Is high school really that bad?

I'm going into high school this fall. I've been in a private school all my life (well several private schools because of moving) and I kind of want to switch to a public school for high school. I want to because.. I want to go to a public school for once and.. Cuz I don't really have friends in my current school. So what are your thoughts on high school? Feel free to share any memories such as your best, worst, etc...

I just graduated High School last year.

Hell no high school isn't so bad. I didn't really enjoy my first couple of years because I had just moved schools and I had no friends (partially my own doing). Then I got involved with some extracurricular activities that I liked and I enjoyed my last two years.

If you don't know very many people, find some sort of extracurricular that you really like doing (for me it was the high school radio station, but it could be anything), and if you are relatively nice you will make friends. Don't worry about it too much, and don't care too much what people think of you. Do that, and I'm sure you will be fine.

I graduated in 2009, so my high school experience is pretty recent. All of my friends who started public high school coming from private schools claimed to have been happy about the decision. It's really not that bad... it's just the growing up that sucks. Hormones and drama, and all that jazz. However, that's going to happen no matter where you are or what you're doing. The experience of school is really not all that bad, and it's one of those things that kind of seems better in retrospect. I mean, being at school and making friends gives you an excuse to see tons of people you know five days a week and helps you learn to socialize and develop your personality, and even though it doesn't really feel like it at the time, you've got SO much freedom. The stereotypical angsty teenage mindset will grab ahold of you just like it does for everyone else, but try to remember that. These are the times where you have the least responsibility, so even when the drama starts piling up you should do your best to focus on the good things. :) If you can keep that positive attitude, your high school experience will be fine. A lot of really enjoyable things happened for me in my high school years.

As a Senior in high school I can tell you that it will change as you progress through it. Freshman year will be semi-exciting, bunch of new stuff, you get to make new friends from other grades, new activities, etc. Then sophomore year will generally be pretty boring, nothing special; No prom yet, still probably on junior varsity, but your friends circle will grow. Junior year is commonly one of the best years because you will have a large circle of friends (both older and younger), you will have the opportunity to be in a lot of things, you can go to prom, and you can start to drive :). Senior year is normally mixed emotions. The first semester is often great; you're king of the school, the oldest and the most wise. You know a lot of people as well as a lot of teachers and the rules get looser. Then second semester rolls along and you realize "Wow... I only have 4 more months with all my friends... and then college!" People take this differently but for most it's pretty bittersweet.

As far as it differing from a private school it's not that noticeable on the surface but within it's pretty obvious. I moved to a public school from a private so I know the changes. The most obvious of which is no uniforms. Everybody can wear what they want! However you'll love it for the first week or month, then it will get kind of boring and you'll realize it's not as amazing as you once thought. Second, public schools are often a lot more lenient from rules to due dates. At my old school I was sent down to the principal's office for not turning in homework... once :?. However in a public school I've skipped a class before (don't skip a class, it's a pain to catch up on work and have a good excuse) and didn't get in trouble even though the teacher new (plus he was kind of the "hard-ass").

Keep in mind, though, that your experience will depend on your friends/who you hang out with. If you don't make any friends you aren't going to have that great of a time since you'll be pretty much alone and it's painfully obvious during lunches. A good way to make friends, especially in a new school is to join some of the extracurricular things. Join a band, join a club, but if you join something make sure it's something you enjoy. That way you'll meet other people who have the same interests as you and you'll be more likely to become friends.

Private and public aren't really that different, just a slightly different atmosphere. The classes are pretty much the same, the food will be iffy, and there will still be hundreds of other people (thousands maybe, depends on the size) in the same boat as you. Just remember to enjoy it while it lasts because come graduation you will be wishing you didn't have to leave and go into "the real world." (Unless you never made a decent core of friends, in which you'll be ecstatic to get the hell out of there :shadewink:)

Thanks guys. I'm kind of excited!

its whatever you make of it.

I didn't really enjoy it that much while I was in high school... but looking back I had a blast. Some of my best memories and times... And I remember other older people saying that while I was in school, but didn't listen.... so enjoy it!

Freshman year was the most dull out of the 4 years for me. Junior year was the best!

Well...actually all my teachers in primary, my parents and all people I knew were always saying that high school is one of the most beautiful periods of our life lol :)

I'll tell you what I'm going to tell my brothers years from now:

High school is going to be the best and worst time of your life. Sometimes it'll feel amazing, sometimes like dirt. It all depends on your perception.

Every teenager makes stupid mistakes in their walk to their future (I certainly have). It isn't the mistake that ruins you; It's all on how you take it. If you use it to rebound and keep going, you'll do great. If you pile shame and regret on it, you won't do so well. So yes, bad things will happen - you just have to take it, learn from it, and keep pushing onward.

If you really make the effort to enjoy high school, you will. Put effort into your studies, and try to enjoy all of your classes, even if you aren't too good at them, or dislike them. What you do now will affect your future.

All in all, enjoy your time in high school, do well, and enjoy it while you can.

High school is easy. Wait till you graduate. ;)

Either beat somebody up or becomes somebody's bitch and you'll be fine.

I know this is a necro thread but yeah it's pretty bad. I'm glad it's over.

I thought private high school was much, much worse than public. I started 9th grade at a Catholic boarding school and, well, let's just say I'm not Catholic. Halfway through 10th grade they expelled me and I was sent to a mental ward, where the psychiatrist thankfully realized that I wasn't crazy and said all I really needed to do was go to college.

I spent a few months in public high school while everything was getting worked out for me to go to college early. It wasn't fun -- standard stupid teenagers being mean, having to ask permission to go to the bathroom at age 16, etc. but it was much better than the alternative.

Once you get to college it's a BILLION times better.

There's assholes for sure, but that happens in any large facility with lots of people just learn to ignore people that are unpleasant and you'll be golden!