Fed Up With School

Hi. I'm new on these forums, and I'm hoping this is the right place to post about this. I'm an 11th grader in public High School, and I'm contemplating dropping out. I'm fed up with the work that serves absolutely no purpose except to take up time...justified by the fact that doing it will show that I'm "disciplined"; time that I'd rather spend doing more productive things like drawing and writing, and developing my spirituality, and thinking about more important things that are happening in the world. The lack of freedom and the pointless rules, and so many other things are becoming too much for me to be willing to just "deal with". I'm going through hell with just about everyone around me who thinks this is a stupid idea. If I do drop out I will get my GED and maybe go to college. I want to be a writer, and some kind of spiritual teacher, and I'm pretty disgusted by the fast-paced, void-of-meaning lifestyle the adults around me have. I would rather spend my time exploring my creativity and developing the spiritual aspects of myself. Knowing that in two years I'm going to have a diploma that pretty much shows that I've conformed and simply done what the higher authority has told me to do regardless of how monotonous makes me feel like sticking it out isn't worth it. I feel like these next two years if I stay in school are going to be a complete waste of my time. Being a writer is the one thing I'd enjoy doing. I've already written a book that I'm rewriting, but I do know that it's very hard to get published, and I'm aware that there's always the possibility that I'm not good enough a writer to make it a career...but at least right now I have something. This is all very much in a nutshell, but I'm just looking for advice. Is dropping out as bad of an idea as everyone's telling me?

 

That's the way it goes for sane people in high school. If you've got much conceptual intelligence, (which it sounds like you do), you'll see the flaws in the system that a lot of people don't. It can be terrible at the time, but you've got to do it. Trust me, I felt just the same in high school; I did drop out for a year, actually. I hated it, but I did go back, and I'm pretty glad now that I listened to some of the smart people who told me to get my high school education.

You sound like a smart guy, and I think you'll find that university is one of the few places you can go to develop that. You won't develop it by becoming an electrician, (unless you do it all on your own, of course). Universities will give you some trouble if you just have a GED; not to mention that getting your GED is a lot more work than going to high school. You'll be behind without it, man. Do yourself the favor of not starting yourself out with a handicap. Most anything you want to do in this world requires a high school education. Walk away with your diploma and you can laugh about it afterward: don't let them run you off.

 

Let's just say this, being creative is great

- I write and read
- and taught in music theory and can play several instruments
- played nationally at sport
- had a few poems published

but that does not mean it's worth dropping your education over. I am not telling you these things to blow my own trumpet

in fact, I am telling you because i'm in my mid twenties and am, for the second time, pursuing a degree. I went to sixth form (final two years in UK schools) twice, and I regret mucking about in school and dropping out before my exams.

My passions, and furthermore those dreams I had, they never worked out. I tried my hand at the sports and I played and gigged in plenty of groups- but it wasn't to be.

Trust me, creativity for the most of us is something of a past time, never get your hopes up. I know someone will tell you to 'follow your passions', and I agree, but get yourself some working education just in case. Stay in school, what you learn is not pointless.

Last thing I will say. I hated algebra and trigonometry, and used to say like the rest of my class, 'when would I ever need to know this stuff??'. I did an engineering degree not too long after, I was fine at physics, but as it turns out, algebra is needed in at LEAST one very large industry. Whoops!

Good luck, anyways.

 

Ah guys thank you so much. I've kind of realized in the last day or two that i would like to go to college and get somewhere in the world, and it has finally dawned upon me that there's not really anywhere i can get without my diploma. so school sucks. at least i realize it. and im glad to know that university won't be as bad. thanks again for the advice <3 im not gonna quit.

 

Absolutely, university is a million times better than high school. It will not stifle you, it will PUSH YOU to expand your interests and knowledge without forcing you to conform, the whole purpose of university is to give you the chance to pursue your interests. High school sucks, and it will not get any easier or better. But if you can pull off the next year and a half, you will be glad you did in the long run. I hope it all works out for ya, you sond like a very intelligent and creative individual. I'm sure you will find what you are looking for.

 

I dropped out when I was 17, got a ged, and was enrolled in college and taking classes before anyone in my grade had graduated high school. It was a blessing in a way because I got my degree before anyone else, but still I wish I had not dropped out of highschool. I hated highschool because I didn't like to be around alot of people, I was always nervous and people pissed me off because they breakout in talking and laughter in class and the teacher would get pissed. I went because I wanted to learn, I left because people were holding me back from it. Personally I would recommend staying in highschool, its something I regret dropping out of, when you get older you realize those kind of things. I'm not going to preach to you and tell you to stay in school, but you made it 11 years through school, the semesters almost over you got one more and then you have your senior year. I would try and tough it out, get good grades and get a scholarship. Best of luck to you.

 

college will probably be better, but not if you go to community college. Community college sucks just as much if not worse than highschool. You seem intelligent so you will probably do well if you could just get to a school that's at least in a place you can tolerate.

But you'd be surprised what you actually can take from highschool, I remember some things that helped me eventually even if it took years to put the knowledge to use.

 

There is nothing wrong with community college in general, but there are good and bad schools. You just need to do some research on them beforehand and pay them a visit, talk to current students, etc.

 

i'm an 11th grader at a public high school too hah, but i'm dropping out after this semester and finishing out high school via home schooling - it's all planned out and what not. my main thing was that i actually enjoy learning, and for the past year and almost a half i haven't learned a thing. i figured if i'm homeschooled i can get through the requirements faster and go on to deeper learning, stuff i'm actually interested in. so yeah, drop out, IF you have a plan that will still allow you to get a diploma/GED on time.

 

I'm an 11th grader too, and I've actually considered just leaving everything behind to go off and do... (I can't even remember what my plan was anymore) Though, I also have some problems at home, so it wasn't just school....

But yeah, high school is frustrating, especially when you have to conform and watch everyone else accept the conformity, while you feel like you're going insane. It really is a sign of your own sanity, trust me. But like you said, if you don't have that education, you can't really get anywhere. Just stick it out and try to ignore the fools around you. It's gonna suck, but you kinda just gotta deal with it. It's gonna all pay off in university.