“High school is the best 4 years of your life” Bull crap!

[ken nubo]

How often do you hear the expression, “high school is the best 4 years of your life”. That is the biggest, steaming pile of bullshit I ever heard. Think about it for a moment. You go to dark, dull building full of other rowdy students they same age as yourself. You get stuck in a cinder block room for 8 hours a day, for about 9 months a year. You learn the same garbage material over and over, year after year. For 12 years .... holy ************. So if that's the best for years of your life, that's a very, very sad life.

Without a doubt, that expression is to help mold the disobedient kids into obedient ones. Train for the work force. It isn't an accident that the structure of a work place and a school is almost the same.

“High school is the best 4 years of your life” needs a remake. It isn't an honest expression. It should be more of “High school is a waste of 4 years of your life where teachers break your independent will, stifles your creativity and where you learn civil servitude.”

Of course school tries to mold you. But the question is, will you let them break you independent will?

Another comment I like: “just wait until you get into the real world!” Teachers like to mutter those words to scare the students into obeying them. And they're right about the “real world” because high school is a sheltered place to train kids. Teaching kids at school is just a clever guise for them to actually brain wash them into obedient civic workers.

So the next time someone – especially a teacher – tells you that high school is the best four years of your life, don't be afraid to call on the BS. Or smack the person with your dingy dangy. It's entertaining.

[Freelancer]

Originally Posted by ken nubo

How often do you hear the expression, “high school is the best 4 years of your life”. That is the biggest, steaming pile of bullshit I ever heard. Think about it for a moment. You go to dark, dull building full of other rowdy students they same age as yourself. You get stuck in a cinder block room for 8 hours a day, for about 9 months a year. You learn the same garbage material over and over, year after year. For 12 years .... holy ************. So if that's the best for years of your life, that's a very, very sad life.

Without a doubt, that expression is to help mold the disobedient kids into obedient ones. Train for the work force. It isn't an accident that the structure of a work place and a school is almost the same.

“High school is the best 4 years of your life” needs a remake. It isn't an honest expression. It should be more of “High school is a waste of 4 years of your life where teachers break your independent will, stifles your creativity and where you learn civil servitude.”

Of course school tries to mold you. But the question is, will you let them break you independent will?

Another comment I like: “just wait until you get into the real world!” Teachers like to mutter those words to scare the students into obeying them. And they're right about the “real world” because high school is a sheltered place to train kids. Teaching kids at school is just a clever guise for them to actually brain wash them into obedient civic workers.

So the next time someone – especially a teacher – tells you that high school is the best four years of your life, don't be afraid to call on the BS. Or smack the person with your dingy dangy. It's entertaining.

haha you sure like to throw big rocks into ponds to see where the ripples end up.

Anyway I completely agree with you, although I think your viewpoint that your expressing here and the viewpoint of society are both on the extreme side. Its nice though that somebody is stepping up to the plate to give some counterbalance to the popular (unhealthy) belief 'school is everything' when your young. There are good points in the school systems, they are just hard to find...

[openeyes]

Originally Posted by ken nubo

How often do you hear the expression, “high school is the best 4 years of your life”.

I'm actually not sure I've EVER heard that expression before. College, yes, but not high school. What I have heard is something along the lines of "don't worry, it's so much better in college". And with that latter statement, with one semester of college left before graduation, I wholeheartedly agree. It gets better every semester. Now we just have to figure out how to keep having fun upon "entering the real world". I'm doing my best to make sure I'll have plenty of good lazy time

[Erock]

I hope not. I mean, I've enjoyed high school, but it is seriously going to be one of the biggest reliefs of my life when I'm done. Take right now for example. I wasn't thinking about prom (I probably subconsciously put it in the back of my mind because I absolutely loathe dances) and now 90% of the girls have been asked. On top of that, my friends think it would be hilarious if I went with this one girl (it's a long story), and I would not be surprised if they ask her for me. That's how cruel they can be.

If I could skip to June 20th I would. Maybe I would regret it someday when I'm 90 like everyone tells me, but I highly doubt it.

[Scott]

I agree -- High school did kinda suck, and college has been a huge improvement.

