How do I deal with high school? [Archive]

Ann13

8th May 2014, 07:01

4thInter

8th May 2014, 07:56

Bro i know that feeling, get your music device and listen to the red army choir, that propaganda music will get ya moving :grin:

Admiral Swagmeister G-Funk

8th May 2014, 10:10

Ann13

8th May 2014, 20:25

Bro i know that feeling, get your music device and listen to the red army choir, that propaganda music will get ya moving :grin:

haha i actually should start listening to them. though do you know how i should deal with teachers getting overly involved in my grades/classes?

Ann13

8th May 2014, 20:35

just get through it as best you can. i hated secondary school, rebelled all the time and got expelled permanently for it when i was 15. don't regret it but it made things harder for me post-school. managed to get into university but it took a lot longer than it should have. my brother did well and we're in the same year now even though he's 3 years younger. just keep your head down, do the work even though you hate it and remember that its only a few years. people always said that to me and when it was over with, i was surprised by how "quick" it seemed to go in the end.

I don't know...I don't want to focus on the future at the cost of the present as that's all we ever really have. I'm good at working my ass off when I want to.

I'd be really frustrated if I did that. Though I'll do enough to understand everything and pass classes in school.

Ann13

9th May 2014, 19:59

Does anyone have any thoughts about this?

Admiral Swagmeister G-Funk

15th May 2014, 00:18

I don't know...I don't want to focus on the future at the cost of the present as that's all we ever really have. I'm good at working my ass off when I want to.

I'd be really frustrated if I did that. Though I'll do enough to understand everything and pass classes in school.
communists don't believe that the present is all we ever have. if we thought that, why would we bother fighting for a better future? we do fight for a better future and that should be personal as well as social. sometimes you have to do the best with what you have, cliche but true.

BIXX

15th May 2014, 01:47

Wonton Carter

15th May 2014, 04:06

I graduated high school a couple years ago, before becoming leftist. High school can be rough. I'm thankful my high school teachers were decent people. Honestly, don't let the fear get to you. If you let them get to you, they have control. That's just my thoughts anyway.

Alan OldStudent

15th May 2014, 07:03

I'm okay with high school. I like the people and some of my teachers. I hate doing my work though and I feel somewhat pressured by the administration of this school. I take regular classes now but I'm doing a few APs next year (I find them interesting). I'm being forced to take an Honors class even though I barely finish my work now and always turn it in late. My counselor says I should learn how to adapt now so I can learn how to deal with my boss in the future and that sort of mindset really angers me. I'd actually been pulling consistent allnighters in the past but then, I realized I shouldn't have to go through that sort of stress just to finish my work to please authority figures and get ranked among my peers. My mental and emotional health matter much more. I also prioritize learning over education.

Next year I'll have to attempt to manage Cs and Bs. I'm not passing currently (I was a really lazy freshman) so I need to do enough pass. I'm fine with getting a C average as long as I get through high school. How would I do that? I'm taking APUSH (I'm actually looking forward to this class), AP Psychology or AP Art, English 3 Honors (the class I'm being forced to take), Precalculus Honors (I expect that I'll be able to manage a B as I'm a really good test-taker), Chemistry (repeating), PE, and French (repeating). Also how should I deal with teachers who try to instill fear in other students regarding their futures?

EDIT: My post was typed out oddly.

Here are some thoughts of an old man, meditating on what he might like to tell his younger self if he could go back 50 or 60 years to have a little man-to-man (human-to-human) talk with himself. Although these words are addressed to myself as a young man, they are equally applicable to a young woman.

