School. How was it?

[Alexandria]

Well, I have seen a number of comments lately regarding how school was - or wasn't - for them. So, I am curious - how was people's experiences with school (k-12, primary, ie non voluntary attendance).

[Colton]

Well, I'm not going to vote (since I'm still in high school and such) but I can say that Elementary school was good, because it was super easy, Freshman year was SUPER fun, and Sophomore year sucks so far >_>

[Maddy]

It sucked. High school in particular - I tend to pretend it was a six-year bad dream. High school here is year 7-12 / age 12-18 here, for reference.

[alex2020]

Elementary and middle school were fine. Out of what I recall (not a lot, especially when it comes to elementary), I don't have a lot of negative memories.

High school was relatively uneventful. It had its ups and downs, but overall, it was alright. As far as particular years go, senior year was my favorite.

[Jonathan]

I choose "meh/no opinion" for a few reasons.

1.) I love the word "meh"

2.) The survey is asking about K-12, which is a pretty long time. There were some pretty amazing years, and then there were years that were complete crap. Would I say that I loved school? Not for the entire duration of my education. I loved all of elementary school for many reasons. I was the smartest boy in my grade and I knew it, I got to hang out with my best friend (who was a year older) every day after school (seriously, I was at his house every day after school for like six years lol) and everything just came easy. Middle school was a rough and confusing time though. My best friend and I went our seperate ways...and not on good terms. I define my middle school years as the time where I was confused out of my mind about my sexuality, and wasn't able to get close to anyone. Highschool was better because I was finally able to comes to terms with my sexuality and become much better friends with Erika (I would not have been able to survive without her). My school was really bigoted and people of the LGBT community were constantly mocked by their peers. So I stayed in the closet and just ignored people. While I didn't have many good friends, the ones I did have made highschool really fun. The work load did get more difficult (I was in 5 AP classes senior year lol) and I was no longer the smartest in my grade (plus I started getting really lazy and procrastinating on everything). However, I graduated 6th in my class and with honors . That's a really really really basic outline of my school life. So, while I didn't love school, neither did I hate it. Thusly, I chose "meh/no opinion".

[Artemicion]

Meh/No opinion.

The majority of it was not the best time compared to university. I was constantly the observer...and didn't actually have a more active presence until grade 12.

[b0i70y]

Elementary and Junior High were fun. Highschool got a bit depressing, but I graduated. Now I'm in college and - apart from stressing - I'm having having the time of my life!

[Rooni321]

K-3: sucked. Got teased a lot.
4-5: Meh. It was barely okay. The teachers were mean to me though, the kids didn't bother me as much when I was teased.
6: sucked. Everything really terrible started that year.
7-9: KICKASS! With a sprinkle of bad times including the start of my eating disorder
10-11: SUCKED! With a hint of greatness
12: currently doing alright. Great learning experiences though!

[sanguine]

high school was nothing, it was primary school that sucked the most (ages 5-11 here)

[Porphyrogenitus]

Primary school was meh, I guess.

But I did quite enjoy high school. I went to a good school with good teachers, I had a good friends group, I did reasonably well in schoolwork and extracurricularly, I wasn't bullied or ostracised (and, indeed, very few people were). Sure, I wouldn't say I relished every day of it, but on the whole, it was a good period of my life.

[electrolicious]

Elementary (K-6): The first couple years were okay, but 2-6 consisted of being made fun of daily, and having no real friends. Got all A's and B's.

Middle school (7-8): Half-way through 7th and all of 8th, I was sick and had to have an in-home tutor. I think it was the start of my social anxiety, because doctors were never able to find a physical cause. The half of year that I had attended in person, I was really overwhelmed. Got all A's and B's.

High school (9-12): I was able to attend freshman year, but I was absent a lot. My grades were A's and B's though. Sophomore year, I started to feel sick again and the home tutor returned. I got mostly C's and D's that year, which I found incredibly depressing and unfair, because I did all the work I could, but apparently that wasn't enough. The school wanted me to retake the year, but I wouldn't. Junior year, I attended school in person again, but started to become depressed, began to question my gender, and was often sleep deprived. I would have mini-breakdowns in class, and almost cry. Still, I got all A's and B's. Senior year, I started school, still tired, depressed, confused, and anxious. Within a week of starting, I dropped out. A couple days before, I had started therapy to address my social anxiety and depression, but that came a bit too late. I had already given up. Oh, and throughout all the years where I was sick and absent a lot, apparently there were a lot of rumours about me, like that I had AIDS or cancer, etc.

