School's Out

It's the season for high school graduations and that often finds us "slightly" older folks reflecting back on our own high school days. A Facebook friend (who is also a high school friend) posted these questions. I thought I'd share them here as kind of a fun way we can take a look back.

Class of: 1982

School: Derry Area High School

1. Did you know your spouse?  No, I didn't. We went to the same school, but he was a senior to my sophomore. We didn't meet until 2 years after I graduated. He was working at the same factory my dad was and we met when Dad got me a job there during my Christmas break from college.

2. What kind of car did you drive?  I didn't drive. I didn't get my license until I was 22, something I wasn't thrilled about. Dad wouldn't teach me to drive. He said I had to take Drivers' Ed. That wouldn't have been a problem, but the school district was having budget woes during that time and they canceled Drivers' Ed that year.

3. Where did you work?  I didn't. Dad thought it was important for me to have time for school work and sports.

4. Where did you live?  Basically the same place I live now, but I moved around a good bit before ending up back here.

5. Were you popular?  Not in the way you mean. I had friends and knew lots of people in all different kinds of groups, but I wasn't in that group of super popular kids.

6. Were you in choir?  Good grief, NO! That would have cleared the auditorium in record time.

7. Ever get suspended from school?  I never got kicked out of school, but I did spend one day sitting in "the box," a small, windowless room used for in-school suspension. The crime that landed me there? A friend told a joke in study hall and I laughed. The teacher had a thing about absolute silence so we both got in-school. A bit of overkill, don't you think?

8. If you could go back, would you go back?  Not for anything in the world!

9. Still talk to the person that you went to the prom with?  I never went to prom. I got asked by a few people, but never anyone I wanted to say yes to. 

10. Did you skip school?  I suppose this is where I have to be honest and admit that I did. More than once. Back in those days it was pretty easy to get away with it.

11. Go to all the football games?  I'm sure I missed a few, but I did go to most of them. There wasn't much else to do around here.

12. What was your favorite class?  I took virtually all the English classes my school offered so I'd have to say those were my favorite, but I also enjoyed Advanced Psychology and Astronomy.

13. Do you still have your yearbook?  Of course, one for every year (including jr. high).

14. Did you follow the career path you wanted?  Not even close! I wanted to be a world-traveling reporter.

15. Do you have a class ring?  I do and I was so mad back in school that Mom and Dad wouldn't agree to buy me a gold one. Some manmade metal called "lustrium" was the big thing at the time and way cheaper than gold, which was at a ridiculously high price at the time. As an adult I can appreciate where they were coming from. Even the the cost of lustrium was a big waste. I got the ring in time for my senior year and wore it all that year, but I have never worn it since graduating.

16. Who was your favorite teacher?  Mr. Giotto. I never actually had a class with him. He taught the boys gym class and health. He was my homeroom teacher, though, and at the time he was a young Italian hottie. He was also a very nice guy...more of a big brother to all of us in his homeroom. He took the time to talk with us and get to know us and offer us advice. Other kids were always asking to change homerooms, but those of us in Mr. G's homeroom stayed there all the way through school.

17. Did you letter?  Believe it or not, I did! I was a pitcher on the girls' softball team.

18. Did you graduate with a 3.0 or higher?  I did. I graduated with honors.

19. Did you graduate?  Based on the previous question, yes. LOL

20. Did you walk across the stage?  Of course! It was the only way I was going to get my diploma. It was also where I found out one of life's truths as shared by one of the speakers at commencement. That growing up we think it takes sooooo very long to reach the point of graduation, but once we walk up one side of the stage and take that diploma and walk down the other side...time speeds up, going faster and faster the older we get. One of the truest things I've ever heard.

So, tell me what your school days were like!