Graduation and high school memories

[King Jacob]

Woo hoo! I have finally graduated! I'm excited but it's really a kind of bittersweet thing. I had to say goodbye to my best friends. I hope I'll see them again as many times as possible, but I know the odds of that. Now I'm trying not to get all misty-eyed, but I'm not being too successful about it to be honest.

Anyway, I figure that I'd make this thread about something more than my bragging. I was wondering what you remember most about your graduation or your high school days...if you would be willing to share your memories with me. And I guess that maybe you could answer the question of whether or not you keep in touch with any of your high school tet-mates anymore.

[SusanNorton]

Congratulations, King Jacob! I'm 43 years old, but remember high school graduation very well, and understand your bittersweet feelings.

I am still best friends with two girls I went to school with. Out of a group of ten friends, I am only in touch with those two. Some of us drifted apart due to heading down different paths and losing touch, some of us changed so much after high school that it was awkward to keep in touch, a couple of us had arguments that time won't heal. One close friend decided that we couldn't handle the fact that she was gay (even though another close friend of ours was out of the closet and we were all okay with it) and refused to be friends with us.

You'll probably find the same thing - a few of your friends will be with you forever, and some will come and go. And don't believe people who tell you "These are the best years of your life," because they aren't. At the risk of sounding cheesy, the best is yet to come.

Do you have any plans? College or straight to work?

[poisonbat]

There is no one that I still am friends with from high school. I had one friend who I was VERY close to after high school. We hung out almost every day, we were together for the birth of our children. We made each other god parents of our kids.... She was the one who had an affair with my husband:down: So nooo I can't say I do still have friends from high school. LOTS of fond memories, but that was oh so long ago. Good grief, my first son is graduating from college and my second from high school. :laugh: The best times of my life I am living now. It really is the best of times. :bat:

[Roseasharn]

Congrats, King Jacob. The world is your chocolate covered cherry. Also: I am still best friends with my two best friends from high school, and it's almost been ten years. They're awesomeness.
Graduation story:
My senior year, I was very ill. I missed at least 3 months worth of school I wasn't there the day that they passed the form around to fill in your full name for when they called you to the stage and two of my guy friends tried to fill it out for me. When they realized they had no idea what my middle name was, except that it was "old fashoined". They decided that Eustacia was close enough.
My middle name is Michele.
So, I get to the theater downtown, put on my robe and grab a program. What does it say? Brandi Eustacia Carson. I was the only Brandi in my graduating class and certainly the only Brandi Carson. I was livid, kicked the rats in the shins(because they were laughing so hard I immediately knew it was them) and then went to my class advisors. They gave me a slip of paper to put my name on and told me to hand to them when it was my turn and it was solved.
Meanwhile: my mom is flipping a beotch. A big one. Here I am, her oldest daughter, the first girl to graduate from high school in two generations and they couldn't even get my name right! Not knowing that I had already taken care of it, my mom went to the vice principle to try to get a message to me or to find a solution. We had three vice principals. She got the wrong one. This woman was a dried up old prune of evil +12. When my mom talked to her, she flipped my mom her customary beotchyness and was incredibly rude. My mom got so mad, she looked at the lady and said:"You know what, **** You." and walked away.
This lady was obviously not very bright, because she decided to regale someone with the story of her discussion with my mother. 4 feet away from my mother. At the end of the aisle where my mom was sitting. So, my mom stood up and said "That's right, I said **** you and I'll say it again. **** You." According to my mother, everybody around her gasped. According to my father, at least 5 or 6 people giggled. Apparently both ladies stood there, staring at each other, until the other lady walked away. Then my mom sat down like nothing ever happened and started chatting with our relatives.
I did participate in the graduation ceremony, my mother managed to get through the night without cussing at anyone else and I got my diploma. I was proud and happy and amused all evening.
And my mother is a lady. She hates the F word. If I had heard her tell Mrs. <name omitted> what she allegedly told her, it would have been one of 7 or 8 times I've ever heard her use it.
I've said before that during high school I could never take myself seriously enough. This may be true of my entire life, including graduation, my wedding, and childbirth. But as to graduation, I thought it a fitting end to my days at my high school that my mom should cuss out the vice principal. After helping to run an underground newspaper and norrowly getting caught numerous times, and being an endless delight to my teachers but a PITA to the administration, I was tickled to see that for all her "go along and get along" and "Behave like a lady" my mom had a point of no return, too. That was when I started to realize we had a hell of a lot in common.
Note: The next day they faxed my mom the parerwork to fix my diploma. I now have two. If I ever go on the run, it will be as Brandi "Eustacia" Carson.