http://alanoldstudent.nfshost.com/general_images/Dingbats/divide4.gif

Try not to let school interfere with your education.
Try not to let your education interfere with your passion for justice.
Remember that compassion is subversive, so be subversive.
Remember that rational thought and self education have revolutionary implications, so be a revolutionary.
Try not to needlessly burn your bridges behind you.
Try to understand different points of view before making up your mind.
Don't be afraid to change your mind in the face of experience, evidence, and considered thought.
Try to think clearly, speak clearly, and write clearly.
Read excellent writing, literature, poetry, polemics aloud!!. Reading it silently is not good enough. You've got to hear the rhythm, the interplay of sound and meaning, the design of words on a canvas of silence. Read great writing aloud with passion. That will develop your communication skills. Our most important tool as revolutionaries is clear communication.
When your hormones seem overwhelming, learn to make love to yourself, to be kind to yourself, to forgive yourself for whatever silliness you feel ashamed of. Learn what pleases you, what makes your body quiver. Learn how to go slow in making love to yourself and, when you are ready, to others. Remember what pleases you may not be what pleases others. So learn to be sensitive to what your lover wants if you have a lover. Learn give-and-take.
Speaking of hormones and love, it's okay to say yes as well as being okay to say no. HOWEVER, it's never okay to refuse to hear no, to coerce, to manipulate, or to bamboozle. That's no way to treat friends, and it's a bad idea to make love to someone for whom you do not have friendly feelings.
In dealing with educators, question authority, but don't be arrogant when you do so.
Don't be afraid to be wrong, and don't be ashamed of having been wrong. Quit taking yourself so goddam seriously. Lighten up on yourself, young man!
Try to leave this world a better place than it was when you came here.

Regards,

Alan OldStudent
The unexamined life is not worth living—Socrates
Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto—Violeta Parra

consuming negativity

15th May 2014, 07:51

I'm about to graduate from high school. Wasn't worth it.

School was the worst decision I have ever made.

If you must go to school I'd recommend doing what you can to graduate earlier. That might make it better.

I do recommend working on getting friend support if you can. I currently am D-sniping, so I can spend my time doing more important things (focusing on getting the Portland Modern Academy actually functioning, having fun, learning separate from school, etc...)

Find something outside of school to devote yourself to (that you actually enjoy). You may see merit in dropping out for that thing.

Don't submit though.

People are gonna be pissed at me saying this, but this is ridiculous and angsty. Dropping out of high school is almost unequivocally a terrible idea. You know this, which is why as much as you're shitting on the education system (which is in many ways deserved), you stayed in school and are getting the piece of paper. You'll be glad you didn't drop out with a year left when your diploma is saving your ass time and time again whenever you have to interact within the system.

OP: You don't have to be amazing at everything, and frankly your grades don't matter virtually at all unless you're trying to get into a really prestigious college or something. In which case your blood matters more than your grades. Handle what you can manage and don't stress if things start to pile up. Teachers aren't all evil nuns waiting to ruin your life; they're people like you who are literally just being at work trying to do their job so they can go home and eat chips on the couch in their underwear. The ones worth talking to will give you breaks on things and can give you some pretty awesome advice.

In that sense, you get out of things what you put into them. High school can be a drab indoctrination through which you lose all individuality and learn to repeat the mantras of the American establishment, or you can use your wits. Make connections, learn how to spot bullshit, and get a piece of paper for it that lets you compete with college grads for minimum wage jobs. Jumping through the hoop when appropriate isn't submitting to the establishment, it's picking your battles and using your brain.

Red Economist

15th May 2014, 08:25

Also how should I deal with teachers who try to instill fear in other students regarding their futures?Teachers will give you a hot and cold treatment. They will talk about how (under capitalism) you can get any job you want, become a success and 'make it' (that's the hot) if you work hard enough, want it hard enough, do your homework, pass your exams, etc (that's the cold).

The main thing is accepting that your future is indeed your choice, and that whilst a great many people will try to sway you one way or another (and quite legitimately, you'll resent them for it) under any economic or political system- it's still not going to be a free ride. The tricky party is knowing that doesn't mean you can't have fun.

Doing Exams is an awful experience as it is really about the fact your being judged based on what you did on two to three hours of one day. The exams are for them; the teachers need to prove they've actually taught so something and they need to be able to fit you in a box when it comes to the labor market. In terms of a 'wage labour' system- you're paying your way to get them off your back so you can go and do something you really want to do (most probably in your own time, but not always. you might find a decent employer and job that you'll enjoy working with; it does happen and is dependent more on the people making life bearable/enjoyable, even under a shit system.)

the best thing to do is to stay in school (but desire to tell "the system" to "fuck off" is natural), but learn all the things they don't teach you at school which is how to be happy in your life, how to make good friends, learning the difference between friends and people pretending to be your friends, falling in love, having sex with someone you like and enjoying it and not getting hurt/hurting anyone else, knowing how to overcome a broken heart, how to live on not very much and not resent it because society measures you for 'success' not self-worth, and how to deal with the anger which comes from living in a system which is not in your interests in a healthy way that gives you self-control.

