Korean Job Discussion Forums

[MA_TESOL]

I did not have my act together in H.S., I was a bit of an ooutcast. A scrawny kind who smoked on campus, ran with others like myself. Of course, I wanted to be one of the popular jocks with the lettermen jackets, but I was just a scrawny kid. If at at that time we had a "Who is most likely not to succeed" contest, I am sure I would have been a front runner. Fortunately, I was a late bloomer. I eventually matured a bit and got a degree and completed graduate school. I never became a "jock", but I got a lot of PADI Diving certs and got into lots of long distance hiking competitions. Thank God high school is not the defining point of our lives.


I wish I knew what all those popular kids were doing now.

[VanIslander]

*shrug*

I played on the soccer and football teams, worked out in the gym with them jocks but was marginal to the subculture; my best friend since elementary school turned into a headbanger wannabe so he and I argued a bit about where us best buds would sit sometimes at lunchtime in the cafeteria, ending up with the weird metalheads (ugh) or the nerdy D&D guys (I was school chess champion cuz my excellent-playin' engineer-minded dad taught me the game real young) or at times floated, but always the two of us together. Best buds. Junior high and senior high is so much easier if you have a wing man. I had a pretty significant role in the grade 10 drama (Reverend Parris in the Crucible) and a comedic role in the grade 11 play (the bumblin' sargeant in Teahouse of the August Moon, with two funny scenes to pull off) but opted out of grade 12's West Side Story because no way was I gonna sing! That was just a recipe for ridicule. I was in honours math so I knew the drama nerds and math geeks but was again marginal to those subcommunities. I dressed like a prep. I think I could have ran for prez or vice-prez if I wanted to, not because I was popular but because I knew everyone. I didn't have any enemies in high school. It helped that the most popular guy in school was captain of the football team I was on and in my honors math class so he twice spoke up in my defense when someone tried to challenge me: "He's alright" he said, and that was that. The metalwork shop boys thereafter left me alone (the only subculture I didn't ever hang with). I always found it easy to talk with people, to chat across subcultures, people often saying I should be a teacher or a salesman, I eventually becoming a journalist and then - gasp - a teacher. I wasn't a teacher's pet because I talked too much in class, but got A-/B+ in most subjects (as long as I got 80% I was happy). I was embarrassed to receive some English lit award in grade 10, having to stand in front of the assembly (gawd that was hard to live down, was teased for years, my school being a grade 8-12 school where memories were long).

What was I then? I felt like I didn't fit in totally in any group and avoided landmines every day. I think I was a keener. But I certainly tried not to seem so. My girlfriend went to a different school and I sure was happy when high school ended. It was like a pressure release valve had been opened. I've felt free ever since.

I was clearly a teacher's pet in university, the philosophy major who asked a thousand questions and did extra background reading and challenged the prof's assertions (I was a weak prof's nightmare). The rules are so different in college than grade school. It was wonderful. I always loved a good-natured competition. I'd have been a boxer if the gloves were puffier: never wanted to hurt someone else. I was a nice guy determined not to finish last.

[sojourner1]

I was with you OP, high school totally sucked except the heavy metal on MTV, playing guitar, and smokin' pot with the hoodlums part.

Those pretty boys in their lettermen jackets wearing pink polos had parents with a little more money and home structure than those of us who didn't get very involved in high school nor compete on their level. I was an outcast too with my long hair, dysfunctional home life, divorced parents, alcoholic mother, step dad who hated me, older brothers and sister who dropped out of school in the 8th or 9th grade, one older brother who was always in trouble with the police for stealing, no adequate or appropriate clothing, no school supplies, and I was compared and judged by my siblings and parents character. It was a rough way to go, but I persevered and fought to the end with the goal of graduating or dying. No if's, ands, or buts about it, because I was determined to break free from the low class, poverty stricken existence I was born into with a huge disappointment I was dealt this challenge while most people were happy and doing just fine. I was the only one out of 4 who got a HS diploma and college degrees. It was a long arduous uphill battle and the rich kids ended up respecting me in the end and the richest one I grew up with has even been my best friend for the past 15 years and now is my brother in law. It took several years for the wealthy in-laws to accept my sister, but all that tension around social status conflict of interests we had 20 to 25 years ago is dissolved.

I didn't go to the gym, the school exempted me from having to take gym class due to being a reject, didn't play sports, didn't go to dances, get involved with any clubs, didn't buy a class ring, didn't get year books, didn't get my photo taken, didn't go to prom, didn't go on senior trip, and just stuck with the poorest kids as friends. I learned zilch in high school and was passed just for my attendance as they were happy to get some more funds as I pointed this out in 9th grade that I could drop and it's all a loss so you might as well pass me. They let me do what ever I wanted, even work a full time factory job during the day in my senior year! They said I had enough credits to graduate and go do work study since I needed money. I had a lot of catching up to do when I got into college as it took me 5 years due to having to take basic courses like pre-algebra on account of not passing assessment entrance exams.

Today, most of those people I went to school with have big pot bellies, weigh 300+ pounds, the ones with rich parents live easy on that money, others work in public services like utilities, a couple are teachers, some are career military, and a few became white collar workers, but most stayed in the same town and never traveled nor did anything with their lives.

They're quite surprised how I ended up...

[MA_TESOL]

wow, sojourner, sounds so much like me. I came from a single parent family and am the only one, except my 2 uncles to graduate from college. That includes all my counsins. We were poor and I worked all through HS to pay for clothes etc. Life was rough when I was young, but it has improved year by year and I am grateful

[positive]

I'm stoked that high school wasn't the apex of my life.

SO STOKED.

College was amazing, and teaching English in Korea is incredible. If I smile any more, I'm gonna have wrinkles by the time I'm 26.

[nolegirl]

[sharkey]

i was a gun in high school, university and now.

super athletic, good looking, easy going , just a dream child really

[Koveras]

[IncognitoHFX]