[md10pc]

Congratulations on your graduation! I went to three different high schools (my dad was in the army) so I didn't have any "lifelong" school friends, but I did stay in touch with a good friend for several years after graduation. She went to college and became a teacher; I went straight to work.

This was many years before e-mail and Facebook, which make it so much easier to keep up with people!

[Anni M]

Congrats, King Jacob! :)

[King Jacob]

I plan on going to college in the fall. I'm going to major in English. At least that's what I'm leaning towards. I might be a college professor or a teacher. Though if I became a teacher I'd probably have to move to another state just to get a job. I'd also try my hand at getting a story or two published.

I know a few of my friends will be going to the same college as me, but that doesn't mean I'm going to see them everyday. But I'm going to try my hardest to keep in touch with as many of them as I can. We all have a Myspace so that is going to make things easier to comminicate, but it's not really the same.

Poisonbat: I'm so sorry to hear that your friend betrayed you, but I thank you for being so honest and forthcoming. I can't imagine how that must have been for you.
But congratulations on the graduations of your sons. I've no doubt that you are very proud of them.

[Girl87]

Congratulations King Jacob. I'll never went to high school so I don't have any memories of that. But my sister graduate from high school next weekend.

[DelvianBlue]

Congrats King Jacob!

Most of my friends and I stayed in touch for the first year or two in college and then we all drifted apart. Aside from Facebook, I haven't seen any of them in years. But I got involved with other activities and met new people so it all works out.

[Srbo]

Congrats, King Jacob! :smile2:

And you`ve read all about my HS memories already.:smile2:

[Damaris]

Congrats, King Jacob. :y: :cool2:

I fairly enjoyed high school and senior year was pretty sweet. I did well in class and already had my college acceptance letter so the second semester I really just goofed off, played pranks on teachers (nothing too bad), and waited for that cap and gown. I had three very close friends - we were almost joined at the hip - but after graduation we started to drift away almost immediately. I had a full-time summer job with lots of overtime, and so did one of my friends; one worked part-time; and one moved to a bigger city. It's life, you know. Sometimes it just pulls you apart. Two of those friends I haven't even seen in years; I don't know where they live or what they do or anything. One friend I did keep in touch with. She never left our hometown and though we have on occasion gone years without talking (not from fighting or anything, just from ... life), she is the only person I knew in high school that I even remotely know now. The only one, out of more than a hundred. It seems so strange. And, you know, it was basically the same after college. Of half a dozen really close friends I've kept in touch with only two, and only in passing.

Maybe it's just me. :dunno:

[marew1]

:smile2: Congrats, King Jacob! I graduated from high school in 1969. Yep, forty years ago!!! I went to three different high schools in my freshman year!. I have maintained contact with one high school friend all these years. A few of my activities was a reporter for the school newspaper, a library aide and a member of Future Teachers of America. I won second place in a school wide Creative Writing contest. I co-wrote a funny skit for the Senior banquet. Went to Virginia for my Senior trip. I also sang with the football team at the the Senior Assembly. The song was Sgt Peppers Lonely hearts Club Band. I changed the lyrics and song title- Mr. Pickens Lonely Hearts Club Team. Those were the days!

