From A+ to F-

I have a confession to make. I'm a high school drop out. I made it through school up to my junior year, then I left. Most people find this hard to believe for some reason. Apparently, it's impossible to be an articulate, funny drop out. Even worse, it's impossible to be an intelligent drop out with a future. In all honesty, I've gotten a bit tired of the stigma, and I'd like to set some things straight.

First, let's clear the air. No, school wasn't too hard for me. Yes, I understood everything I was taught. No, I didn't get anyone pregnant. No, I didn't have to help support my starving family. School just didn't work for me. I showed up to class when my friend didn't feel like driving all over creation. I usually spent the periods sleeping or talking. (Please, at least try to look surprised about that last part.) Assignments were done when I wanted, if I wanted. Homework was just out of the question.

I know I wasn't the easiest student to teach, but I do feel like part of my problem was school itself. I loved learning, always have, always will. But being forced to learn the date the Magna Carta was first drafted and with what hand seemed pointless. Teachers could only inspire me to do work when it was something I already enjoyed, like learning about Shakespeare. Otherwise, they just didn't know how to reach me. And in their defense, it wasn't their fault. The educational system is flawed at best, with teachers over-worked and under-paid. They didn't have time to figure out how to get to me and the other 30+ students for my one class.

The one regret I have about dropping out was robbing my parents of the chance to see me walk across the stage and get my diploma. That hurts, and it's something I'll never be able to change. But even then, I wouldn't have changed my mind about leaving school. Since I quit, I've worked almost constantly, gotten my GED and scored flawlessly, helped guide my brother by teaching him how to work the school system his way, and more importantly, grown into an adult. I'm looking at schools right now to instruct me in my dream job, and I know now how to make it school work for me. Dropping out was not, and will not, be the end of my future. It was the beginning. What everyone else views as a "kiss of death" I see as a breath of life.

I may have dropped out, but my star is still rising.