Best advice, is to chose your battles wisely.

And your Councillor probably hates his/her boss. ;)

though do you know how i should deal with teachers getting overly involved in my grades/classes?

my mum was a teacher (in the UK) and I can promise you that most teachers hate their jobs. simply because of the time pressures, they will have to focus on the bad kids and will end up ignoring the good ones. It was quite rare for my mum to actually 'be happy' because someone gave her a gift or said thank you and she really appreciated it, but within about an hour she was back marking books and swearing under her breath and generally cursing an entire generation.

[and trust me. having to be on good behavior at school and at home is completely shit. it's as close to a police state as you can get as a teenager].

Basically, best idea is to do enough (and a bit extra) to stay under the radar. mentally, recognize that you hate being there and so do they, so try to make each others lives bearable and call a truce and find a balance that (primarily) keeps you happy, but also keeps the decent teachers on side too. (some teachers are assholes and will take out they're own problems on kids- ignore them and if it gets really stupid, tell them to fuck off). In most cases Teachers will be too busy pulling kids off the ceiling to bother someone who actually does the work and the kids who work really hard will in all probability have mental problems when they hit their twenties because they were good at reading books or passing exams but didn't figure out how to live .

[yeah, that's me again.]

Ro Laren

15th May 2014, 09:26

AP classes are just 100-level college classes stretched out over two semesters, so they're nowhere near as special as they make them out to be. If you plan on going to college its convenient to have the credits already done, but it's not really worth stressing out over them.

Some general tips on how to get shit done in school: Learn to skim and distill everything down to the major points. Take notes on everything -- during lectures, while you're reading, going over tests, etc. Write them by hand, don't type. You'll remember much more by physically writing things down. Re-write things you're having trouble remembering. This eliminates a lot of the need for excess studying, at least in my experience. Taking notes in class is especially important because the teacher does most of the work of distilling for you. They tell you exactly what they want you to regurgitate.

But try to spend as little time as possible doing this. You're stuck at school for six and a half hours, use your free time to get this crap done and over with. The notes also don't have to be in-depth, just the key points. It's really just the act of writing it that drives what you've read into your head. This basic method is what I used all through college and I graduated magna cum laude despite spending waaaaaay more time drinking beer and watching Star Trek than actually studying.

Also don't hand things in late. Always do homework. Something half-assed and on-time is better than anything late. Look at the the percentages that make up your grade and use that to determine what you can afford to skip or spend less time on.

Realize that homework and tests and everything about school is formulaic. My sister grades regents exams every year, and they really don't care what you write in between bullet points. They aren't looking for any original thought. That goes for most of school. You might get a good teacher and class here and there, but the majority of its just a process of jumping through hoops. The key is figuring out how to get through the hoops more quickly and with less effort so you can move on and enjoy your free time.

It's worth having a diploma, but it's not worth expending a great deal of energy doing it. Nobody will ever care that you got C's in high school, and honestly everything they tell you about careers and your future in high school is a huge fucking lie. Don't stress about it. Relax. Enjoy these years while you still can. Time spent reading what you're interested in and developing your mind, on your own, outside of school, is infinitely more valuable than time with textbooks and pulling all-nighters.

Dagoth Ur

15th May 2014, 09:59

It's what you make of it. I had a great time in high school but I would never go back for anything. Then again all I did was drink booze, get high, and generally not do any schoolwork whatsoever. It beats having to get a job for sure, and that's going to happen inevitably anyways. There is more freedom of mobility, but also more crushing responsibility and real-figure monetary worries.

But what do I really know. I flunked out of high school and got a job in a factory. College didn't go much better. :)

The Garbage Disposal Unit

15th May 2014, 18:29

So, I think authorities are on to something when they say high school is preparation for the world of work. The thing is, for a committed communist, this ought to mean something completely different. If you're committed to building class power, your future work place is going to be a site of education, agitation, and organization (not to mention sabotage and direct action) - start treating high school the same way!

Have you built a core collective of radicals at your school? Is there a critical student paper? Are students standing up to challenge unfair work loads and repressive policies? If there's something to make high school bearable, that's where to find it - not in an individual quest to scrape through without being beaten into abject submission, but in a collective project to challenge what makes high school such utter shit. Build student power!

