Do you miss secondary school?

MRnotlob606 · 22-01-2016 11:02PM

The Hurlers, I loathed them in school. Thought they were the sh1t going around. The were like the untouchables going around and the teachers loved them because they played hurling.

FatherTed · 22-01-2016 11:37PM

Hated secondary school.

Now my yankee daughters(twins) are in Junior year of High School here in the US, I have to say they have it very easy. They have their SAT and ACT exams coming up shortly but next year and their senior/final year looks to be a real doddle, just applying for colleges and me writing checks all over the place. I have to saw though they do put the work in and are getting good grades but looks simple enough compared to the stuff I went through. They think I'm old and crotchety when I talk about the leaving cert etc. Which I am:)

Azalea · 22-01-2016 11:59PM

Earthhorse wrote: »

Sounds quite like my experience only we didn't have a great building or facilities and I didn't try too hard to be popular. It was good and bad to be honest. Mostly, I don't miss it but we definitely had some good laughs too.

Yeah we certainly had laughs also. Oh I was still the strange one into the weird music, but I was considered funny (as in haha... the other funny too though

) which helped. I wasn't doing all the other stuff (drugs, under-age drinking/sex) to be popular, like all the cool crowd were doing though. The one thing I did succumb too all right was, as I said, the eschewing of academia, which was a mixture of not wanting to be seen as a swot, but also pure laziness.

I think people are way too harsh on the curriculum too. Sure, it could be improved, some of it drastically, but it's not as bad as people make out.

Subjective I think. I probably would find much of it interesting now, but it was boring for me at the time.

It wasn't a hellish experience for me or anything but I just don't miss it.

I can understand college not being easy for people. It doesn't suit everyone.

9de5q7tsr8u2im · 23-01-2016 12:03AM

Honestly thought college was going to be just as in the movie, 'American Pie'
Its sad how Over exaggerated it is....

Think it would be way fun in college in the us than ireland, especially with the weather!

Schwiiing · 23-01-2016 12:06AM

MRnotlob606 wrote: »

The Hurlers, I loathed them in school. Thought they were the sh1t going around. The were like the untouchables going around and the teachers loved them because they played hurling.

It was football on our school but the same applies. People hanging on their every word. Continued after we left school when some of them, now household names, fell into some handy well paid jobs despite barely a brain cell between them.

Azalea · 23-01-2016 12:08AM

LuckyDude12 wrote: »

Honestly thought college was going to be just as in the movie, 'American Pie'
Its sad how Over exaggerated it is....

I agree there is that expectation that people who go to college will be having a wild time for three or four years, and it's just taken for granted as the norm - when it's not at all for a lot of people. But that doesn't mean that it's not the reality for plenty of people either.
I did arts for under-graduate and there were hundreds of us so the close-knit circle of friends thing didn't really materialise for me - it was more of a social butterfly thing: people you'd be pally with but not close friends with. My friends from home whom I wasn't in college with remained my closest friends.
My postgrad was a much smaller group though, and we all hung around together the whole time and were really close and that was more like the idealised version of college, so I think the size of your class does make a significant difference.

Locker10a · 23-01-2016 12:09AM

mariaalice wrote: »

The premise of a lot of deep and meaningful American films is the guy who had his glory day in school and now is a looser who spend his days reliving his past, mean while the quiet nerdy loner who never liked school has now gone on to become wealthy/ cool/ and hansom

Sentimentalising the past is not a good idea.

I wouldn't worry about that! I don't tend to worry about Hollywood films being a realistic depiction of reality........:D

Tea-a-Maria · 23-01-2016 12:27AM

I was a swot in school. High grades and good reviews by teachers all round.

But would I go back? F*ck no! I wouldn't wish the inadequacy and social awkwardness I felt in those years on anyone.

Moving out for college did me the world of good. Good grades be damned. :pac:

Azalea · 23-01-2016 12:29AM

MRnotlob606 wrote: »

The Hurlers, I loathed them in school. Thought they were the sh1t going around. The were like the untouchables going around and the teachers loved them because they played hurling.

It was like that in my primary school. Weren't into GAA? Loser! (According to teachers too).

Azalea · 23-01-2016 12:31AM

Tea-a-Maria wrote: »

I was a swot in school. High grades and good reviews by teachers all round.

But would I go back? F*ck no! I wouldn't wish the inadequacy and social awkwardness I felt in those years on anyone.

Moving out for college did me the world of good. Good grades be damned. :pac:

I was the opposite - lazy in school, but worked hard in college. I just found the third level courses miles more interesting.

janja · 23-01-2016 01:08AM

No with a capital N , hated every moment of the time spent there. I still shudder when i pass it. Bloody nuns.

Earthhorse · 23-01-2016 01:14AM

Azalea wrote: »

The one thing I did succumb too all right was, as I said, the eschewing of academia, which was a mixture of not wanting to be seen as a swot, but also pure laziness.

