Often when reading other friend's blogs, I check their links to see if there are any other interesting blogs for my perusal. Sometimes I read blogs of people I knew from way-back-when, who have no idea that I am peering into their lives. Does this make me a creepy-stocker-person, or just a really bored housewife? Don't answer that.Anywho, today when I was going over said blogs, I came across a blog of a girl I pretty much only knew through other friends in highschool. She was more of a friend-of-a-friend type of friend. Get it? Moving on. Surprisingly enough, this "friend" was thinking of writing a story based soley on her own highschool--mine as well--and then went on to critique all the cliques and social niches of the students.
Now I went to this highschool, and I understand the rolling-of-eyes when you think of some individuals or groups, but I was really shocked at the bitterness behind the groupings. There was not one "group" or "clique" or whatever that she had anything nice to say about, and instead turned all of the students into shallow-minded, self-centered, materialistic beings. Or, if they weren't on the high end of the social ladder, they were sent to the bottom because they were "smart".
This got my end up, mainly because I have been sick and tired of defending my school from those that would lump the school together in one big group of materialistic jerks. Forgive me for being forthright, but I do not remember it that way at all. (And no, I was never one of the "popular" crowd, so that doesn't make me biased). Instead, I remember the majority of the students in my school being friendly, hardworking, and smart.
Yes, there were always a few individuals who didn't fit the norm. There were some jerks who thought they were better because they drove a sports car to school, and there were a few snotty girls who wore too much makeup--but overall this was not the case. I saw people of all groups (drama, band, sports, dancing, debate, physics club, etc.), move pretty freely through crowds and intermingling with everyone around them. But alas, no matter how often I have expressed this view to the common skeptic, the rude-self-absorbed-rich-highschooler stereotype over shadows the relieving truth: Most of the kids at Lone Peak High School (class of 2001) were friendly. If you think otherwise, I wonder if you were not so friendly, or perhaps just insecure? I know that in highschool I oozed insecurity, but I didn't classify the masses as cliquey kids who were trying too hard.
Now, I am not so big-headed as to think that my blog will be graced by said friend-of-a-friend's presence. She will most likely never read this post, or see how I have defended my school's honor. Call me a coward if you will, but I thought it would be rude and in-your-face to post a comment on her blog. I don't want any enemies--I want us all to be friends.
I want us all to be a little more forgiving of the people who bugged us in highschool. I can't speak for everyone, but I know that teenagers in general suffer occasionally from insecurity and trying to find who they are. Probably a lot of the behavior we saw was an outward shell of the person underneath. I hope I will be granted the benefit of the doubt in my case. In all seriousness, I literally blush when I think of how awkward my teenage years were for me. The immediate outward appearance did not scratch the surface of who I was then, and is worlds away from who I am now.
Go Knights!
6 comments:
Sometimes the complaint says more about the complainer that the item in question.
To complain about the cliques in high school, how utterly unorginal. Is this not the plot of every teen movies? The main character who just doesn't "fit in," the stereotypes personalities, and the inevitable triumph of the hero.
Further more, those who have grown up since then, feel no need to immortalize the past through biased ranting and raving.
Good entry.
Well said. I think sometimes your memories say more about you then other people. I've been surprised over the years to hear that some people won't go to the high school reunions because they didn't think they were treated well enough by others at high school. I always want to say, "You grew up. Give your classmates the benefit of the doubt that they did too."
Wow! Imagine my surprise to track back to you and find this! And imagine your surprise at getting this comment ; ) But don't worry, I'm far from offended. And I wish you HAD written that, because I always appreciate input.
But what you don't know is that that is simply the beginning of a book told from a first person point of view of a high school girl. And what you also don't know is that over the course of the novel she realizes that she was wrong and that everyone is much more complicated that we think they are.
So I'm sorry that you thought it was my point of view I was giving. And don't worry, that book's pretty far down my list of writing priorities ; )
Also, your little girls are beautiful!
Ah Kiersten! Don't you just love the world of blogging and the world wide web? Now I've gone and entertained you in ways you never before imagined.
I went back and read your post about Smartypants and did notice your disclaimer at the beginning about it being a story--I previously thought you were trying to set up your story with your own reminiscences.
I'm so glad you aren't offended. I do really want to be friends:) Blogging is my way of conversing with adults when they are not to be found--you probably know exactly what I'm talking about--so I often just spew my thoughts all over the screen.
I love your blog and think your kids are darling as well! Next time I will comment!
Excellent! I agree--blogs are my substitute for adult conversation, as well ; )
And thanks! I like my kids, too.
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