I’m Glad I Went to Normal, Boring High School

When I look back at my past, sometimes I regret not doing more with my high school career. I went to a normal, boring public high school in rural North Carolina. I had other options, but ended up staying at my home school, and most of the time I was happy. But sometimes I think about who I would be if I had a different high school experience.

I wonder what would have happened if I had gotten a full scholarship to that private all girl school. I might have made totally different friends. Perhaps my best friend would be named Penelope and have a summer house in Cape Cod. Maybe I would have met a cute rich guy at a dance with our brother school. Maybe I would have been like Rory on Gilmore Girls, academically challenged and struggling to fit in. Maybe I’d have obsessed over my grades, or maybe I’d slack and get kicked out. Maybe I would have gotten into an Ivy League and studied pre-med like my parents always wanted.

But what if I had gone to that performing arts school? What if I had actually auditioned for what I loved, theatre? If I had gotten in, I’d probably be stuck with mediocre roles and tech work. Maybe I would have developed my passion for writing earlier. Maybe I would have gotten my first kiss in a play. Maybe I would have gone to prom with an angsty guy who played guitar. Maybe I would have gotten drama awards and auditioned for BFA programs around the country. Maybe I’d be auditioning for Broadway right now.

But I didn’t go to either of those schools. I went to normal, boring public school. I rode a bus to a parking lot next to the football field. I had a rival with whom I became almost friends with senior year. I went to choral and theatre competitions. I took Spanish and sat next to a guy who always smelled like weed. I suffered through freshmen PE. I took two online classes. I went to Future Farmers of America Day and got out of class to walk around and drink lemonade. I said Macbeth in the theatre freshman year and the fire alarm went off for 15 minutes. I volunteered with a ministry at the middle school and went on summer trips with them that changed my life. I took AP psychology and dressed up like Miley Cyrus for a project. I wrote a play with my friend freshman year that we rewrote senior year and took to competition. I fell asleep in Earth Environmental Science. I ate lunch in the library senior year. I got a crummy part in my senior musical and dealt with it. I took time off school to film a movie. I stayed up late doing homework. I skipped English class to get Starbucks. I genuinely liked some of my teachers.

I went to normal, boring public school and I am me. And that’s all that matters.