You can read my thoughts on education here.
(And actually, I've posted it to the forums before. Check here on Thursday when my site goes down.)

[SamBeaven]

Honestly, looking back, I don't think high school itself, as an institution, was all that bad - indeed, I had a couple of awesome teachers and got to know a few friends I'm still in contact with today.

What sucked far more than the institution was, well, me. I wasn't in a good place psychologically or even physically at the time, and my socialization was pretty poor for the most part. I think this is the real source of many people's hatred of high school - adolescence is a difficult time no matter who you are or where you are, and the place where you are when you go through these emotions can result in some negative associations.

[llong]

My school experience improved each year, as did my social status.

[madgeylou]

my first day of freshman year (lo these many years ago!), they actually had the gall to show us a film about how great high school was gonna be. it was called "the best four years of your life (so far)!!!"

if i had ever thought high school was going to be the best 4 years of my life, though, i would have stepped in front of the next train passing through my hometown.

i have to say high school wasnt awful, but it wasnt great either. i was soooo happy to get the hell out of there and be on my own.

[wolfgang]

The trouble I see with saying high school is the best years of your life is that it doesn't give you any room to say now (high school, college, working stiff, bum, retired) is also good years of your life.

It reminds my of the saying, "those were the days!" when looking back at parts of your life as the best. Which makes it sound like you are saying now sucks. Last time I said, "those were the days", a friend looked at me with a shocked look and I quickly said "but now is awesome too!"

[Lychee]

I think that phrase "High school was the best years of my life!" has become so cliche and generic that some people say it believing that it was.

[madgeylou]

Originally Posted by wolfgang

The trouble I see with saying high school is the best years of your life is that it doesn't give you any room to say now (high school, college, working stiff, bum, retired) is also good years of your life.

It reminds my of the saying, "those were the days!" when looking back at parts of your life as the best. Which makes it sound like you are saying now sucks. Last time I said, "those were the days", a friend looked at me with a shocked look and I quickly said "but now is awesome too!"

too true, wolfgang.

i have friends who are always trying to "get back" to some place they were in the past.

one friend in particular spent a long time being upset that my relationship with her had changed and she wanted to "get back" that special something we used to have.

another friend is frequently miserable because she wants to "get back" the body she had before she had a terrible allergic reaction that landed her in the hospital for months, caused her to gain weight from the steroid treatments, etc.

i think trying to get anything back is a huge mistake. you are never going to get back to where you were, and why would you want to? that's regressing!

you can get to a new and better place, and that's what i encourage my friends to do -- let's recognize that our friendship is deeper and stronger now because of all we've shared; accept that your body is healthy and beautiful right now without being angry that it's no longer like it was.

people often romanticize the past, then compare the present to it. the present always comes out looking deficient when you do this! why not romanticize your life right now, look at it in the most positive way you can, and write your story from that point, rather than trying to circle back?

i just dont get the whole "good old days" thing. i am all about right here, right now. because of this, i always feel like the person i am right now is vastly preferable to any person i might have been in the past. i'm always having the best year of my life so far!

[bellbird]

people often romanticize the past, then compare the present to it. the present always comes out looking deficient when you do this! why not romanticize your life right now, look at it in the most positive way you can, and write your story from that point, rather than trying to circle back?

I second all of your post madgeylou. Also with most of the others. Highschool can be allright at times but by no means compares to the college/university fase. I had a great time studying Arts. But Highschool being blissfull times? Pa-lease. Doh! Oh and I wholeheartedly agree with:

"but now is awesome too!"

Don't live in the past, it's come and gone baby. Live NOW NOW NOW

[kittenpile]

I'm betting those people who say "high school is the best 4 years of your life!!" are the people who don't do anything after high school. You know, the guy who still lives in his parents basement and works at McDonalds at 30, or the ex-cheerleader who got fat after popping out several welfare checks from different fathers.

[somaziro]

Originally Posted by kittenpile

I'm betting those people who say "high school is the best 4 years of your life!!" are the people who don't do anything after high school. You know, the guy who still lives in his parents basement and works at McDonalds at 30, or the ex-cheerleader who got fat after popping out several welfare checks from different fathers.

high school was the best 4 years of my life, and I just graduated from law school.