Horrible time, I'm so glad I'm out of there. I got my GED and I'm in college now though. I always liked the learning part of school, but the social aspect was awful.

Sorry for the small biography, I doubt anyone read that.

[Trekkie]

I had a hard time in high school was mute for almost 3 years spent more time bunking off than in school best bit is no one even knew i was gay just bullied me cos i was an easy target

I read it electrolicious sounds like you had a really bad time at least you moved on =]

[FleetFish]

Elementary and middle school were pretty ok, I guess. I mean, at the time I was fairly happy, but looking back, it sucked. I had very few friends, everyone made fun of me for being a fatty... But I was a very obedient and smart kid, and I never really struggled.

High school was downright hell. Downright Hell. I don't even want to go into details.

College has been a mixed experience, but overall freaking wonderful! Seriously.

[Kidd]

I disliked K-12 but I got through it. School was ridiculously easy for me and it bored me, honestly. Even now, university bores me. I always have been and still am a straight A student. Socially, I was on relatively good terms with everyone because I tutored a lot of people and helped them with their schoolwork and stuff like that. I had plenty of opportunity and friends when I was growing up but at the time I was dealing with social anxiety issues and an eating disorder so I never really cared.

There isn't anything in particular that happened to me personally that I remember as bad, I was never bullied or anything, but my high school was a total shithole. There were fistfights every other day. When it would rain our janitors would put buckets in the hallway to catch the water because the roof leaked. We had no air conditioning and would get sick in some of the classrooms because they would get obnoxiously hot. Plus, it was just a pretty druggy place in general. None of us thought it was unusual that kids were selling cocaine out of their lockers between classes. Sad. If I had gone to a private school or something like that I would have loved it...

EDIT: I'll add this as a fun fact. There was a kid at my high school who would put Kurt Hummel to shame, and he was totally accepted by just about everyone. My high school doesn't have a GSA but it is totally gay friendly. I never had any problems because of my sexuality or anything.

[heatqueen]

Meh. It wasn't bad as such but there wasn't anything particularly great about it, and I like university much better.

[Alexandria]

As for myself, I have ranted before but ill summarize - it was pure hell for me, bar none. Elementary and high school both. It was so bad for me that when the columbine incident occurred, I felt almost as much sympathy for the shooters as I did the victims. I knew full well what it was like to be different, and punished, beaten and harassed for that. I could understand - and still do - the appeal in the thought of blowing the school - with everyone IN it - to atoms.

But.

I also understood that such actions themselves would not be right. While vengeance would feel great, there was also the fact of what harm it would cause those that did me no wrong - the innocents, and those related to the bullies/assholes. My parents did their job as parents in teaching me that, that harming innocents was more wrong than what they did. and, of course, that school wasn't worth going to jail for.

These days, I look back at school as something I am glad I survived.

[dreamcatcher]

I hated elementary and middle school. I went to this snotty school where everyone thought they were superior to those who had less money than them. I also used to get picked on because I didn't wear the "cool" clothes, because I was overweight and I was really shy. The kids also loved making fun of the few friends I had and me just because we weren't park of their little "rich people clique". Then, I finally moved during sophomore year and I felt very out of place because I had come from a different country but junior and senior year of high school got better. I made some friends and blended in as best as I could. Then I moved away for college and freshman and sophomore year of college were pretty good, but then I moved again and now I'm in my junior year at a different university and it sucks.

[fragomatrick]

I loved it. It was the most fun I had in life!

[Pinstripe]

I liked my first elementary school a lot, but my family moved when I was in 3rd grade, so it was hard to make new friends since the other kids knew each other already. Middle school wasn't so hot, as I still had a hard time making friends and holding on to them. But I met my best friends in 8th grade and we stayed close throughout high school.

Overall, I'd say it was a good experience. I wasn't teased all that much, and I always did well academically. I usually enjoyed my classes when I wasn't bored with them.

[steel03]

K-4 was awesome. Awesome awesome awesome.
5 was less good, but I had one of the best teachers I've ever had.
Then I moved.
6 was a nightmare. I don't think I've ever been less happy.
7-8 was okay. I didn't think it was as awful while it was happening as it clearly was now that I look back on it.
Then I transferred districts.
9-12 was awesome again. I got involved in the drama and choir departments and I finally felt like I had a place.

College is so much better, it doesn't even compare. I can hardly remember how I even survived school before college.