Yeah, I didn't mean to impugn your character. I was called a 'swot' for five years by one bully just because I paid attention I did homework. Wasn't particularly swotty but there you go.

Subjective I think. I probably would find much of it interesting now, but it was boring for me at the time.

It wasn't a hellish experience for me or anything but I just don't miss it.

I can understand college not being easy for people. It doesn't suit everyone.

Well, of course it's subjective, I just think people are too harsh about it. It wasn't like I loved every subject or found every class stimulating. I'm also sceptical of people who say they would find it interesting now; like people who say they'd love to be able to speak Irish but you don't see them taking night classes in it.

I don't miss school either but there are aspects of it I do (like the camaraderie and all that).

I was too young going to college personally and studying the wrong course so it was sort of a disappointment on both fronts (social and academic).

beertons · 23-01-2016 01:18AM

Like a bad smell. So no.

Azalea · 23-01-2016 01:21AM

Earthhorse wrote: »

'm also sceptical of people who say they would find it interesting now

Why is that? E.g. I had no interest in poetry at school but I really like a lot of poetry now.

like people who say they'd love to be able to speak Irish but you don't see them taking night classes in it.

That's different I think. One is being all talk but not doing anything about it, the other is viewing things from a different perspective.

Earthhorse · 23-01-2016 01:41AM

Azalea wrote: »

Why is that? E.g. I had no interest in poetry at school but I really like a lot of poetry now.

Probably lots of reasons. Studying anything can take the joy out of it. In some ways I'm glad I didn't study English at third level because I honestly hate all the "theory of literature" stuff that gets bandied about. I think being able to take things at your own pace and gravitate toward what interests and appeals to you is really important in exploring any subject.

If you were to study a course on poetry now what are the chances the course material would be 100% poetry you like? Pretty slim. Okay, that's really just one reason but there multiple facets.

Or maybe you've just matured.

buried · 23-01-2016 03:05AM

A cold, grim, grey sh!thole of unimaginative learning and regimented formulaic boredom. Thank the F**k those days are gone forever. I'd rather manually saw off my own manhood and throw it all in a fast flowing river than go back to them days.
There was two good days I can barely remember, one when it pelted down such an amount of snow where everyone knew the kip would be closed the next day. That and the last day of having to go to the institutionalized stinky grim sh!thole. Every single day that I'm further from that utter lord of the flies kip I'm free and winning. I'm glad to say I gleamed more knowledge and sense in the 20 years I've been away from the place than the 5 I was forced to be in it.

buried · 23-01-2016 03:06AM

A cold, grim, grey sh!thole of unimaginative learning and regimented formulaic boredom. Thank the F**k those days are gone forever. I'd rather manually saw off my own manhood and throw it all in a fast flowing river than go back to them days.
There was two good days I can barely remember, one when it pelted down such an amount of snow where everyone knew the kip would be closed the next day. That and the last day of having to go to the institutionalized stinky grim sh!thole. Every single day that I'm further from that utter lord of the flies kip I'm free and winning. I'm glad to say I gleamed more knowledge and sense in the 20 years I've been away from the place than the 5 I was forced to be in it.

23-01-2016 05:36AM

Good enough time in school but it all went sour for me cause or a rumour which resulted in the entire school bullying me mercilessly for about two years. Slowly got ok again in sixth year though when it died down and I made some good friends outside of school so the ssues there didn't matter so much.

There are still a few people I'd be happy to hear about getting killed or maimed or whatever cause they're still bad people but in the end, I only think about them when the daft notion of visiting home enters my mind or I see a thread like this. My friends stuck with me through the whole thing actually so it could have been a lot worse.

mojesius · 23-01-2016 07:00AM

ArnoldJRimmer wrote: »

20 years later, any time I'm stressed, I'll dream about being back in secondary school. It still fills me with an awful sense of dread even thinking about it. My Leaving Cert year was the only one I actually enjoyed, even with the additional pressure and study, as the end was in sight. My biggest motivation for the Leaving was never having to set foot in that sh!thole again. So yeah, not particularly happy times

Yeah I have the leaving cert nightmares as well. Someone telling me that I have to sit the entire set of exams, even though they know I haven't read a syllabus book in 15 years. Terrifying stuff.

I went to a convent school where half the faculty was comprised of nuns. The maths nun teacher would pull out youth defence abortion leaflets every few weeks and read the unborn child's poem in tears for the duration of the 45 minute class. Another uaed to run the **** library and would hunt you down in the corridors to pay your 25p book fine. We had to attend a nuns funeral every other week. Fcuking depressing stuff.

I guess some of it was funny, but it was coupled with incessant bitchiness and bullying that went on in all years, which the teachers totally ignored or fuelled. If I ever have kids, it's co-ed all the way!