[AidanMatthews216]

Originally Posted by ken nubo

How often do you hear the expression, “high school is the best 4 years of your life”. That is the biggest, steaming pile of bullshit I ever heard. Think about it for a moment. You go to dark, dull building full of other rowdy students they same age as yourself. You get stuck in a cinder block room for 8 hours a day, for about 9 months a year. You learn the same garbage material over and over, year after year. For 12 years .... holy ************. So if that's the best for years of your life, that's a very, very sad life.

Without a doubt, that expression is to help mold the disobedient kids into obedient ones. Train for the work force. It isn't an accident that the structure of a work place and a school is almost the same.

“High school is the best 4 years of your life” needs a remake. It isn't an honest expression. It should be more of “High school is a waste of 4 years of your life where teachers break your independent will, stifles your creativity and where you learn civil servitude.”

Of course school tries to mold you. But the question is, will you let them break you independent will?

Another comment I like: “just wait until you get into the real world!” Teachers like to mutter those words to scare the students into obeying them. And they're right about the “real world” because high school is a sheltered place to train kids. Teaching kids at school is just a clever guise for them to actually brain wash them into obedient civic workers.

So the next time someone – especially a teacher – tells you that high school is the best four years of your life, don't be afraid to call on the BS. Or smack the person with your dingy dangy. It's entertaining.

I have nothing to say but AMEN! I'm a sophomore in high school now, but after this year the only schooling I plan to do between here and college is complete, unfettered self-schooling.

[ticktockclok]

Originally Posted by AidanMatthews216

I have nothing to say but AMEN! I'm a sophomore in high school now, but after this year the only schooling I plan to do between here and college is complete, unfettered self-schooling.

That's insane. I'm a soph in high school too, and am planning to get out as well. Check out the book "Teenage Liberation Handbook". It sounds pretty extreme, but the author is spot on. She suggests something a bit different from home schooling called "unschooling".

[Erock]

I applaud the two posters above me. You guys know what you're doing. As long as you still have plenty of friends and social activities, I think that is an awesome approach. In my senior year, from a productivity approach, I probably get done about as much during school as I could do in 10 or 15 minutes at home, no joke.

Keep up the good work
Erock

[kittenpile]

Originally Posted by somaziro

high school was the best 4 years of my life, and I just graduated from law school.

Oh. I'm sorry to hear that..

[AidanMatthews216]

Originally Posted by ticktockclok

That's insane. I'm a soph in high school too, and am planning to get out as well. Check out the book "Teenage Liberation Handbook". It sounds pretty extreme, but the author is spot on. She suggests something a bit different from home schooling called "unschooling".

That is precisely the book I read that influenced to me to make that decision. It seems more people know about it than I expected would.

[ticktockclok]

Have you convinced your parents to let you out of school yet? Its going to be tough for me; I got too many B's for them and now they've put me in about 240 hours worth of summer school. No way I'm going to let that happen; I'll make sure they're the ones to suggest withdrawing me from those classes.

[Ree]

I'm so sorry you've had bad experiences in high school. Actually, they were pretty great years for me I graduated in 1973, so the whole experience was totally different from today, or so I've been told by my own children.

This is probably fodder for another thread, but I think public education has gone downhill about as far as it can go in the last 25 years. My apologies to any of you who are public ed teachers, but my children's experiences have been nothing like mine.

I'm coming up on my 35th reunion (wait a minute! Let me get my calculator to double check the math!) and I can't wait to see all my classmates again. I have some great memories and I wish kids today could have that, too!

My mom's attitude, and I took that same attitude into raising my children, was that soon enough children will become adults and will have to face the work-a-day world and all those adult worries, so let's just let them be children while they can. I have to say that those laid-back memories sometimes keep me going when the going gets tough in adult life!

