14 Things I Learnt About High School

All around the country at this precise moment parents are busy ironing school uniform, buying up the entire stationary content of WHSmith and wiping away tears as they get all emosh about that fact that little Freddie is growing up! And you know why? Because it's back to school week of course- which means double the amount of traffic on the roads, abandoned amusement parks and the hilarious sight of seeing a mum dragging her screaming child through the school gates on a Monday morning. Never gets old!

When I first started high school way back in 2010, I only knew five people all of whom I didn't particularly like. So basically I was on my own. It was really tough at first being in such an alien environment and for somebody with a rather bad sense of direction (I once forget which room in the house was my bedroom!), I ended up getting lost more times than I care to remember.

But I soon settled down and found my people...well that was until about a year in when I was suddenly moved to a higher set with a bunch of people who I had never even seen before. Everybody thought I was new to the school, even though I had been there since the very beginning, and by that time they had already form their friendship groups so were not bothered about talking to me despite my best efforts. So I was pretty much back where I started twelve months ago- alone and friendless!

Lil' me in year 7!

I remember hating school so much at that point, refusing to go in and if I did I would just come home and cry. I begged to go back to my old classes, but the teachers just would not budge one bit and I ABSOLUTELY DESPISED them- still do - for putting me through that.

However, in the end that experience did make me a lot stronger as a person and I did end up meeting some really lovely people who I am still good friends with now. But that was not something I was expecting from high school.

___

So here for all your lovely people moving, leaving (like moi!) or looking back on senior school here's what I learnt about it from my five long years at the place: 

1. It's not like High School Musical or Mean Girls at all. You don't break out into a spontaneous song and dance routine at every given moment nor are groups divided into The Geeks, The Plastics and The Skater Dudes etc!

2. You don't get your head flushed down toilets by BIG mean bullies who are twice the size of you and like to steal your lunch money just for the lols.

3. People don't shove cigarettes, drugs and alcohol down your throat here, there and everywhere.

4. Kids like to make up words and use them in sentence because they think it's cool. This includes but is not limited to fleek, bun, peng and sick. English anyone?

5. Food fights are very unlikely to happen. The problem is nobody, other than film stars, have the gut to start them.

6. Popularity is not everything. You don't have to be popular to have a good group of mates around you.

7. Everyone is basically struggling to keep their head above water, as they fight to fit in and do everything they can to look cool because being cool is so important.

8. Friday nights do not consist of night clubs, drink and loud music. In reality everyone is at home studying and/or recovering from five days at school.

9. Most people are in fact still virgins by the time they leave.

10. It rips you of any sense of personal identity- it is somehow consider a crime to stand out and be unique. So say goodbye to make up, nail vanish, customized uniform and dyed hair.

11. Yet it is still the best time of your life. Being young is frickin' amaz-balls!

12. You get more time off and holidays than you ever have before, so make the most of it. The six week summer holiday unfortunately doesn't exist in Adult Land, as much as we all wish it did.

13. You will meet some absolutely amazing people who will change your life. Trust me!

14. And belly laugh more than you thought was humanely possible.

___

So you see I learnt a lot about high school and busted a few myths while I was at it. Would I like to do it over all over again if I had the chance...? Nope. Being a teenager, surrounded by teenagers, is tough. But in a few years, when I've forgotten all the drama like most people seem to do, I may answer different. If I do, please kindly knock me on the head with a hammer for being such a twit. 

Thankyouverymuch! 

Love Beth xx