Why does high school suck so much?

[raccoon]

A few decades ago, you used to hear this dumb platitude, "The high school years are the happiest years of your life." Haven't heard that in a while; maybe it's gone the way of the 8-track.

For a few, it might have been a good time of their life, but not for most people. For a great many people, myself included, high school sucked.

[billyskank]

1. School fucking sucks

When you're a bit different, nerdy for example, the kids single you out and taunt you mercilessly. And no adult takes seriously the fact that your life is a living hell.

Things only seriously improved when mandatory school ended at age 16, and only those who want to go on to higher ed remain. All of a sudden all of the assholes are gone. It was only then that I actually started to like myself.

[progmom]

18. yep

:hug:

[idgiehkt]

2. ooh, ooh, I know the answer to the second part...

because back when people said that stupid shit they got married at 20 or 22 and had kids within a year. Personally I think the best years are college, or all the years before you become a pathetic drunk and have to clean up and act like a grown up.

[raccoon]

4. College was one of the best times of my life, so far.

And I almost didn't go, because I thought it would be High School Part 2.
:-)

[NewWaveChick1981]

3. In high school, most people are adolescents, full of emotions

and hormones. They're just figuring out who they are. And they're all doing it in the same place at the same time. :yoiks: Maybe in the Leave it to Beaver days they were the "best years", but trust me----the best years are yet to come. :)

:hug:

[KurtNYC]

5. The same adults who were saying "best years of your life"

would also tell you that if groups of kids were picking on you, punching you, stalking you, organizing public persecutions of you...."just ignore it"

[Rabrrrrrr]

6. Because a few decades ago, most people went straight into shitty jobs

married the first thing that asked them out so they have years of misery living with a farting asshole/nagging bitch-shrew, have kids they didn't want and weren't prepared for, and otherwise ended their lives right after graduation from high school.

So, in that sense, the high school years were the best years.

Nowadays, most people have more options and are trying to live lives that are more interesting, following their passions.

Also, a few decades ago, teenagers were allowed to have more fun: not so much homework, they didn't have the draconian stormtrooper school administrations, the government wasn't breathing down their backs about only being able to have one passenger in the car when driving and not driving after dark and yada yada yada and how many hours they are allowed to work, and the teenagers had places they could hang out where they were welcome, unlike today where most places really don't want teenagers hanging out, and the kids' parents were home more back then, too, and not working all the time.

And quite honestly, I also think the absence of cell phones, computers, cable TV, video games, and other electronic things made life more interesting and fun: they had to use their imaginations, come up with their own fun, and be actively, not passively, entertained.

[xmas74]

10. Exactly.

Schools sponsored fun events once upon a time, teens had places that they were more than welcome to go, many were involved with other clubs and organizations outside of school that offered activities( and I'm not talking about the hours that some coaches demand that young children spend "practicing"; I'm referring to simple Little League games, Boys and Girl Scouts, church events, etc. where the goal was not to be the best but to merely be involved.), parents had more time to spend at home with their children.

Kids played outside until the street lights came on, spent an hour tops on homework, knew that a parent was there to talk about their day and to give a bit of advice. Family meals were the norm every single night, not special occasions. Events like school dances were simple affairs w/ punch and cookies, paper streamers, dresses that the girls sewed themselves or purchased at a local store (and would be worn again and again). They were not held in swanky hotels with a high ticket price and the goal was not to see who could spend the most money.

High school was once the best years of a person's life because it was simple. Most people did not have "Go to college or ruin your life", "Be a sports star and go pro" attitude shoved down their throats on a daily basis. They were allowed to make simple choices compared to today's children.

I look at my own daughter and I think of how sad it is that she can't do some of the things I did growing up. There are no kids in my neighborhood for her to run over and play. She's involved in tons of activities so that she has playtime with other children since we never see them at the local parks. And the few times she's gone over to play with a classmate all they do is play video games.

[raccoon]

34. And hiring a limo to take you to the prom was un-fricking-heard of. nt

[hfojvt]

7. it doesn't

and they were.

