My Experience In High School

The high school experience is something you'll never forget, even after graduating onto college and other careers. Toll Gate High School is a place where you learn who you are as a worker, but mostly as a person. Being in high school entails that teachers aren’t always going to be there to help with every situation or problem and that you have to fend for yourself with the large workload. This to me, was my wakeup call into true independence. Having independence is finally realizing that you are capable of doing things on your own without having somebody watching over you the entire time. After the eighth grade, I came to this realization. Whether the teacher was teaching the alphabet in kindergarten or teaching formal essays in eighth grade, I have always had teachers that would figuratively hold my hand with my work. I became so used to the fact that teachers would give me so much time for everything, that once I went to high school it just hit me. I have realized that I am fully capable of doing this, and the feeling of confidence turning in a report or paper will be genuine because it will be my accomplishment.

As I begin my final year of high school, I reflect back onto my last graduation. I consider myself lucky to have attended a unique educational program. The school I attended for 9th grade wasn’t traditional. It was a 25 student Montessori program, serving grades 7-9, in accordance with Maria Montessori’s 3-year education system. I was in 7th grade when I entered the program from a traditional school, and I had never seen anything like it. Whether students were bringing back vegetables from the farm next door, cooking coffee cake for their peers to enjoy, feeding our flock of 5 chickens, or ordering this week’s office supplies - I knew I wanted to be a part of it. Yes, we had the traditional math, science, English, history and language classes, but the unique practical life aspects made it so much more than just a traditional school setting. It was a community full of opportunity and new experiences. This new take on education sparked a love for learning that I will carry with me for years to come.

“So, why did you choose to come here?” a dorm proctor asked the very first time we met, right in front of my room in Bancroft Hall, which would be my new home for the next nine months. Confused and a little jet lagged, I did not respond; I nodded, smiled, and stepped back into my room. As the door closed, locking me into my little world of isolation, I thought about the question. I did not know the answer, for I did not “choose” to come to this school. In fact, I expected to attend a school in the UK. However, as a Thai Scholar, I did not have much choice but to go wherever the Thai embassy told me to go. As fate had it, I was placed in one of the most prestigious high schools: Phillips Exeter Academy.

The struggles of and the struggles people created for me during my high school years. Honor student, very quiet, ad never been apart of the crowd. The desire to fit in only resulted in a terrible experience and the devastation of the grades on my transcript. I became more into my social life then my education. It took self analyzing and the realization of the dreams that I want to achieve for a spark of change to come.

At the beginning of semester, I was not sure if the course was going to be enjoyable. There were some classes where I thought I had already learned some of the lectures in High School. I asked myself many times, “Why is this course required?” However, as the semester went by, I sort of started to understand the reason for the course. I had never attended college before, and I didn’t really know what certain things were,for example, Financial Aid. The topic time management was also influential across the semester. Learning a little more about my personality was also something that was influential across the semester.

Of all the things I struggled with while growing up, school wasn’t one of them. The classroom was like a second home to me; everything, from the sights (desks in neat rows, spotted multicolored linoleum), to the sounds (chalk against the blackboard, shrieks on the playground), and even the smells (a combination of glue, disinfectant, and wet paper towels) wrapped me in a cocoon of comfort and familiarity. I enjoyed doing assignments, and getting to know new teachers. Purchasing new school supplies felt like a second Christmas.

My life has currently led up to now, the end of my eighth grade year. This year has been quite the experience. Academically, I've learned so many new things and gotten good grades. What I've learned about life though has been a completely different experience. This year has taught me what hard work and perseverance provide, how to be myself, and self-acceptance; All of which are lessons I will be able to bring along with me to high school and on.

“Hey, move out of my seat!” she snarled at me. “Of course princess.” I fakely replied back. But I still moved. There’s nothing else I could’ve done. I would’ve had to face another day of insults and curses hurled at me by her and her entourage’s petty mouths. It’s not like she usually sat there, it’s just because I just happened to sit in a place where all of her little minions would fit as well.