(But, seriously, I started my organizing life in high school, and if you want to talk in practical terms, feel free to shoot me a PM)

Sinister Intents

15th May 2014, 18:37

I don't know if I can necessarily add anything useful considering the fact that a lot of people have stated a lot of useful information. What I can say is plow through the drudgery and do the work to the best of your ability, it'll go quickly. I don't miss high school and I actually hated it, but I got through and passed and got a scholarship to a business college that didn't get honored and now I'm trapped paying for so much. I'd say college is better than high school. The whole atmosphere is a bit difference and you're not surrounded by edgy reactionaries like in high school. Though I take night classes at college and the night students that took day classes say that day students are like high school students.

Just push through high school, it'll go fast and I guarantee you won't miss it except maybe you'll miss hanging with friends if you have any. I barely had friends in high school and it made it more miserable especially since I was openly communist in high school.

BIXX

15th May 2014, 22:16

People are gonna be pissed at me saying this, but this is ridiculous and angsty. Dropping out of high school is almost unequivocally a terrible idea. You know this, which is why as much as you're shitting on the education system (which is in many ways deserved), you stayed in school and are getting the piece of paper. You'll be glad you didn't drop out with a year left when your diploma is saving your ass time and time again whenever you have to interact within the system.

I never said that dropping out would be good for the poster. I was reflecting in my high school experience and saying that it probably would have been better for me. However, as I am very close to graduating (early, as I recommended to the OP) I am going through with it. But like I said, had I known the BS I would go through in school I would have quit.

Also both my parents and several of my friends (both my age and older) dropped out. My parents are dining fine (yeah, they do hard work now, but it's not terrible), my friends are all pretty happy. That isn't to say I have no friends who didn't drop out either. Some have gone to very nice colleges. They are not any happier on average.

The point is that I was speaking from personal experience. I have gone through high school and I personally don't think it was worth it for me. Yeah, I'm gonna finish it up because I'm close (and it is fairly easy for me), but other than that I see no point in it. Saying it's angsty reall doesn't add anything to the conversation and it really comes of more as some sort of "I know best I'm older" kind if bullshit. The best attitude to take, rather, is what makes us happiest. I would be a much happier person had I not gone through school.

Anyway, that's my somewhat annoyed response to you.

Ceallach_the_Witch

15th May 2014, 22:28

I loathed school from the day I set foot in there in 1996 to the day I left 6th form in 2011. I was pretty good at most subjects other than P.E (never as good as I was supposed to be though, I always under-performed) but I never really fitted in and I got in trouble a lot thanks to 'persistent problems with accepting authority.' I was almost home-schooled though so every cloud has a silver lining I guess.

Rosa Partizan

16th May 2014, 23:43

I don't wanna sound old or smartass or anything, but goddamn, do this. Finish it. Guess I'm too white-bread to go like "pursue your dreams, even if it means dropping out". I hated high school as well, although my grades were fine. I hated the other pupils and the day I knew I'd never return there was awesome. But that was the day I received my dipoloma. I guess there's no difference in the US and in Germany in terms of career perspectives without high school degree. You can give a fuck about that if you're fine with living in the forest or serving food at McD or stuff for minimum wage. I don't have too high career ambitions, either, but I wanna make a decent living from what I do, without thinking about every Euro I spend. But if you wanna have financial worries and distress for the rest of your life, then yeah, go ahead and drop out. Well, yeah, I sound old and somehow bourgeois :laugh:

Fegelnator

16th May 2014, 23:55

Counter their drivel with philosophy. Sharpen the mind outside, or inside the school with literature so you can counter all the bullshit. It's the mind that can submit, so it must be the mind that is the weapon ;).

You don't have to attack anyone verbally. Just keep your thoughts clear and barge through high school :). Just nod and mumble "yeah" to the teachers. Submission of the voice, but the voice is nothing. The mind stays independent.

(Sorry for the weird writing. I like to experiment with that. I did mean it, tho. ;).)

Brandon's Impotent Rage

17th May 2014, 00:25

I'm not sure what I can add to what everyone else has said, but here it goes:

First of all: DON'T QUIT. Finish through to the end. Don't get me wrong, it can be sooooo tempting to just say 'FUCK THIS!' and walk out the door forever. I get that. I hated high school as well. But compared to finishing high school, everything else is a cakewalk.

(For the record though, if you do decide to quit, make sure to get a GED as soon as possible.)