Have to second people's thoughts on the school curriculum. I quit history as soon as I could after 3rd year as the teachers and most of the topics bored me senseless. (Did anyone else turn Sean Lemass into Shirley Bassey in their history book to pass the time?

) Now, the majority of books I read are about history and in hindsight, i'd have loved to study it in university.

Edit: the only thing I miss is the holidays.

MRnotlob606 · 23-01-2016 09:43AM

mojesius wrote: »

Yeah I have the leaving cert nightmares as well. Someone telling me that I have to sit the entire set of exams, even though they know I haven't read a syllabus book in 15 years. Terrifying stuff.

I went to a convent school where half the faculty was comprised of nuns. The maths nun teacher would pull out youth defence abortion leaflets every few weeks and read the unborn child's poem in tears for the duration of the 45 minute class. Another uaed to run the **** library and would hunt you down in the corridors to pay your 25p book fine. We had to attend a nuns funeral every other week. Fcuking depressing stuff.

I guess some of it was funny, but it was coupled with incessant bitchiness and bullying that went on in all years, which the teachers totally ignored or fuelled. If I ever have kids, it's co-ed all the way!

Have to second people's thoughts on the school curriculum. I quit history as soon as I could after 3rd year as the teachers and most of the topics bored me senseless. (Did anyone else turn Sean Lemass into Shirley Bassey in their history book to pass the time? ) Now, the majority of books I read are about history and in hindsight, i'd have loved to study it in university.

Edit: the only thing I miss is the holidays.

I turned Joseph Goebbels into "The minister for propaganga" and I drew dreadlocks on him.

razorblunt · 23-01-2016 09:58AM

MRnotlob606 wrote: »

I turned Joseph Goebbels into "The minister for propaganga" and I drew dreadlocks on him.

I turned Maidhc DainÍn O Se into Mrs. Doubtfire.

Means Of Escape · 23-01-2016 10:00AM

fermanagh_man wrote: »

Simpler times

Sh1ttier times in every way .

qo2cj1dsne8y4k · 23-01-2016 11:00AM

No I don't miss secondary school at all. I'm more confident now and would eat the horrible bitches who made my life miserable in school alive. Infact I love when I meet horrible girls from school and they try speak to me now.
Life is much better since leaving school.
I can binge drink in warm places.
I can apply makeup properly now.
I no longer have to text with my phone up my sleeve.
I don't have to tolerate anyone else speaking down to me.

Fluffy Cat 88 · 23-01-2016 11:49AM

No.

Left in 1988 with a smile on my face and never looked back.

I remember the last day in there, some girls crying and lamenting that it was all over. I felt it was all just beginning for me - I longed for independence, a job, a car, all now within my grasp.

I didn't even bother going to the reunion a few years ago.

FluffyMcCardy · 23-01-2016 11:57AM

Not for a single second even though I've reached an age where you begin to begin to think nostalgicly about the past. I walked out that door with my Leaving results and never looked back. 38 years ago.

Basically I've blanked the whole rotten period out of my life. However I wouldn't blame the school. There were several good teachers and a notable lack of bullies. It was really quite a liberal school for the seventies. Even the priest was cool. But I hated the whole thing. It was like doing a prison sentence. In fact my whole teenage years were a grim slog. No friends no fun.

The truth is the best years of anyone's life are from 18 to early 30s and if they're bad well poor you.

Avatar MIA · 23-01-2016 12:03PM

Rose tinted glasses here. I liked it. Repeated 6th, that was less fun, but didn't take school too seriously (hence having to repeat) and enjoyed it. Got serious... Eventually... in college.

heathledgerlove · 23-01-2016 02:17PM

razorblunt wrote: »

I turned Maidhc DainÍn O Se into Mrs. Doubtfire.

A thig na thit orm! Or however you spell it. I just remember him trying to sneak into a girl's room in the Gaeltacht? And getting chased away. And endlessly playing an bosca ceol

Trebor176 · 23-01-2016 05:39PM

I have to say that I do miss those days. Ok, so my days were long (I left the house around 7:30 in the morning and got home around 5 in the evening) and I dreaded having to face the homework in the evenings, but the school was great, and the teachers and staff were excellent.

In school itself, while some classes were just work and no banter, others were great craic, whether it be the teachers being sound and up for a laugh, or those that tended to have the piss ripped out of them. Of course, there was usually great craic with my school mates as well. Bus journeys home with some others was usually a great laugh.

I had my ten year school reunion last year, and, although I haven't seen much of those that attended from my year, we still got on so well. Hopefully we'll get together again in the near future.

AppleBottle · 23-01-2016 06:58PM

5th and 6th year were good craic, I would go back, provided I didn't have to take the LC again *shudders*

Means Of Escape · 23-01-2016 07:49PM

You can gauge the popularity of secondary school by the attendance numbers at reunions .

Do you miss secondary school?

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