It's my freshman year. I was at the top of the “food chain,” and now I'm at the bottom yet again. It's the end of the first semester for me. My grades aren't looking too good. Or at least I am getting what I expected to get. English is low, it always has been, always will be, I expect that. I have nothing new here. Math looks great, solid “A” in the class, as usual. Math is where I shine math is where others fall. Math is the one thing keeping me alive now. Other classes are low, too low for my liking, but they will do if I great on finals. All I can do now is study for finals. My grades are low not because I'm a dumb guy. I'm just, different. I have ADHD, Attention Disorder and Hyperactive Disorder. I obviously don't have the HD part where I can't control my body and flail around uncontrollably. I have the AD part. I have trouble with Attention. It's hard for me to concentrate most of the time. I'm going to tell you how I learned I have it.

Throughout my high school career, all I really knew was wrestling. The hard practices, making weight, and the camaraderie of all my teammates is all I cared about. I lived and breathed the sport, all thanks to a friend of mine that encouraged me to go to one practice Freshman year. Looking back now that I have graduated, like many other people I wish I could go back and do it again. I want one more match. But life goes on and I must keep going. Going through high school wrestling has shaped who I am today, the confidence I developed, the self-discipline, and the leadership qualities I learned. I am so glad I took on the sport.

The day I left home for the first time to start Junior High was a bright day, brimming with hope and optimism. I’d always done well at school, so expectations for me were high, and I had gleefully set foot into a new chapter of student life, relationships and experiences. Now appearances, of course, can be deceptive, and to an extent, this spirited and energetic persona of mine had only been a veneer, although a very convincing one. The truth is underneath of it all, I was deeply unhappy, insecure and fundamentally frightened-- frightened of other people, of the future, of failure, and of the emptiness that I felt was within me. Despite all of this, I was very skilled at hiding it, and from the outside I appeared to be someone with everything to hope for and aspire to. This fantasy of invulnerability was so complete that I had even deceived myself, and by the end of the first year, no one could’ve predicted what was about to happen.

As you begin your high school journey, there are many things that you should know. First off, hallway etiquette: walk on the right side of the hallway, and although it may be tempting, do not run or scream. All of the upperclassman will be thankful if you do this.  Although proper hallway etiquette is what many seniors want freshmen to know, there are many more important lessons to be shared to find success in high school. You must do your best at all times, but also learn to cope with failure when things do not work out the way you had hoped. Do not take anything for granted, and always be grateful.  Your experiences in high school will change you, and it is vital that you use these experiences to grow.

In the middle my 8th grade school year, I had to move and transfer schools. I was not at all pleased with this move because the new area that we lived in was completely different from what I was used to in my old neighborhood. Being at this new school, I spoke to a few people but I mostly just kept to myself. Until I met a girl named Morgan. We had to work together for a group math project. Once the project was over we still remain friends because our personalities were so similiar. She got me out of my comfort zone, showed me the ropes around the school, and even introduced me to a lot people that I eventually became friends with own my terms. Our conversations at school soon expanded to talking 24/7 at home. Later we realized that we lived about 5 minutes from each other and that made our friendship grow even more closer. By the time the school year came to an end we had become full blown bestfriends.

In my senior year of high school I took a ceramics class. One day the teacher invited a professional potter who taught us a convenient way of making pottery. This experience was significant, because it taught me something I never expected to gain from high school which was to broaden my horizons, and approach different subjects with an open mind. I ended up making many pieces at home using that technique.

At first I thought high school was going to be a breeze, but was not a breeze at all. The classes seem very hard for me. I tried my very best even though I thought it was hard. I gave my freshman classes my all but still getting ok grades I wanted an A on my class work but I was not getting those grades. I felt like a big failure. So I started not to care I gave up really gave up. I started not doing my work and stop participating in class. I was skipping class not giving a care in the world. I kept getting into trouble. Always in the dens office and that was just my freshman year. My report card was really unacceptable I would cry when I see my grades but I know It’s because I would skip class and not do my work. Summer was coming up school is getting to an end and I got my report cards again and I see my GPA was so horrible and my guidance consul Mr. Martin called me down to his office to talk to me about my grades and that I’m starting freshman year all over again . He was telling me to get on track, it’s not the end of the world that I can still do it if I focused on my work. So I told my guidance consul Mr. Martin I would do my best.