Middle School

[Jason]

How was your middle school or junior high school? What classes did you like? Did you participate in musical performance or sports? Were there any notable accomplishments or something close to that?

 

[Senkusha]

My middle school years were split apart by a relocation. The first middle school I went to wasn't the best. It did have a active marching band program, but many of the kids were toxic. If you didn't wear the right clothes, or have "good shoes", you'd be garbage-canned.

After I moved, the second junior high was much better! The staff actually gave me an entire week off from attending classes so that I could get acclimated with my new town. Both the faculty and the other students tended to treat me better, even though I was still extremely shy.

 

[Cory]

Middle school was the worst in terms of bullies and just general immature idiots.

I did play the baritone in music class and I wasn't very fond of it. I was always a big baby in that class, so I think my teacher loathed me.

I was in gymnastics from junior high to high school and although it was probably my favorite class, it was mostly a class I used to jump on the trampoline and play around with the equipment. I did get some exercise in, but I didn't reap the benefits that it could have done for me.

Honestly, middle school is something I'd never want to experience again, to be honest.

 

[Ravenfreak]

I was a band geek in middle school, and hung out with other band geeks. I didn't really have to worry about bullying much in middle school, but once I made it to high school that was a different story. I got bullied a bit Freshman year as well as Sophomore year and a little in Junior year. I was always the quiet kid who barely ever talked, so I suppose that's one of the reasons why I was bullied.

 

[Cory]

I was always the quiet kid who barely ever talked, so I suppose that's one of the reasons why I was bullied.

Bingo. That's why there was always a big target on my forehead, I rarely talked in school except to my very good friends. I was also socially awkward for sure. Social anxiety will get the best of you during such times.

 

[Ravenfreak]

Bingo. That's why there was always a big target on my forehead, I rarely talked in school except to my very good friends. I was also socially awkward for sure. Social anxiety will get the best of you during such times.

Social anxiety really does suck. I'm much better now as an adult, but I still struggle with it. I didn't break out of my shell until I got my first job at a local grocery store as a cashier.

 

[Cory]

Social anxiety really does suck. I'm much better now as an adult, but I still struggle with it. I didn't break out of my shell until I got my first job at a local grocery store as a cashier.

It's hard to determine for myself whether I'm socially anxious at times or just shy away from people. But yes, the more I got into the adult, workforce world, the less socially anxious I became.

 

[Jason]

Middle school was rough on me cause among a few things, I wasn't in sports, strong looking, or outgoing in some ways. Anyway, things were way different as the internet and mobile phones didn't exist for common people.

 

[Reverie]

Middle school was some of my worst years, but how I made the best connections.

I went to an elementary on the different side of town and gotten invited to this MST school (Math science and Technology) based on my English scores. I was upset because I was going to have to get to know new people and know no one. Thankfully I knew a person on the first day from summer camp. Due to that I made a few friendships the first day of school. One of those people is still my bestfriend to this day.

I struggled a lot in math, because due to going to this school I skipped a year in math. I also did not do well in 5th grade math because the teacher was ready to retire and she didn't care. So basically I skipped 2 years of math and started 7th grade math. My dad thought I was doing this on purpose to get to go back to the other school. No one believed I was struggling until 8th grade. I was grounded all 3 years - I was allowed on the PC to help my dad when he was gaming and he needed a 2nd person, and I would get ungrounded during the holidays usually. I went to the counselor almost daily. My counselor had done some research and discovered they shouldn't have even invited me to the school based on my scores and it was a fluke in the system and no wonder why I was struggling so much. When the counselor told my grandma and my dad that, they finally laid off of me. I got some help and it truly helped me.

Although I said I was always grounded, my grandma would let me go to work with her so I could get on the computer. Forums and Xanga were such an outlet for me back then! Middle school was also when I found out some things about my family. It was just a hard time and I'm thankful I made it out because I had so many bad considerations during that time period.

 

[MrDawn]

Middle school was the worst in terms of bullies and just general immature idiots.

That's what I dealt with too. It sucked being laughed at by everyone and treated like you were the biggest piece of shit in the world over the pettiest of reasons. I had to go see a therapist over some of that. I tell you, some kids have no morals.

 

[Cory]

That's what I dealt with too. It sucked being laughed at by everyone and treated like you were the biggest piece of shit in the world over the pettiest of reasons. I had to go see a therapist over some of that. I tell you, some kids have no morals.

I'm pretty sure bullying is what started my demoralizing view of humanity. I know we all go through stages like this, but bullying in school is a representation of what people can be like in real life. If adults could get away with harassment of this type, they would probably be doing so a lot more often, but adults are held to a higher standard than children. I've always had somewhat of a skewed viewpoint of humanity and it all started when I went from private school to public school. The public school opened me up to a whole new world where people were just downright hateful to each other.

 

[Jason]

I'm pretty sure bullying is what started my demoralizing view of humanity. I know we all go through stages like this, but bullying in school is a representation of what people can be like in real life. If adults could get away with harassment of this type, they would probably be doing so a lot more often, but adults are held to a higher standard than children. I've always had somewhat of a skewed viewpoint of humanity and it all started when I went from private school to public school. The public school opened me up to a whole new world where people were just downright hateful to each other.

Well, a big problem is that the world won't change for you. I hate bullying too. However, all we can do is control or reaction to it and if it becomes something that threatens safety, as in death threats or something, then the law has to be called into it. Anyway, I think there is a movement to make people a victim rather than encouraging people to be strong, and I think the real reason for bullying is a perception of "weakness" of the victim.

 

[Cory]

Well, a big problem is that the world won't change for you. I hate bullying too. However, all we can do is control or reaction to it and if it becomes something that threatens safety, as in death threats or something, then the law has to be called into it. Anyway, I think there is a movement to make people a victim rather than encouraging people to be strong, and I think the real reason for bullying is a perception of "weakness" of the victim.

Yeah, I understand that it will never change because that's like changing the brain chemistry of human beings. I suppose you have to take a step back and realize you have to take the right attitude and approach to bullying, which is to stand up for yourself and not ever let other humans bring you down to their level.

People probably thought I was "weak" in school seeing as in the fight or flight response I always took the flight response because I had so much anxiety at the time that I always feared the worst, had no self-confidence, and was somewhat of a people-pleaser.

 

[Jason]

Bob Marley was bullied as a kid and then he took up boxing and it stopped.

I think in the 80s it was more about fighting back from what was seen in movies, as opposed to now, where they are trying to persuade kids to be nice