Looking Back on High School With Fondness?

I don't think anyone looks back on their teenage years and thinks they were level-headed and sensible.

Published on October 14, 2005 By singrdave In Personal Relationships

Following is an excerpt from a chat with my high school friend Valerie:

singrdave: wow, quite the happy homemaker
Valerie: HAHAHAHAHA! sure never realized that i was from the old farm families huh
singrdave: who knew... a girl from Bullhead City grows up to be Mrs. Middle America
Valerie: ha thats what you think lol its really a combo of cheap and picky!
Valerie: of course, what has been the reaction from people you knew to you?
singrdave: I guess they are... dunno I guess. I am a little more traditional than I was in high school. I've calmed down quite a bit.
singrdave: (luckily my childhood was before ritalin...)
Valerie: oh you have no idea how much ive calmed!-- was never ritalin level-- more boarding school!
singrdave: well I enjoyed knowing you in high school
Valerie: you knew me before i was really bad!
Valerie: now i have the parents perspective lol
singrdave: you got WORSE?!?!
singrdave: you were pretty crazy when I knew you, all smokin' and stuff...
Valerie: oh goodness i started smoking about 14yo and i would pay dearly to go smack the teen i was
Valerie: but you couldnt pay me to do it again
Valerie: i had the worst friends lol
singrdave: I liked high school, but wouldn't want to do it again
Valerie: oh i had a blast--i was crazy!
singrdave: so wait, you would go back and have fun, or you wouldn't go back because you were too out of control? I am really not following you
Valerie: oh i had a ball as a teen-- but i would NOT do that again-- not unless i could change ALOT!
Valerie: i had fun but it was stupid!
singrdave: yeah that is how I feel too, exactly. I don't think anyone looks back on their teenage years and thinks they were level-headed and sensible.
Valerie: oh most definitely not-- people who knew me senior year and the year after or so are just flat amazed at me now.
singrdave: yep, I think people would be dumbfounded that I ever amounted to anything.

Any thoughts, enlightened masses? Do we look at our teenage years with longing or loathing?

Comments (Page 2)

JillUser

on Mar 27, 2006

I liked HS to an extent, but nothing would make me ever want to go back and relive those days. Except for the music. Gotta luv them 80s tunes.

Couldn't agree more!

I had a good time in HS but took it way too seriously. I still have a close relationship with my best friend from the 3rd grade and keep in touch with several of my old classmates (even the ones I didn't hang out with in HS).

I grew up in a very small town and graduated with the same group I went to preschool with. I remember graduation day crying because I wouldn't see those people anymore. It wasn't long until I found out that the true friends remained true friends and all the others really didn't mean anything in the grander scheme of life.

Rightwinger

on Mar 27, 2006

It wasn't long until I found out that the true friends remained true friends and all the others really didn't mean anything in the grander scheme of life.

Truer words never spoken.

singrdave

on Mar 28, 2006

I still have a close relationship with my best friend from the 3rd grade and keep in touch with several of my old classmates (even the ones I didn't hang out with in HS).

I am so glad to know that I'm not the only one. I actually liked some people from HS, and I still like them. Like it's so wrong to drop them an email once in a while...

It wasn't long until I found out that the true friends remained true friends and all the others really didn't mean anything in the grander scheme of life.

Yes, that is very deep and ultimately true. I am very glad for the friendships I have maintained through all these years. I hope they never fade.

Zoomba

on Mar 28, 2006

My HS years were fairly happy ones. I had a lot of outstanding friends, a good home life, was moderately social, didn't get into trouble, skipped class 90% of the time and generally did normal teenager-ish things. I can't look back on those four years and pick out anything particularly aweful. I was a dork, but I was the dork the popular kids didn't pick on. I had my share of angst and know-it-all moments like everyone else. I made some boneheaded decisions and even wrecked a car.

I wouldn't go back and relive any of it, not by a long shot, but I don't look back on it as a horrible experience like a lot of people do. The good part of it all was not having any responsibility. The downside was the lack of freedom I now enjoy.

Now, as an adult, I can go into my kitchen and get the can of whipped cream, spray a bunch of it in my mouth and call that dinner

How on EARTH could HS be considered better than that!?

I also find it sad, those who look back at HS as the peak of their lives. You're not even 2 decades into life when you finish it, if that's the high point, then the rest of life must be just a big downhill slide... and I prefer to think the best stuff is still to come

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