As I was cleaning out my computer files today, going through photos and old scans, documents and what not, I found a file called “Rantings” which I didn’t recognize. When I opened it, I found that my daughter (who just completed her freshman year of high school) had vented her thoughts about school one day on the computer. It’s mainly a rant focused on her fellow freshman at school, but also applies to the rest of the student body as well. There were a few “nuggets of truth” (Newsies reference) hidden in these rantings, so I wanted to share them with you. Please remember – this is written by a youngster that just turned 15. You’ve been warned.
At the end of my first year at SHS, I would like to say a few words on some things I’ve seen and stayed quiet about this past year.
• Stop kissing in the hallways! Just stop! I don’t care how deep your prepubescent passion is, it’s just not right. If your gonna make-out, go in the janitor’s closet, or the library like normal people! Not smack-dab in the middle of the hallway where people can see you and your perverted doings with your boyfriend/girlfriend.
• Don’t be mean to people who are different from you. I really shouldn’t have to say it, because people should have gotten this through their tiny brains years ago. Whether they’re a different skin color, gender, have a difficult past, dumb, smart, tall, short, skinny, fat, talented, or completely ordinary, you must treat them the same. And don’t count on the teachers/admins at school to “make things right.” You set the tone, you make a difference.
• If the teacher says “no earbuds in class”, they mean NO EAR BUDS IN CLASS! Is it that hard for you to take them out for just one period? Do you have THAT MUCH separation anxiety? And speaking of separation anxiety … your phone! I know for a fact no one at this school has a life, so who is texting you in the middle of class? Do you really think that what Tiffany bought at Starbucks is more important than your education??
• The teachers at this school take time out of their day to make sure you succeed in life, and not become that creepy guy who hangs around outside Safeway asking for money. They actually care about you and your education!
• STOP SINGING IN THE HALLWAY! YOU’RE NOT TALENTED (unless you’re in choir – they’re pretty freakin talented) !
• IF I WANTED TO BE PART OF YOUR LITTLE SOAP-OPERA, I WOULD HAVE AUDITIONED!
• Really, everyone just wants to pass the class and go.
Now with her freshman year completed, and after reading some of what she might say to her classmates, I wonder what the rest of her high school years will be like!
Joan Merrell is a solo mom to two daughters, a widow, and a security technician at Oregon State Hospital. Oregon native, farm girl and 4H leader, maker of homemade bread and chocolate chip cookies, she balances (more or less) full-time work with caring for a home filled with a teenage daughter, 2 entitled cats, and a hyper German Shepherd. She enjoys gardening and hiking, reading Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti novels, and searches for a few spare minutes to communicate with her grown daughter and son-in-law on her Marco Polo app. Find out more about Joan here.