Toss Up

Sophomore Year... Good gosh, that was a horrible mullet.

Are you person that you envisioned yourself to be when you were in high school? Is your life what you hoped it would be? What were you in high school? Jock...Prom King... Nerd... Lost... Romantic... Dreamer... President... What did you want to be?

Lately, I've been reflecting on the life I have and how it is compared to who I was in high school. I wasn't the popular kid in school. I wasn't the most hated either, but it wasn't everything I had hoped it would be. Took me a few years to get used to it, and actually like it. I had friends, good ones. I wished I knew them better. It was my fault, not theirs. I didn't put myself out there enough to let them get to know me better or I them.

I have taught in a high school as a sub and as full time teacher, plus I coach in a high school. I wonder who had it harder, my generation or the current one. I guess you could also include other generations to that wondering. Did my parents have it harder than I did? Harder than the students I see today? I don't know, you'd have to compare the differences and similarities of the time.

I know that for me, making friends and being accepted was hard to do. I went to a public high school, and a good one at that. My problem was that I didn't know anyone going in. I came from a private school and so high school was my first time in the public school setting. I went from 10 classmates in my 8Th grade graduating class, to my first period Algebra I class of 42. It was quite the culture shock.

However, there wasn't the media outlet that kids have today. There wasn't a Facebook, Myspace, or the Internet that we know today. There are the same peer pressures and the need and desire for acceptance. But, are the kids better or worse today, than when I was in high school? I don't know, it's a toss up.

I know that today, the pressures of getting into college, a good one, drugs, social status, and things of that nature are important, but I also remember them being important in my time. I remember being a senior and worrying about the next phase of my life. I wondered where I was going to be, what I was going to do, who I was going to be.

I also remember how tough it is to be accepted. To break free from the labels that peers put on you and call you each and every single day that you are in high school. I was mocked, ridiculed, made fun of, daily. I was also received and appreciated. It was a very confusing time. I have seen it in today's school too. That notion that you can be cool to one group of students and a source of mockery to another. It's hard. Nothing about high school is easy no matter what era you are in.

I guess the bottom line I'm getting at is that you can't really compare who has it harder. Each generation has something it can say was hard for them. No one really has it any easier or harder than the other. I'm not saying people can't have hard time in high school, I'm just stating that you can't compare the generations. My experiences in high school may have been harder or easier than yours, but I can't compare the experience to someone I coach today or taught, it's not the same thing.

Oh, and by the way, I was the Nerd. I was the Lost. I was the Confused. I was the Jock. I wore many hats in high school. I was just looking to be accepted. I found it in many places, didn't have success in others. I don't regret my high school memories. I do wish that I didn't try so hard to make people like me. I found out, being myself, was good enough. The people I wanted as friends, I don't even talk to today. Not their fault, not even close. My fault. I never put myself out there enough to leave an impression. If I had to change something, it would be that. Lord knows how strong my relationships with people would be, if I learned early on, to stop trying so hard to get people to like me, and just be myself.

High school should a fun time to get to know others as well as yourself. There will be struggles, come on, it's high school, of course you'll struggle. But, in the end, after all the finals, classes, sporting events, class elections, plays, clubs, friends, enemies, frenemies, after all of it, I think you'll find that it was truly one of the best times of your life, and the time where your identity for the man or woman you are today, was formed.

Until next time
P
Laguna Hills High School: Class of 1995
GO HAWKS!