Also, this: Those who tell you that high school is 'the best years of your life' ARE FULL OF SHIT. Life after high school is AWESOME. Yeah, it's true that you have more responsibility.....gotta get a job, pay bills, etc.....but after high school your life is no longer so rigidly controlled by parents, teachers, etc. You can go where you want to, when you want, and for the most part do what you want to (except drink. You gotta wait a couple more years for that).

The Garbage Disposal Unit

17th May 2014, 04:33

Screw all the "Don't Quit!" moralizing.

I finished, and my last two years of high school, where I really focused on school as a place to organize and struggle, were a lot of fun. Hell, I'd do it again.

BUT! Not one of my friends who dropped out has ever told me they regretted it. One used her high school years to start writing 'zines (she has a book deal now). One used her high school years to learn about farming and how to speak Russian (she works on a small dairy farm now, and loves it).

Do whatever you need to in order to survive. Whether that means staying in school or dropping out, only you can decide.

Prometeo liberado

17th May 2014, 08:01

Aderal
Jim Beam
Sex
Take this EVERY weekend. May sub pretty much any uppers for Aderal.
Do it till you graduate. Then a posh rehab which is like finishing school for adults.

Loony Le Fist

17th May 2014, 08:44

I'm okay with high school. I like the people and some of my teachers.

Better than what I could say. I liked no one until my senior year.

I hate doing my work though and I feel somewhat pressured by the administration of this school. I take regular classes now but I'm doing a few APs next year (I find them interesting). I'm being forced to take an Honors class even though I barely finish my work now and always turn it in late.

What do you think the problem is: the workload, class, instructor, or material. Is it a combination of them? Is it something else?

My counselor says I should learn how to adapt now so I can learn how to deal with my boss in the future and that sort of mindset really angers me.

One of the things that you will have in the future that you do not have now is a certain degree of choice. I think your counselor seems to be forgetting what it is like to be in the situation you are in.

I'd actually been pulling consistent allnighters in the past but then, I realized I shouldn't have to go through that sort of stress just to finish my work to please authority figures and get ranked among my peers. My mental and emotional health matter much more. I also prioritize learning over education.

Depending on the amount of support you get from your parents on these views, it might be best for you to handle the situation as best you can. At least you know you have a place to come and vent.

I always had the problem of prioritizing learning over education. Frankly, I think they should be the same, but we know they are not.

Always remember that giving into authority to keep yourself out of trouble at this point is fine. Also remember that it is ok to be assertive with authorities. It is not ok to submit to an authority if your mental health is at stake. Make sure you make this point clear.

Next year I'll have to attempt to manage Cs and Bs. I'm not passing currently (I was a really lazy freshman) so I need to do enough pass.

Being a sophomore gives you time to get your grades to a better level. I would say that the only good thing about high school is AP classes and access to scholarships. That's pretty much the only reason to do good. No one will ever ask you for your high school transcripts. Believe me.

I'm fine with getting a C average as long as I get through high school. How would I do that? I'm taking APUSH (I'm actually looking forward to this class), AP Psychology or AP Art, English 3 Honors (the class I'm being forced to take), Precalculus Honors (I expect that I'll be able to manage a B as I'm a really good test-taker), Chemistry (repeating), PE, and French (repeating).

Being a really good test taker is great. You can actually test out of college courses by taking the appropriate CLEPs.

Also how should I deal with teachers who try to instill fear in other students regarding their futures?

You should remember that high school is not nearly as important as it is made out to be. However, I recommend doing well in AP classes, and getting good grades overall for access to scholarships just to make college shorter, and less expensive. The best way you can prevent them from scaring you with typical teacher/administrator/counselor scare tactics is the get the facts about reality and be prepared. After that, screw what those people tell you.

Rugged Collectivist

17th May 2014, 12:23

Consider getting your GED. That's what I did and it was totally worth it. Anyone taking AP classes should be able to pass the test easily but I think it's like 80 dollars to take so you'd have to come up with that. A GED won't prevent you from going to college or getting high school level jobs. I was accepted to the local university with a GED (which I preceded to drop out of but that's a different story). I don't know if you'll be able to get into state colleges or anything. I may be wrong but you don't seem like you want to go to college so this shouldn't matter all that much. I will say that high school was, in some ways, better than the jobs I got when I was out of highschool, so you might want to stay to put that off, but on the upside you get paid, you go for less hours, and your bosses (in my experience) are less strict and condescending than your teachers. I'm not saying you can't get a good, rewarding job without a college degree but if you have to get a job as soon as you leave school it might not be much better.

