks who were the rich, cool ones in school did not seem to have done much. Neither did the pretty people (no longer attractive) or the cheerleaders or football team captains. A few of the nerds did ok and were lawyers or college professors. My wife and I seemed to be the envy of all. They made me feel like a rock star...or at least a young James Bond equivalent (relative to the rest). We looked at least 10-15 years younger than the rest (most were old and very fat...had little or no hair and bad teeth). We were much better off financially, were relatively sophisticated and had seen the world. The guys who had been so much trouble (beatings or intimidation) were all long dead. Most did not last 10 years after high school.

Some had become very religious who had not been so when younger (in fact, no alcohol allowed at the reunion as many threatened boycott). Very strange, but it reaffirmed my adult path to me (if I had ever had doubts). I had not expected to enjoy the reunion (and might not when younger and less accomplished)...but did in spite of myself.

[Don Ro]

No!
I was not a good student...I graduated 28th out of 34 students (small Catholic Academy).
When I was about 50 yrs. old I realized that I have always had a slight case of attention deficit disorder.
I can remember being in grade school and high school class...all of a sudden I would realize that I hadn't been paying attention and I didn't know for how long.
That was nerve-racking for me back then...frightening, actually.
However, we were taught by extremely caring nuns and they wanted the best for us...that was my saving grace.
I have never in my life enjoyed reading...unless it was something informative.
I must have learned something...my needs have always been met and I'm contented.

[AFC-911]

Not really.

I was just killing time until I got my diploma. I didn't really try in class or anything. I had a few close friends.

I actually turned down dates from some really cute girls. God, I was dumb!

[72doug2,2S]

Girls, girls, girls
I can't really remember anything else.

There are probably a dozen who want revenge. I can't say I'm proud of my conduct.

[aigel]

I liked school. Academics were a distraction from all the fun to be had but I managed them fairly well, stepping it up when needed. I was an expert at organizing parties and enjoying them. I haven't been to a single reunion. I do have my email on the alumni page and get contacts every now and then, but they are nothing I am terribly excited about. Time has taken its toll on old flames, a lot of people have become their parents and it is better for me to keep the fond memories than getting a harsh reality check decades later ...

G

[look 171]

Originally Posted by Don Ro

No!

I can remember being in grade school and high school class...all of a sudden I would realize that I hadn't been paying attention and I didn't know for how long.

This happens to a lot of people including me, often. Lots of day dreaming in college also, so don't feel so special. I don't know if its really ADD, but they used to get on my case all the time about paying attention. I had a tough time with subjects I didn't like. I know exactly how you feel about uninformative reading. Short story, Shakespeare, forget that, boring :roll eyes: even today. i struggle like hell in English classes especially English Lit, and Philosophy 101. Fook me.

[Hawkeye's-911T]

It has been said before in one form or another on this thread - I wished I knew then what I know now. So looking back - a ton of missed opportunities. I think about some of them & a few classmates every now & then but at the end of the day, it is what basically made me who I am & I now have a very nice life. HS was pretty good.

Cheers
JB

[Cajundaddy]

Originally Posted by look 171

This happens to a lot of people including me, often. Lots of day dreaming in college also, so don't feel so special. I don't know if its really ADD, but they used to get on my case all the time about paying attention. I had a tough time with subjects I didn't like. I know exactly how you feel about uninformative reading. Short story, Shakespeare, forget that, boring :roll eyes: even today. i struggle like hell in English classes especially English Lit, and Philosophy 101. Fook me.

Yep, these days the "experts" label it ADD and prescribe drugs in order to shift the blame and control unruly or unfocused boys. It is actually a natural reaction of growing active boys who are required to sit at a desk for long periods while a completely un-engaging teacher drones on in a lecture about some subject of no interest whatsoever to the student. Girls seem to tolerate this assault on our sensibilities better than boys so we collectively either tune out or act out. ADD

Compare this with a woodshop class, autoshop class, music performance class, or science lab where boys are actively involved and engaged in a hands-on learning experience with others. No ADD

The kids are not the problem.

[wdfifteen]

My doctor may have told me I have ADD, but I wasn't really paying attention.


Hello? Hello??

Tough crowd.

[onlycafe]

i was in and out of school before they had a name to apply..... it was just.."there's something wrong with that kid."

[john70t]

What Cajundaddy said.
Most of my youthful brainpower was spent tuning out the various manifestations of rote memorization exercises with little practical usage, then trying to remember enough in a short amount of time to create a high enough number at the top of the page, but only in order to continue on to the next level.

The teachers did what they could, but there were few that really were able to capture the attention and inspire a large classroom. I did do well in schools with fewer students, which equates to more feedback and instructor interaction, and that is something to consider in this new age of two-earner families and missing authority figures.

IMO school should be a full time buffet sampling and not a huge standardized meal. The process of learning is so much more important than what is being learned. Education should be there to prickle and inspire the natural curiosity and abilities within youth and both provide a pathway to utilize and further these motivations these in other venues as well as interacting with often-oblivious parents and giving them an alternative viewpoint as to what types of skill sets their children exceed at(because often they don't even know).

[look 171]

Originally Posted by Cajundaddy

Yep, these days the "experts" label it ADD and prescribe drugs in order to shift the blame and control unruly or unfocused boys. It is actually a natural reaction of growing active boys who are required to sit at a desk for long periods while a completely un-engaging teacher drones on in a lecture about some subject of no interest whatsoever to the student. Girls seem to tolerate this assault on our sensibilities better than boys so we collectively either tune out or act out. ADD

Compare this with a woodshop class, autoshop class, music performance class, or science lab where boys are actively involved and engaged in a hands-on learning experience with others. No ADD

The kids are not the problem.

So true. I was a woodshop / construction teacher for some time. No ADD when it came time to bust the concrete with a big sledge hammer. They listen and wait like good little boys because the reward was to swing that big hammer and crank on that concrete or cut piles of plywood for a class project.