Page 2 | Did you peak in high school?

Itsfridayiminpub · 2022-09-15T21:28:43+00:00

Or know people that did? What are you/they like now?

SirenSays · 15/09/2022 23:22

No! I hated school and couldn't wait for it to be over.
It was a poor school in a rough area. I didn't get my dyslexia diagnosis or any support until college.

Ohpaella · 15/09/2022 23:32

No way. I had a nice group of friends and it was ok, I didn’t do too bad despite an awful family life and bullying at school for a health condition, doing better now interesting public service career I love, have no idea about the ‘popular’ girls as I moved away in teen years.

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Itsfridayiminpub · 15/09/2022 23:32

@StopStreet So sorry 😞

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Itsfridayiminpub · 15/09/2022 23:34

@Wouldloveanother Popularity, happiness, looks, intellect…all around really
Were they the best times in people’s lives really, when all round things were great and they felt they were at their best

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SockQueen · 15/09/2022 23:38

Academically, probably - I subsequently did well at a very prestigious university, but discovered many distractions along the way! At school I was more focused and quick, though was more of a big fish in a small pond than at uni.

Looks-wise/socially/happiness, no. Much better at university.

Thepeopleversuswork · 15/09/2022 23:38

No, God know. I'm 50 and I'm just peaking now.
Frankly I'm a bit suspicious of anyone who peaked while they were still at school. If your best life was lived when you were pubescent, still under parental supervision and didn't know what you wanted from life it's going to be downhill from that point onwards.

SimonaRazowska · 15/09/2022 23:42

I think I know what you mean

the really cool popular girls at my school are all doctors and lawyers now and pretty happy/successful

Personally I have yet to peak 😄

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Itsfridayiminpub · 15/09/2022 23:44

*All round, not around

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Itsfridayiminpub · 15/09/2022 23:46

@SimonaRazowska Really? You sometimes/often hear the opposite

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HardLanding · 15/09/2022 23:49

Yes. Then I was diagnosed with ADHD in 2017, got medicated, went to a good Uni for UG and PG.

Betty98 · 16/09/2022 01:16

Itsfridayiminpub · 15/09/2022 23:46

@SimonaRazowska Really? You sometimes/often hear the opposite

The most popular girl in my year is a GP.

(But big asterisks that I didn’t live in a U.S. teenage movie and I didn’t go to school with Rachel McAdams so there wasn’t an “official” popular girl. However, becoming prefect was definitely a popularity contest with all the most liked kids becoming senior prefect. The girl I’m talking who became a GP was head girl.)

TheBeesKnee · 16/09/2022 01:33

Absolutely not, not in any way shape or form 😂

At school I was bullied and socially awkward.

College gave me new freedom and I plotted my escape from home.

At university I unravelled a bit as I started processing my less than ideal upbringing. My choice of degree was a mistake and I was too young to be making such life altering decisions. I should have had a gap year.

My early 20s were spent in shitty, stressful, poorly-paid jobs and living back with my parents. I probably looked the best I ever had but was miserable.

I just turned 30 and I'm finding life is getting better and better. My confidence is stabilising and I am happy and content for the most part. I have my own home, a good job and money to live comfortably. I can go where I want and do what I want lost 2 years to covid though. I am able to help people in need, and I am finally pregnant after TTC for 4 years. I am excited for the future

antelopevalley · 16/09/2022 02:03

Struggled socially at school. I did have some friends, but not many. I realise now my social skills were not great. Now I have lots of friends and a busier social life than as a teenager.

youlightupmyday · 16/09/2022 02:15

I was onced asked by my PE teacher if i thought i had peaked at 15! I think she was trying to be a bitch tbh.

My friends and I were the cool group I suppose (8 of us). We were all the senior prefects, captains of sport etc too. Now four are financially successful in our own right and the others are married to men who are successful too. Interestingly, we went to a prestigious private girls school and only one of us married a public school boy. The rest of us are with men that were state educated and came from very different backgrounds to us.

All of us are happy currently but there have been bumps along the way for all.

Ponoka7 · 16/09/2022 02:28

Janedoe82 · 15/09/2022 22:49

Yes- one was the captain of the hockey team, loved herself. Now just has a fairly ordinary job in NHS.

But if you go by the OP's definition of peaked
"Popularity, happiness, looks, intellect" unless you know what's going on behind closed doors, you can't answer that for her.
We should teach our children that life isn't a popularity contest. As you get older popularity isn't important. You realise how rare contented people are. A job that pays the bills and allows a good work/life balance let's you be at your peak, even if it is an ordinary job in the NHS (which means a good contract, sick/holiday leave, permanent work, overtime if wanted etc etc). I think women in particular are far too complex to make firm statements about peaking. I felt that I went a bit stagnant in my 40's (thanks peri menopause), but I'm having a great time in my 50's. From the outside it probably looks like I peaked in my 30's, but each decade bring new chapters.

Skethylita · 16/09/2022 06:25

No, not in high school.

My looks peaked in my mid-twenties, recently took a dive due to covid hair loss (short hair really doesn't suit me) and weight gain, but both are in the process of being rectified, so while I may never look my best again, I can still look pretty.
In contrast, in high school I had no style, because I was not allowed to express myself at home and barely ever had money to buy new clothes.

Academically, I peaked at university (even though I only scored in the top 15%), now my job is too specialised to allow for the vast breadth of knowledge I used to have, though I am very well-versed in what I do now.
In high school, I was top of my class, but it didn't mean much, because I was relentlessly bullied, so couldn't enjoy the satisfaction knowledge and grades could bring.

My personality and self-confidence haven't even begun to peak yet; I have only been able to build them up since my mid-30s. Suddenly, I know what I want from life beyond just my career, I don't put up with shit anymore, am more outgoing, much more comfortable in myself. It started with SSRIs and a divorce, now life is just getting better and better.

It would be sad if everything had peaked in high school - what would there be to look forward to?

OldAndTubby · 16/09/2022 07:07

I don't really know what you mean by 'peaked'!

I was quite pretty in high school. Definitely not now!!!

I was miserable, underachieving and would quite happily have been knocked down by a bus and died when I was in high school. Now I'm happy, married, have two wonderful children. I've a good job and a nice house and most importantly want v much to live, and to live life to the fullest!

Have I peaked? No idea and still don't even know what that even means

FastFood · 16/09/2022 07:12

No but I never had any issue at school, had friends, was rather popular, and was ok physically without making much effort.
I don't think I ever peaked, I see myself more on a sort of a reasonnably high plateau.

lightisnotwhite · 16/09/2022 07:19

saraclara · 15/09/2022 22:39

I peaked in primary school! Went to grammar school, realised I wasn't going to be effortlessly top of the class any more, and totally lost interest! All my school reports were 'does not work to her full potential' or words to that effect.

Consequently I have a very ordinary (but happy) life.

Same! Loved school, popular, clever and arty. Then I went to a horrible comp and it went rapidly downhill.

Sadly I found out that one of the coolest girls in my high school who was a good friend for a couple of years there, died a few years ago. So I think you have to think positively about it all as you just never know.

3WildOnes · 16/09/2022 07:32

I was very pretty, popular and in all the top sets in secondary school. I was quite popular, was invited to all the parties and dated the popular boys.
I definitely peaked looks wise in my youth. I look pretty average now. I didn't go on to achieve great things, I don't have a 'big' job. However, i work part time in a job I love. I have a wonderful husband, three amazing children and a lovely house. We are financially comfortable and can afford to send our children to private schools and go on lovely holiday.
So people might look at me and my looks have faded and I don't have a big career and think I peaked I secondary school but actually I am much happier now.

overwork · 16/09/2022 07:42

I remember one of the really popular girls at school, I once went to her house and she had piles of 'love letters' from boys. Her parents were well known and they threw parties for us all. At some point she dated someone slightly famous. I didn't keep up with her after school but recently saw her FB profile and oh my, how she had changed. I've no idea what happened in the intervening years but she did not look great and from her posts wasn't really working, revolving door of men etc. It was actually quite sad to see and a bit of a shocker. Handily for me I flew quite under the radar at school and have continued to do so. I'm really happy with my lot, but I don't think anyone from school would notice or care.

TheHideAndSeekingHill · 16/09/2022 07:47

I wasn’t pretty or well dressed, but I had a better group of friends in the later part of secondary than I’ve ever had since. And I guess by that I mean bigger/more supportive. It’s the only time in my life I’ve had that thing where you’d go “let’s all go to the park on Sunday” and 20 of us would turn up and have a wonderful time.

I’m honestly not sure who the most popular kids were at my school (quite a depressing school in many ways) but the girls I suspect were most popular are now working in health and fashion. Not making headlines or anything but I think their fields of work suit them. It’s the bullies I would want to see fail, not those who were pretty or popular.

MrsMigginsCat · 16/09/2022 07:50

I thought I'd peaked at secondary school. I was the cleverest in my class at primary school - I'd taught myself to read by the age of 3. Excellent GCSE grades and was predicted the same for A-levels but then it all went downhill. My DM had severe mental health issues beginning when I was 18, I got terrible A-level results and ended up in humdrum jobs all through my 20s and 30s.

In my late 30s I finally went to uni and found my academic mojo again. Graduated at 41 with a first class degree and now do a job which makes me happy and earns enough to keep us comfortable. I've reached my peak now at 50, but boy it's been a long climb!

Badbadbunny · 16/09/2022 07:58

No my High School years were my "trough" not my peak.

I was a straight A* pupil at the end of primary school. High School was a nightmare with constant bullying (verbal, physical and theft) that the teachers ignored. I hated the place and didn't do well. I left without any qualifications (grade Us in everything).

Once I left the awful hell hole allegedly called a school, I taught myself and did evening classes at a local college and eventually got my A levels, then did self taught/evening classes for my accountancy qualifications. It took a long time (hard when also working full time), but I became fully qualified in my late 20's and have been running my own accountancy practice for over 20 years now!

That's inspite of my crap comp education, not because of it.

As for friends, forget it. I suffered so badly, I don't have any friends as I can't trust anyone and always expect to be bullied from any potential friends which means I can't help but keep them at a distance. Work is fine as I can keep staff/clients at arm's length and I'm in control. Luckily I found a soul-mate who also had hideous secondary school experiences and we've been married 25 years after a VERY slow getting together (took over 10 years to trust eachother to commit and get married!).

mountainsunsets · 16/09/2022 08:04

No.

I really struggled in school (undiagnosed autism as well as various other MH issues) and university was tough too.

I'm now approaching mid-thirties and I've never been more content with my life than I am now ☺️ married, own a home, run a successful business doing what I love - my teenage self wouldn't recognise me.