Face it, work sucks alot more than school.
The days are shorter for one, and there are more holidays and - summers off. Only teachers have it so good. Second, mom doing most of the cooking and cleaning and shopping and bill paying bs that eats up most of our time off in the adult world.

True, the people were sometimes hard to deal with, but except for initiation time, or one or two obnoxious punks, most people left me alone. Part of the problem is raging hormones and uncertain status. Another problem is size. In a big school, there must be a huge pecking order and constant jockeying for position. In smaller groups, the rivalry is probably not as intense.

[datasuspect]

8. high school is a sham

i dropped out as soon i was legal to do it.

[Mad_Dem_X]

9. High school sucked for me, but

Junior High was a million times worse. I wouldn't go back there and relive that for all the money in the world.

[Deep13]

11. I thought it was great, except for math.

My family life was a trainwreck. Also, dating was hard. School and the 96 other students in my class was a substitute family life. I was depressed when it was over.

The twenty year reunion is in November. I am so-o-o-o-o there, dudes.

[underpants]

12. Because it is supposed to that is the whole point

There was a Kaiser foundation study done not too long ago and it found that most of the dropouts weren't failing they just quit because they were bored. That is the point. They just want to make sure you will show up. So show up, suck it up, and get the diploma.


ON EDIT- the only thing I actually learned in high school was how to type. My big report every year was on "Animal Farm" my best friend did "Mody Dick" and another one did "Treasure Island" same report every year, they never checked to see what we had done the year before. One of my best friends (now) stole a paper that had been turned in by a girl who was destined to go to UVa. She HAD to get an A she was going to UVA, he wasn't going to UVa so he got a C-same exact paper same teacher she clearly didn't read it, he was a C student.

[jpgray]

13. High school is mostly what you make it

But I was lucky in that the assholes at my school were all eminently manageable once you looked at things from their perspective--I was able to get along with everyone.

[catbert836]

14. "The best years of your life"

For God's sake, I hope a period of my life in which my own father called the police on me turns out NOT to be the best time of my life.

[Katina]

15. I always thought that was BS

the best times (before adulthood) were in college.
However, I think every decade has "best times" for all of us, they just change with age.

[LeftyMom]

16. Captive audience

There's no incentive to make it anything less than pure grinding hell when you know the cops round up your escapees for you. So you get jail, but with uglier clothes and a tennis court.

[Roon]

17. I hated high school so much

I dropped out the day I turned 16, got my GED and went out on my own at 17. Never looked back.

[Broken_Hero]

19. high school wasn't the best

years of my life, and I think it depends on what "role" you played in high school. High school to me was a huge pecking order, social program, on such a grand level. Learning how to deal with obscure groups, cliques, and the side effects of that procedure, are horrendous, in a lot of cases.

I don't miss high school in the least bit, I'm glad that part of my life is over with...college made up for high school though!...:)

btw, in high school, i was a comic book/band playing/pep club/fat kid/football/track and field/photography/art kid....

[WCGreen]

20. School was okay....

But for the most part, mundane crap espoused by inane people who would rather be someplace else...

But the few good ones, and I had a few, really made it worthwhile...

[tinfoil tiaras]

21. I start high school on August 17

-so early. But late by Mississippi standards. Most of the public schools started this week or even earlier. I'm afraid but at the same time I'm exited b/c Middle School sucked ass. Majorly. I hear high school (at my school) is WAY better than Middle School anyway...i hope so...

[nosillies]

24. Good luck and have fun!!!!!

I think high school will definitely be better than middle school. Try a little of everything. I'm very excited for you.

Just remember -- no one has been lying to you about that permanent record. It does exist. So behave.:D

[tinfoil tiaras]

25. Hahaha, I will

And expect a little less of me here on DU once August 17 rolls around-i gotta really buckle down on school because 9th grade is when it really starts to count on your college record and all. And to get accepted to out of state colleges (which is where I want to go) you gotta have really good grades. The school's academic reputation is not enough, though sometimes I wish it was :P

[Smudge]

26. That maybe early..

But in Florida we start tomorrow.