[tempest]

Congratulations, King Jacob! wish you the best this year and in the future. I loved highschool because I was able to goof off alot (and work 2 pt jobs). Nothing very memorable about my graduation because my older brother graduated with me (he stole the show) :laugh:

My friends went away to college immediately and after I turned 18 I was kicked out of the house 2 months after graduating. We are still friends but do not see each other. High School reunions help me catch up with people and I enjoy them.

[Matticus]

My middle daughter graduated from High School this past weekend. :love:

That is the best memory I have of High School to date.

[jenboxer77]

I graduated in 1997 as Salutatorian of my class. I actually had to give a speech to my classmates! I was soooo nervous, but would do it all over again if ever given the opportunity! I am much more comfortable speaking in front of people now! ;)

I keep in touch with quite a few of my friends. I still see three of my really good friends. One lives in Hawaii, but I talk to her and send her emails a lot. I also organized our 10 year High School reunion, so that helps me stay in touch. I also play Alumni Volleyball through the High School. I went to a really small school with a graduating class of 30 and I don't know if it makes a difference, but we were all really close. When we see eachother in passing it is like we have never been apart.

Facebook and Myspace have been amazing tools for reconnecting and getting back in touch with old friends!

[Seussy]

I'll be graduating next Wednesday and tomorrow is my last day, so I know how you feel. I honestly think Facebook is a really good tool for keeping in touch with people after High school. I just made one about 3 months ago and it is really easy to get in touch with people that you know as long as you can find them in a search (the easiest for you would be to search your high school along with the class of 09').

Congrats!

[AngelZ]

Congratulations King Jacob! I'm glad you have good memories from high school. High school and college seem like a distant galaxy to me now...

[Autumnlyn]

..and so it begins!!!

[pandora]

King J. ...... Congratulations !!!! It is such a major turning point in your life. Another door to go through!! How exciting and terrifying at the same time. If I had to say one thing about the "actual ending" of my high school days, it would be that I missed passing my friends in the hall or meeting them at lunch everyday......starting to plan my weekend on Thursdays with them and we would always hook up. But don't fret!!! As time goes by you'll miss it a lot less because your bound for new "highs"!! Life is great, you'll see!! The journey is everything!
Have you ever though of telling your friends that you all need to make a promise to each other to meet once a year for a killer BBQ/PARTY ? I'm serious! Pick a day when there is no school and a place. Can you imagine in about 10 years you'll have a tradition with your friends and their new wives, girlfriends, kids, and stay in touch regardless of how often during the year you see each other.
Follow the beam!!!

[Todash]

High school was a little schizo for me. I was really quiet and shy (if you knew me in person you would not believe this, but I swear it's true) and low self-esteem-y through my sophomore year, and then I just decided, with the help of a few friends and one really great teacher, that I didn't have anything to feel inferior about, so the last couple of years weren't too bad. I was friendly with a lot of people (many of whom have since hunted me down on Facebook), but I only had what I would classify as two actual friends. One I lost touch with a few years after graduation, essentially, and when I have seen her over the years I realize we had a high school friendship but no longer have much in common. The other friend I am married to. :)

As for my actual graduation, I remember that it felt distinctly bittersweet because I knew that my life afterward would change. And I was right; it did—for the better. My advice to you (not that you asked, but I can't seem to help myself) as a new graduate would be: If you can keep in touch with your friends, that's wonderful, but if you can't, remember that school friends are often friends for a season, and there's nothing wrong with that; it doesn't lessen their importance. You don't have to hang on too hard to your high school experiences. They are already a part of you. Reach out with both hands and grab whatever is next. Congratulations!

[BlueCeleste]

Congratulations King Jacob! Be proud that you have made it so far, it wonderful. Now the whole world awaits you. It’s funny, I just ran into an old classmate on the train and were talking about high school, she was looking fondly on it while I was more or less indifferent. No I haven’t stayed in touch with any of my friends, we tried but they had this and that and I think we all wanted to live our lives. I'm not sorry to say I'm glad those days are over. I doubt I would go to our reunion.