I hate school what should I do?

Jamie,

This sort of depends on if you are talking about high school or college. Could you please give us more information? You really need to get a HS diploma, but beyond that, there are lots of options.

If you hate high school, the question then, is what exactly do you hate about it? Are you being bullied? Do you have no friends? Do your clothes look different than what everyone else is wearing? Do you hate math? Do the teachers not help you enough?

Please let us know what the issues are, and I'm sure people here will provide you some guidance. Life is not easy when you are young, and we've all had different experiences ourselves that we can relate to!

Kim

(part 2) OK, so you are physically and emotionally safe - that's great news!

The first thing I'd suggest is to try to make it more exciting. People who got involved in activities while in high school have much stronger memories than I do. I did almost nothing - just managed the wrestling team one year - that was it. So if there is something you can join, go for it! Acting, music, sports, debate, etc - there really is almost something for everyone.

Secondly, I agree that school seems to be a huge waste of time - especially since you probably spend most of it counting down how many minutes are left till class gets out. I suggest trying to work your lessons into whatever interests you. For example, how would you turn Greek mythology into a video game? You have dragons that exhale blankets of fog that cover the whole village, a Trojan horse filled with people, etc.

Third, accept it. Period. There will always be things you have to do that you don't want to - attending funerals, congratulating the person who beat you out for a promotion, etc. It's part of life. Although 4 years seems like eternity right now, it really will go by fast.

What you really don't want to hear: HS is required to do just about any job that's out there. If you do not finish it now, your options will be very limited. Your salary will likely be lower. You could always get a GED later, but you won't have the help and support that you currently have from teachers and family. By not getting a HS diploma, you are closing the door to so many opportunities. They might be things that you think - "I won't ever do that," but fact is, people change their minds ALL the time. You don't want to be in a position where there is something you want to do, but you can't, just because you did not finish school.

From 2008- 2016, the economy was really bad. Lots of people could not find jobs. So, they went to school instead. There are now a LOT of people running around out there in the job market with degrees. You will be competing against them. For everything. Although they are older than you now, in a few years, all of you will be peers.

Finishing anything is an accomplishment. Finishing school is a big accomplishment. You will be proud of yourself, and your family and teachers will also be proud of you!

There really is no need to rush into adulthood. Being an adult is boring, and it gets old, really fast. It's filled with responsibilities and decisions. All the time. Years on end. And more years added to that. Just think, from 25 to 85 is sixty years. And you think FOUR years is rough?!? Take time to enjoy your youth!

True Story: I once had a customer who had lost his job as Director of Operations at a big company. He had been over 1200 people. He made really good money. He had never expected to lose his job. In fact, he had worked his way all the way up from custodian. But the company fell on hard times. He was laid off. Finding a job comparable to the one he had lost, in both pay and area of responsibility, would require a college degree. He did not have one. He actually did not even have a HS diploma. Never needed it. Now, he had to settle for whatever job he could get.

Sorry for the lecture! Hope you understand what I am trying to say!

Let me know if you have comments or questions!

~Kim~

Love your question, Jamie. I did well in school but had plenty of times where it wasn't my favorite.

Here's the thing: you don't need school to be successful in life. Sometimes the real life experiences prepare you more than the book learning will. Once you find something you're passionate about you might discover something you want to get schooling in, but more likely you'll seek out people in that industry and make your own home-grown path to get to what you want to do.

If you do like reading there are a few good resources out there that can help you put together a game plan.

Below are some of my (yes biased) recommendations: