I spent 4 years of high school doing all I could to get out of it. Instead, what I should have been doing is soaking up everything that my brain could hold.
I learned what I was supposed to and managed to graduate 6 months early through a mail-in course. Back then I just wanted to leave, but now I realize that there is so much more learning I could have, and should have done. People have an unlimited amount of learning potential right in front of them, but what do they do? They waste it, or at least I did.
Yesterday, my son’s high school hosted “back to school” night. There were a lot of kids! We went from class to class and met with all of his teachers, other parents and a few classmates. After the two hour adventure was over, I decided to tour the 2nd floor of the school. Until then, I didn’t even know that there was a 2nd floor. Apparently, that is where all the “regular” kids’ classrooms are located.
Arriving on the 2nd floor, it felt as though we had just entered a college building. What a drastic difference it was from the 1st level. The classrooms were all in pristine condition, filled with high tech equipment and lavish desks. Even the teachers looked like professors with their formal attire.
When we reached the science lab I was almost drooling. It was amazing! I’m one of those weirdos who absolutely loved learning about and memorizing the periodic table of elements. I still get excited at the mention of it. Needless to say then, anything science related is fascinating to me.
We continued our stroll of the 2nd floor and peeked into the windows of several more classrooms. We stayed for a while, until I realized that a few more minutes longer and we would probably be locked inside the school for the night.
As we left, I could not stop shaking my head in disappointment. Why couldn’t I have had the same passion for learning back then, that I do now? I would love to sit at a desk, take notes and listen as a teacher shares with me their wealth of knowledge.
I may just have to enroll in a college course or two now, with real people. Online courses just don’t cut it. It’s comparable to a paperback book versus a kindle. I want to “smell the pages” of school.
Me - Who am I? 
let me know the names of colleges offering courses of our liking, we all feel the same way while reflecting the past.we need to be careful
lest our anxiety that our children do not repeat the same mistake, burden them to perform beyond their capabilities.
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I imagine most people do feel the same as the years pass on. Not too often do you hear about people who really take their childhood education seriously. They should though. I push my son to do his very best and never to settle for less. He loves school and I hope he always will. Thank you for your comment.
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I was blessed to attend top-notch private schools. My high school was college-prep. Nevertheless, I HATED school because I found it extremely boring and no challenge. I was an A student and stayed on the honor roll, but never liked or appreciated school. When I went to college after graduation, I still didnt’ care and dropped out one semester before I could have graduated to get married. Since then my life has been a rollercoaster of bad decisions, pain, and abuse from my second husband. In my 40’s, when I was finally free from him, I went back to college. I absolutely LOVED it. I think it is a rare kid who actually appreciates it when they are kids. Maturity eventually helps us to appreciate learning. My two oldest kids, both graduated from HS and pursuing higher learning, take their schooling very seriously. They won’t miss school for anything and they get good grades while working to support themselves and pay for school. I’m so glad they are serious about their education. I think i was too spoiled – I had everything handed to me as a kid. They have had to work for anything they wanted.
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It is interesting how life’s circumstances can put that desire of learning into us. Especially living through some rough times where you are made to feel ‘lower’ than others. That in itself makes a person want to rise up and be all they can be, to show others and also to prove your own self worth. It is wonderful that the lessons that you have learned have seemingly rubbed off on your children. It’s nice not to always have everything handed to us on a silver platter. That’s what builds perseverance and determination. Thank you very much for your comment.
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i suspect that most people feel that way about high school…..the truth of the matter is that a lot of us just aren’t emotionally and mature enough to be studying in depth during the high school years…..at that age we are still trying to learn who we are as individuals, so its a lot for society to expect of young men and women at that age…great post
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True. At that age, trying to figure out who we are trumps everything else around us. High school years are incredibly difficult for kids mentally. As a result, education is put at the bottom of the list for most of them.
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I was the same in school. I just wanted out! That is a habit that is hard to break. So many things in life that we just want to ‘hurry and be done’.
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It is a hard habit to break. It’s a mind set that can follow people through life. I’ve heard it called the “microwave generation”. We want everything now, and most people don’t want the work that goes along with it.
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