High School Stress Support Group

Go with what you believe. You can always educate yourself with books and movies of your choice. The school system is about conforming. Be an independent. Go You!

If you're still in high school, it may seem pointless, but just stick with it. Or, if you can, take the GED test as soon as you can, and take the SAT. That will help you with getting into a college instead of just being another drop out. And, if you don't want to go to college, that's fine. A lot of people don't. And it's okay to not seek a major job. A job is worthless if you don't enjoy it.

But, you said that you like to write. Well, my advice would be to seek out liberal arts colleges. They don't really focus on major career paths like main-stream colleges. And they tend to provide a wealth of writing courses. You can take as many creative writing, writing workshop, and philosophy classes as you like! It makes learning enjoyable while pumping up any future resumes you may wind up wanting to send out one day.

Also, getting a degree in any sort of writing will have you be in classes that make you learn how to write in different manners, and makes you able to evaluate styles more. So, you could be a novelist, a journalist, an editor for pretty much anything, hey, even a writing professor if you wanted!

You don't HAVE to do anything. But you SHOULD look at every possibility. I know for a fact that there are many colleges that focus less on learning factual-type material and prefer for you to mold the way you think. I should know, I attended one for a year. While it wasn't exactly for me, I know that for what your interested in- writing- it would be pretty much ideal for you.

Just a thought to help you out. Liberal arts colleges =]

I hope this helps, and if you want any more advice or info, don't hesitate to ask!

Well, one of my issues with getting a GED is that if I were to take that route then I would have to figure out how to fund college on my own. My parents wouldn't pay for anything if I were to drop out. I am currently looking for a job to make this more feasible, but never did I think that finding a simple job (it'd be my first) was so difficult.

I love Socratic dialogues and things of that sort, so maybe if school were structured in a different manner it would make it more enjoyable. By the way, what school did you attend?

I have the same problem. I've been thinking about dropping out of school since I was in the 7th grade only because I simply don't agree with it. You could drop out and get your GED and then,if you changed your mind,you could still get a good job without going to college. It beats working at McDonald's.

There's always FAFSA. They do recognize students with GED's. That's what I do. And student loans aren't very hard to get, so long as you have someone to co-sign who has good, established credit.

And yes, finding a well-paying job the first time out is REALLY hard. Fortunately, a lot of colleges do work-study too. Since it's the holiday season now, everyone is looking to pick up another job for extra cash. Try the malls. Granted, it might not be long term, but it'll get you some experience, and it shows other future employers that you were able to work under stressful situations, which is good.

Anyway, I attended Bard College at Simon's Rock. It's a school dedicated to students entering their 11th and 12th grade years, who don't like the way things go at high schools, and are very into the Socratic teaching. In theory, it's a great school for those seeking an education in liberal arts, and it's got a beautiful campus. Unfortunately, it is in the top 5 most expensive schools to attend, but getting a loan isn't bad and they do work with you. Another down-fall is that if you wanted to transfer out, pretty much the only way your credits will transfer is if you go to another Bard college. They have some seriously interesting classes there, and it is WAY easy to stay in shape!

Not that you'd have to go to that school, but it is an example of alternative educational standards and methods that are available. They also do kind of a dual enrollment thing, where your credits double as college and high school, so you also get your high school diploma while at the same time you get your A.A.

ok, god, I am in the exact same boat, my fingers are actually quivering in anticipation to talk to you... well, at least I was in the same boat last year, since then, the waves have dumped me on a more stable shore. I'm a senior in High School, I was a straight A student last year, amazing resume, exquisite...and I dropped out following what I have since named an "existentialist breakdown"
the whole existentialist philosophy ate me alive, I didn't even know what it was called, or that it existed, but it was in my bones, I think you feel the same way...this total disagreement with all of society, this longing for somthing else, this rigid horrible, pitifully idiotic school system of fruitless competition and futile dreams threatens to drown me sometimes
but I am a senior, and somewhere in me, even though I know I detest High School to the very core, I feel I'm in the right place, I'm going the right direction, you have to search inside yourself (maybe for a very very long time) for this feeling, but if you find it, I beg you to stay in school, ...
I'm applying to some amazing colleges for next year, some are easy to get into, some arn't, but they are all liberal arts colleges
my favorite is Evergreen State College in Washington, they take almost anybody, but a lot of extremely intelligent people enroll there because of their unique, innovative, "core program", please go to their website and ask for more information, they are amazing, they don't have grades, its all socratic seminars, small classes, right by the beatiful Puget Sound, surrounded by forest, it is amazing, the buildings are a tad hideous (cement) but you should visit if you have time/money
I know how you feel,
the more I think, the more I go insane and question EVERYTHING, and that's a good thing...it means we're not caught up in this death-of-a-salesman-like reality, brainwashed beyond hope
you need to find a school that will nurture you and your thoughts, that will let you be independent, and also foster free-thinking and creativity, ...doing stuff because your passionate about it...not because you feel like you "have" to do it, learning for the sake of learning because it fulfills you and is enjoyable and fascinating
learning because learning is beautiful
and taking back the right to an education unfettered by anxiety and idiotic grading systems
but schools that do that are difficult to find in High Schools, that is why we must stay this way, thinking this way, going insane, but still making it to College, read read read write write write, take you education into your own hands
some more suggestions for colleges(all liberal arts):
Reed (portland, Or., may be too focused on academics--over social education---)
Louis and Clark (no core program, this isn't my favorite, also in Portland)
Hampshire College (Mass., you design your entire curriculum from the start! its awesome, look it up)
St. Johns College in New Mexico (not my fave, nondenominational, great book program though, seminar-oriented, no lectures, very small)
(all the colleges I'm listing are very small)
there's a group of colleges in CA that are nice too, and in NY (a small amount),

my spirituality is like a mountain, formed by time, formed by experience, formed by harship, its fortitude is threatening, it is unmoved by the wind, it adapts to the forces around me
it has also (reluctantly) adapted to my school, I go to school, I learn, I come home, then I educate myself the way I want to either socially, academically, culturally, anything
I know, my college will help me reach greater planes of truth and spirituality within myself, and that is why I am staying in a system I despise
we all have to go through things we hate, but they do as they say, make us stronger
if we learn to thrive in an environment we don't agree with, we can learn to thrive anywhere
but there are two sides, protect yourself, your fate, your future, your desires
if you don't feel like where you're supposed to me, move
take it into your own hands
life is yours
do whatever you want with it
go to school or not
you may regret it you may not
you may regret Going to school, you may not
you may regret.....anything, but the point is: your life is going to turn out the way its going to turn out, then you die, everythings going to be ok, don't panic, you're going to live a full and amazing life, you are obviously a deep thinker, you are intelligent, beautiful, kind, you are a human being, you have everything at your fingertips
whatever you choose
whatever you do
whoever you become
is what you're meant to become
do some soul searching
but be wary of the capricious nature of the human heart
stick to your goals, but don't let them get in the way of your joy
stay calm, stay positive, adapt
you'll be fine

Thank you all for the replies-- it means a lot.

Hippylu - there is a lot i would like to say in reply, but I don't know where to start, maybe it is something that will have to just come out over time.