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School report triggering unhappy memories

7 replies

LeonardoAcropolis · 07/03/2013 17:39

Hello, just need to vent amongst understanding peoples.

Even though it's 20 ish years since I took my A levels I am still carrying a lot of baggage about them. I always worked hard at school and despite only being middle-ability, I got very good GCSEs. I decided to take A levels because that's what was expected of me but I knew I didn't want to go to uni. Fair enough.

However. I chose the wrong subjects, was completely out of my depth and was very, very unhappy. Rather than ask for help I more or less gave up and hardly tried with my work, making me unpopular with my teachers. This really upset me as I was always a very diligent student and was always eager to please. Being a teenager I didn't deal with it well. One teacher was very unpleasant to me and my confidence was at zero. Needless to say, I failed one and scraped an E with he other.

Since leaving school my life has been great, joined s nice company after school, met DH there, and now a SAHM and have ambitions to do an open university degree.

However, today my parents gave me a folder with all my school reports in, including a level ones. It trigger a really nasty memory, shall I just shred the bugger?

How can I shake off the lingering sense of failure and inadequacy? It was such a long time ago.

Thanks for reading.

OP posts:
LeonardoAcropolis · 07/03/2013 17:48

Sorry, meant to say in the section about life being great since (disturbed by kids) I do suffer with anxiety from time to time, since my a level years and i do believe that I was suffering from depression at the time and memories still do trigger bad moods.

OP posts:
Scootee · 07/03/2013 17:52

Set fire to the bloody lot (safely!)

It's just old crap, be proud of yourself for your great life.

BeerTricksPotter · 07/03/2013 17:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Mrsrobertduvall · 07/03/2013 17:58

Get rid of them!
I did the same with hundreds of photos taken in my 20s and early 30s..not happy times.
I burned them all. Felt so much better.

NeverKnowinglyUnderstood · 07/03/2013 18:09

I totally feel for you...
I was a great student at GCSE and rubbish at A level. V similar experience to you except I got 4 U's.

I have kept my school reports.. mainly because I want to be able to talk frankly to the kids when they are older. and when they tell me that I don't understand I want to be able to sit with them and let them know that I do and that I want to help them through it. If they want to read about me being told off. or not trying hard enough or not turning up then I am happy to show them.

However, if you feel it would be cathartic then do it... have a bonfire in the garden and a glass of wine Smile

Waferthinmint · 07/03/2013 18:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LeonardoAcropolis · 08/03/2013 09:42

Hello, thanks for your replies.

I shall shred! There is absolutely no point hanging onto any reminder of such an unhappy time, although I do feel much better this morning.

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