Ann13

18th May 2014, 02:09

Better than what I could say. I liked no one until my senior year.

What do you think the problem is: the workload, class, instructor, or material. Is it a combination of them? Is it something else?

Oh why? I think the problem is the workload. I just hate having homework intrude my life outside of school. Also, I'm a perfectionist so I never get much done in class.

One of the things that you will have in the future that you do not have now is a certain degree of choice. I think your counselor seems to be forgetting what it is like to be in the situation you are in.

Earlier in the year, I wanted to take as many APs and Honors classes as possible as I greatly desired "success" but now as I've been maturing, I realize that it's a really unhealthy mindset. She probably thinks it's a bit odd that I changed my mind regarding everything.

Depending on the amount of support you get from your parents on these views, it might be best for you to handle the situation as best you can. At least you know you have a place to come and vent.

I always had the problem of prioritizing learning over education. Frankly, I think they should be the same, but we know they are not.

Always remember that giving into authority to keep yourself out of trouble at this point is fine. Also remember that it is ok to be assertive with authorities. It is not ok to submit to an authority if your mental health is at stake. Make sure you make this point clear.

How did you manage to learn while in high school? I agree.

I'm fine with getting into trouble as long as I don't get out of school suspension.

Being a sophomore gives you time to get your grades to a better level. I would say that the only good thing about high school is AP classes and access to scholarships. That's pretty much the only reason to do good. No one will ever ask you for your high school transcripts. Believe me.

Being a really good test taker is great. You can actually test out of college courses by taking the appropriate CLEPs.

You should remember that high school is not nearly as important as it is made out to be. However, I recommend doing well in AP classes, and getting good grades overall for access to scholarships just to make college shorter, and less expensive. The best way you can prevent them from scaring you with typical teacher/administrator/counselor scare tactics is the get the facts about reality and be prepared. After that, screw what those people tell you.

Would it be bad to get Ds in classes I don't give a fuck about if I have some As here and there? I hate exerting unnecessary effort concerning subjects I'm apathetic towards. I know I'll be passing at the end of this year even with Ds and I think that's all that matters. I'm actually thinking about CLEPing many of my college prerequisites as APs seem more difficult.

Yeah I'm DEFINITELY going to work my ass off in my AP classes so I can save money and get some college credit.

I'll just ignore them if they try to scare me.

Ann13

18th May 2014, 02:11

Fegelnator

18th May 2014, 17:02

What authors do you recommend?

Different philosophers can be read regarding different goals. Nietzsche, for example, is quite powerful... but also aristocratic. Try Stirner :grin:. If that bastard can't keep you independent, nothing can. (He's the "founder" of egoist anarchism.)

David Hume as well. He's a little boring, but quite educative. A good trainer for the mind ;). On top of that, why not try that play by Sartre? Hell is the others? That might be useful for your current situation ;). I suppose Sartre himself would want you to be honest with yourself. Always remember: the reed that bends to the wind is also the reed that offers a kind of resistance.

Why not read these as introduction?

http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hume
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Stirner
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Exit

Skyhilist

18th May 2014, 17:33

There's nothing morally wrong with dropping out of high school. But it can create a lot of practical problems for you under capitalism unfortunately. If you don't have a high school degree then you may be limited to very low income jobs. There's nothing wrong with that per se, but you should be aware of the fact that not having a high school diploma will likely make it harder to make ends meet.

Also, do you have any idea of what line of work you want to go into? For me, I need both high school and college degrees because I want to pursue independent scientific research. It's not a matter of whether you can teach the material to yourself without school - I'm sure you can. But some jobs wont hire you unfortunately if you're an autodidact but have no degrees. So in my case, I need degrees not so that I'll be able to learn but so that I can actually get hired at a research position and be able to get the funds that I need to do the research that I want to do. It's stupid, but that's the way it is for many jobs.

Ann13

21st May 2014, 06:10

[QUOTE=Fegelnator;2752129]Different philosophers can be read regarding different goals. Nietzsche, for example, is quite powerful... but also aristocratic. Try Stirner :grin:. If that bastard can't keep you independent, nothing can. (He's the "founder" of egoist anarchism.)

