The last year of school saw me lose all interest in education. Money is all i seemed to care for. I found school monotonous to me. Most of the subjects id never need anyways. Private circumstances also pushed me towards dropping out. I was failing half the classes because of poor subject selection. Being in an incompatible class doing a subject i hated was seen as a better option than doing the classes i wanted to do, after all socialising was more important than my schooling and future. I still passed year 11 with A’s in English, and history but then its not like i learnt anything that year. School began a day here and a day there towards the end. Until i decided to never show up anymore. I miss those days and the fun i shared with my mates. I miss having so many people around me.

I guess if i was to go back in time, id do a few things differently, but then i was barely 17 when i dropped out of school. I could say that ive learnt more since ive left school , than in the days ive spent studying. It makes me realise just how poor public education really is. Not once at school were we taught poetry, politics, philosophy etc. No wonder the tertiary sector is suffering from low quality students, and thus such a huge dropout rate. I miss those days, and the girls that made me smile, the mates that made me laugh, and the teachers that could never pronounce my name right. Those were the days that shaped me into being who i am. Ive grown substantially as a person since those younger years, but reminding myself of those days really makes me realise just how far ive come.

To all the secondary students out there, stick with your schooling. The days there may seem tough, but believe me when i say this, they are nothing like a full time labour job! Enjoy your times with the ones you like and the ones you don’t, because someday you’ll miss both! And follow your dreams, do the subjects your good at, and that really suit you. School is a transitional period of huge personal growth. Don’t ever give up on this most vital of times, if you do you’ll be compromising your future. At the end of the day ask yourself this; Do i want to work and make a pittance with my hands? If so dropout of school, or Do i want to work with my head and make a descent gentleman’s wage? If so don’t ever give up on your education, no matter how much you loathe the days there. The days at high school will be over before you know it, and so don’t waste the precious time you have there. Sure if your intellectually deficient, dropout and do something requiring a more hands on approach, like a trades apprenticeship. Otherwise you’ll be the greatest fool in the world if you do drop out when you have potential! I’ve been down that road, and now all i could wish for is to get back on the education bandwagon.

I had some rough years at a very rough school, and i gave up on myself. As a result i went through the last 6 years in pain, exploited doing a menial job. Don’t make the same mistakes as i did, or you’ll be sorry you did. Once the years are gone, there’s no regretting people! I have the old high school days on my mind daily, i miss those days. I was a student with potential and i fucked it all up. Today im unemployed, permanently injured through work, used and abused, flogged out and burnt out. Im left with mere memories of the easy school days. I work towards a new future and life goes on. How were your days at high school?