I remember singing in chorus and dancing around the Maypole. I remember jumping rope under the corner street light until my dad called me home in the evening. I remember playing softball in the heat of the summer until we couldn't run anymore, and dashing next door to the community pool where we cooled off and put our dimes in the jukebox. I remember 4th of July celebrations where the whole town came out to watch greased pig chases and egg tosses and fireworks as the sun went down. I remember sock hop dances in the gym and wearing skirts and corsages to the high school football games on Friday nights. I remember marching for Civil Rights and against the Vietnam War. I remember a friend who was the first person I ever knew to die of a drug overdose. We were so innocent, so naive. I think that's what's missing for the young folks of today.

[ScottLee]

Originally Posted by ken nubo

How often do you hear the expression, “high school is the best 4 years of your life”. That is the biggest, steaming pile of bullshit I ever heard. Think about it for a moment. You go to dark, dull building full of other rowdy students they same age as yourself. You get stuck in a cinder block room for 8 hours a day, for about 9 months a year. You learn the same garbage material over and over, year after year. For 12 years .... holy ************. So if that's the best for years of your life, that's a very, very sad life.

Without a doubt, that expression is to help mold the disobedient kids into obedient ones. Train for the work force. It isn't an accident that the structure of a work place and a school is almost the same.

“High school is the best 4 years of your life” needs a remake. It isn't an honest expression. It should be more of “High school is a waste of 4 years of your life where teachers break your independent will, stifles your creativity and where you learn civil servitude.”

Of course school tries to mold you. But the question is, will you let them break you independent will?

Another comment I like: “just wait until you get into the real world!” Teachers like to mutter those words to scare the students into obeying them. And they're right about the “real world” because high school is a sheltered place to train kids. Teaching kids at school is just a clever guise for them to actually brain wash them into obedient civic workers.

So the next time someone – especially a teacher – tells you that high school is the best four years of your life, don't be afraid to call on the BS. Or smack the person with your dingy dangy. It's entertaining.

LOL! Beautifully said!

[AidanMatthews216]

Originally Posted by ticktockclok

Have you convinced your parents to let you out of school yet? Its going to be tough for me; I got too many B's for them and now they've put me in about 240 hours worth of summer school. No way I'm going to let that happen; I'll make sure they're the ones to suggest withdrawing me from those classes.

I've convinced my mom but my father is still making up his mind. My grades have been mostly D's and F's, and I'm probably going to fail both of the AP tests I'm going to in 15 minutes... so wish me luck.

[Freelancer]

Originally Posted by AidanMatthews216

I've convinced my mom but my father is still making up his mind. My grades have been mostly D's and F's, and I'm probably going to fail both of the AP tests I'm going to in 15 minutes... so wish me luck.

lol your very systematic in your approach.

[Red Willow]

oh jeez, high school is the armpit of existence lol!

[AidanMatthews216]

Originally Posted by Freelancer

lol your very systematic in your approach.

Totally. Now that I have no serious work to do for school, I'm going to start learning things. Where to start? For some reason, I've been itching to learn about 1. the history of India and 2. Unitarian Universalism... odd combo...

[Freelancer]

Originally Posted by AidanMatthews216

Totally. Now that I have no serious work to do for school, I'm going to start learning things. Where to start? For some reason, I've been itching to learn about 1. the history of India and 2. Unitarian Universalism... odd combo...

haha, well do you already know what to do outside the system?



Ps. I seriously doubt I'm going to finish college, I've got better things to do...

[ticktockclok]

I'm going to study philosophy, read good books, learn to play the harmonica, and trek the entire Appalachian trail. Man, it will be good....

[AidanMatthews216]

Originally Posted by ticktockclok

I'm going to study philosophy, read good books, learn to play the harmonica, and trek the entire Appalachian trail. Man, it will be good....

Hey, wow, all of those are on my list except for harmonica.

[Kamma]

I have to say that at the time I didn't think High School was so great although I didn't hate it. I think the big problem is that you have so many people of a 'certain age' with hormones racing trying to get whatever they want. I remember my Mum asking me when I was a teenager who the most important person in my life was. After some consideration I replied "you" and she replied "No, you". I was rather shocked by this but then she explained. When I woke in the morning I would think that I was tired and what I had to do that day. It was a short conversation but something that I'll never forget.

I think that's one of the things about High School. Remember that they may not be the best years of your life but they are years of your life so try to enjoy them as much as you can (even with all the hormones flying )