David Hume as well. He's a little boring, but quite educative. A good trainer for the mind ;). On top of that, why not try that play by Sartre? Hell is the others? That might be useful for your current situation ;). I suppose Sartre himself would want you to be honest with yourself. Always remember: the reed that bends to the wind is also the reed that offers a kind of resistance.

Why not read these as introduction?

Thanks! Yeah, I'll try to read some material by these authors. I actually haven't read anything interesting in a while.

Ann13

21st May 2014, 06:12

Different philosophers can be read regarding different goals. Nietzsche, for example, is quite powerful... but also aristocratic. Try Stirner :grin:. If that bastard can't keep you independent, nothing can. (He's the "founder" of egoist anarchism.)

David Hume as well. He's a little boring, but quite educative. A good trainer for the mind ;). On top of that, why not try that play by Sartre? Hell is the others? That might be useful for your current situation ;). I suppose Sartre himself would want you to be honest with yourself. Always remember: the reed that bends to the wind is also the reed that offers a kind of resistance.

Why not read these as introduction?

Thanks! Yeah, I'll try to read some material by these authors. I actually haven't read anything interesting in a while.

Ann13

25th May 2014, 02:08

What did you guys do regarding grades when you were in high school?

EDIT: Wow, I haven't been here in a while! I'm glad it's finally summer... Do any of you know how to get teachers to lower their expectations of you and think you're stupider? I want to lie low as I don't want to get in anymore trouble for being lazy. I actually had a teacher call home since I kept turning in unfinished work even though I had a B for the semester.

Ann13

10th June 2014, 10:44

Wow, I haven't been here in a while! I'm glad it's finally summer... Do any of you know how to get teachers to lower their expectations of you and think you're stupider? I want to lie low as I don't want to get in anymore trouble for being lazy. I actually had a teacher call home since I kept turning in unfinished work even though I had a B for the semester.

Ethics Gradient, Traitor For All Ages

11th June 2014, 15:53

Do the bare minimum to maintain a C or low B average. If you do too much you'll stand out and if you do too little you will stand out even more. I did not understand this in high school and it led to endless confrontations between myself and the administration. Schools have quotas to meet like any other place that operates according business logic, if nothing else this will lead your teachers and the rest of the administration to come down on you solely because they don't want you as a mark against their record when reviews come around. They might not really care if their interventions are successful or not, but they have to be able to show that they at least put forth some kind of effort.

I dropped out of high school and it did not doom me to poverty or ignorance, you just need to be smart about how you go about doing it. Feel free to pm me if you have questions, I can still vividly remember being in your situation and it was frustrating to encounter adults who just would not share knowledge with me either out of a misplaced desire to protect me from making my own choices or out of some unknown enjoyment they received from it.

Slavic

11th June 2014, 17:06

Honestly just don't take so many AP and Honors classes. The work load in these classes are far above your standard high school class. I've only taken one AP and maybe 6 Honors classes for my entire time in high school and they gave me the most grief and stress.

My route went like this. Took stress free regular classes that I could ace. Make friends, do drugs, try to find myself. Realize when I got older that all of it was bullshit and just graduating was all that mattered. So unless you want to go to a fancy college, just take easier less stress classes, don't listen to those who tell you to drop out. Its far easier to eat and sleep in a home on the regular when you have a diploma.

Sea

12th June 2014, 01:37

All you have to do is pass. With grade inflation being what it is, it should be shit easy. It was for me. Shit easy and shit annoying. Just stay high and stay in school. Everything is going to suck just as much if you leave. That's called being a proletarian, so welcome to the club. I'm not going to tell you to do anything illegal but use your imagination for pranks. Did you know that if you make a cord with a high-current switch at the end and plug it into outlets and flip the switch that you can blow the fuses / trip the breakers? You can. But you shouldn't. Wink wink. (just make sure the switch is off when you plug it in)

How good are you at agitpropping?

haha i actually should start listening to them. though do you know how i should deal with teachers getting overly involved in my grades/classes?Heh, don't bother. That person is a troll. Sure, the RAC were talented, but that's only because they had a whole huge country of musicians to pick from.

