Ahh.... High School Days

In the fall of 1973, I started high school.  It's been a number of years since 1977, the year I graduated.  Funny story about my graduation.  It was a warm June evening, we had commencement on the football field.  I have no idea who spoke, or what was said.  My parents were there, had driven in their car, my boyfriend was there, had driven in his car.  After it was over, the graduates had to leave their gowns in the gym and pick up the official diploma.  In the confusion of the day --- and because we didn't have cell phones back then --- I searched high and low for my parent's car, or my boyfriend's car.  I finally gave up and started the walk home.  It was about 8 blocks, and I'd done this walk every day for four years, except this time I was in a dress and heels!  Lucky for me, a neighbor was driving along and recognized me and gave me a lift the rest of the way!!   It's been a family joke for years!! haha

But now that it's been 46 years --- yikes!!--- I look back at those years and wonder why I had so much angst about the whole ordeal.  It was only four years of my life, and yet at the time, it felt like it was everything important.  The emphasis on the social aspect of high school felt normal at the time, but looking back, I realize now that I put too much importance on what all the others were thinking and doing, and not enough effort into what I was feeling, thinking, or doing. 

In high school, we all want to fit in, to be part of the norm.  But like one of my favorite quotes from the show MASH:  Major Frank Burns says "Normal is everybody doing the same thing at the same time.  Trappers asks:  "What about individuality?  Frank replies:  Well, individuality is fine-- as long as we all do it together."  And that kind of sums up the high school experience. 

For me, I knew I didn't fit in with two of the major cliques:  the "field rats" and the "rah rahs".  I was chubby/fat and very introverted.  What seemed so very important in those few short years weren't very important in the bigger scheme of life.  The people ... I can barely remember the majority of them.  Of course, a few close friends stick out in my memory, and/or we stayed connected after graduation for a time.  But when it comes to the real life we all embrace after graduation, the importance of our peers is diminished. 

If I could give my 14 year old self some advice just before starting high school, it would be:

• Be yourself, and don't cave in to peer pressure
• Set some goals -- and work toward them!
• Take lots of interesting electives - it will help you choose a career path
• Don't beat yourself up in your mind over the little, silly things

High school was a long time ago.  But some memories never completely go away; revel in the good memories, and forget about the bad ones! 

Wilcox High School

Santa Clara, CA

Class of 1977