[tinfoil tiaras]

28. Yeah, my cousin in Ocean Springs started on the 4th

:wtf: Too freaking early. But maybe they had to make up for Katrina or something, but still, way too damn early.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

38. I hate high school, really.

Reassuring, I know.

:evilgrin:

[tinfoil tiaras]

39. Hahaha

but at my highschool, we get laptops, so i guess that makes it better. And no uniforms. And you get to do like whatever you want inbetween classes. Overall, it's not as structured as Middle School (which was reeeeeeeally bad).

[nosillies]

22. Am I a total goober becuase I loved high school?

I mean, I woudn't call it the all out best years of my life, but I did really really love it. And some of it was the best. My mom would probably say that I'm looking slightly through rose-colored glasses.

[johnnie]

23. School was just a thang

It sucked, but there were times when I had fun. It never changes. Don't look for things to get much better, it just is what it is.

[Smudge]

27. High school does suck

I have friends who think I'm going to drop out as soon as I turn 16 because of how much I skip.

School sucks, but you've got to suck it up and go (most of the time).

[RandomKoolzip]

29. Fuck that! I had a great time in high school.

I had a band and we used to play keg parties, I had some incredible experiences with psychedelics, and I got a shitload of reading done.

Junior high REALLY sucked for me, though.

[Book Lover]

30. My HS experience also sucked, and what makes me angry (20/20 hindsight)

is that it didn't have to. If I had just ignored all of my peers and paid attention to my teachers for the four years, I would have been so much happier. I hated nearly every other student in my HS; still do as a matter of fact. But now I see with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight that the teachers (even the nuns) were actually smart and not-uncool-to-cool. Well, OK, maybe not the sister who taught Classics, but still...

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

31. It's supposed to suck.

That way, the rest of your life might not seem to suck as much as it would otherwise.

[AirmensMom]

32. High School was the worst time of my life.

And I graduated 32 years ago.

[Crabby Appleton]

33. to prepare you for life after high school.

[graywarrior]

35. My high school days were not as bad as my grammar school days

But they still SUCKED and I hate almost every asshole I went to school with.

[Bridget Burke]

36. That suckitude made "Buffy, Vampire Slayer" a hit....

The school was built over a Hell Mouth. Nobody expected Happy Days.

That made sense to a lot of us--even those whose school days were many years ago.

[Fox Mulder]

37. High school fucking sucked.

I was so glad when it was over.

College is where all the fun and happiness is at.

[Hand]

40. Insh'Allah... nt

[skygazer]

41. I went to high school in the 70's

And it sucked then. I don't know when it may have been "the happiest years" of anyone's life but it sure wasn't for me. I can honestly say that there is not a single thing I learned in high school that I've ever used in the 27 years since I was there. I've never had the remotest desire to attend a high school reunion.

Waste of time.

[WannaBeGrumpy]

42. I'm in high school now and it sucks....

mainly because my school is run by nazis!

[cobalt1999]

43. Not the happiest years of your life, but High School didn't suck.

Like life, it's what you make of it. If your happiness is dependent on what others think, HS, College, and life will suck.

I don't believe HS sucked for most people, I had a blast as did my friends. There are always people or groups that won't like you in life, but as most people get older they learn not to care/notice. Some learn this in JH, some in HS, some much later.

While they are NOT the happiest years of your life (it only gets better), but how could you not enjoy:

a) learning to drive and be independent from your parents.
b) learning to date and laugh about how you naturally screw it up (I think bras were purposely designed to make HS boys look like idiots).
c) no real responsibilities
d) getting so much enjoyment out of just hanging around with your friends doing nothing.
e) the endlessly entertaining soap opera of who's falling for who that changes daily.

[noonwitch]

44. College is much better, at least if you don't live with your parents

High school can be fun at times, but it can be awful, too. College was fun.

[OnionPatch]

45. Because adolescents are mean to each other

Plain and simple.

Too bad it takes so long to properly socialize a human being. :)