Ann13

12th June 2014, 03:52

Ann13

12th June 2014, 04:00

All you have to do is pass. With grade inflation being what it is, it should be shit easy. It was for me. Shit easy and shit annoying. Just stay high and stay in school. Everything is going to suck just as much if you leave. That's called being a proletarian, so welcome to the club. I'm not going to tell you to do anything illegal but use your imagination for pranks. Did you know that if you make a cord with a high-current switch at the end and plug it into outlets and flip the switch that you can blow the fuses / trip the breakers? You can. But you shouldn't. Wink wink. (just make sure the switch is off when you plug it in)

How good are you at agitpropping?
Heh, don't bother. That person is a troll. Sure, the RAC were talented, but that's only because they had a whole huge country of musicians to pick from.

Yeah, I'm just going to try to maintain at least straight Cs for my junior and senior year. With maybe a D or two. How do you get weed? I ask around but people keep forgetting. Or people are unreliable. I want to get high and read interesting shit. Yeah, it really sucks. What kind of pranks were/are you into?

I'm not sure. I like agitprop but I've never created any before. What kind of agitpropping do you suggest I do? That's interesting.

Sea

12th June 2014, 06:17

Yeah, I'm just going to try to maintain at least straight Cs for my junior and senior year. With maybe a D or two. How do you get weed? I ask around but people keep forgetting. Or people are unreliable. I want to get high and read interesting shit. Yeah, it really sucks. What kind of pranks were/are you into?

I'm not sure. I like agitprop but I've never created any before. What kind of agitpropping do you suggest I do? That's interesting.I will tell you all you need to know if you answer one question.

How do I draw that S thing ? You know. This thing:

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/cb/1e/50/cb1e50cb8c29c2cf41c8970844f8264d.jpg

blake 3:17

12th June 2014, 06:40

Not one of my friends who dropped out has ever told me they regretted it. One used her high school years to start writing 'zines (she has a book deal now).

Yeah fuckin great book deals lol

Ann13

12th June 2014, 07:00

I will tell you all you need to know if you answer one question.

How do I draw that S thing ? You know. This thing:

What do you mean exactly?

Comrade #138672

12th June 2014, 10:07

Just try to learn things. Learn to love learning.

cyu

17th June 2014, 00:12

My counselor says I should learn how to adapt now so I can learn how to deal with my boss in the future and that sort of mindset really angers me. how should I deal with teachers who try to instill fear in other students regarding their futures?

Slave masters that try to instill fear in slaves regarding their futures, should be met with slaves that instill fear in slave masters regarding their futures... and it should be done while you still have the power to do so, because if you lose even that power, then you'll truly have no future.

Ann13

21st June 2014, 22:52

Slave masters that try to instill fear in slaves regarding their futures, should be met with slaves that instill fear in slave masters regarding their futures... and it should be done while you still have the power to do so, because if you lose even that power, then you'll truly have no future.

Could you clarify?

cyu

22nd June 2014, 17:06

If it is acceptable for employers to make employees fear for their futures, but not acceptable for employees to make employers fear for their future, then your economic system may as well be another form of slavery, even if it's not called "slavery" officially.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2014/06/indian-factory-works-beat-ceo-death-201461613500329188.html

A group of 200 workers, wielding iron rods and stones, stormed the office of HK Maheswari in West Bengal.

Maheswari looked out the window at the growing crowd and was struck in the head by two stones.

"The CEO was thrashed with iron rods, and he succumbed to his injuries very soon."

Banerjee sought to reassure the business community that her government did not tolerate union violence.

Regicollis

28th June 2014, 00:03

Forgive me for sounding like a grumpy old man (I'm 30 by the way) but I find the "school is all terrible" attitude destructive and short-sighted.

I reckon that the education systems around the world are far from ideal but a lot of the stuff they teach is actually quite useful. Knowing about math, languages, science, literature etc. is empowering. Not only directly (like how science is useful to know if you want to be a doctor) but also because learning new stuff expands your mental capabilities in general.

Even subjects like history and social studies which are steeped in the prevailing bourgeois ideology can teach you something useful. A lot of what they teach you is actually true and it gives you an idea of what you are up against as a revolutionary.

It is true that you should never let your school interfere with your education. But it is also true that you should not let your disdain for school interfere either. Your math teacher might be a reactionary boring old fart but he probably knows more about math than you do. And while one can and should always strive to educate oneself through self-study having a teacher who knows more than you do really makes the learning process much easier.

A few very smart people are able to learn more though self-study than in a classroom but chances are you are not that smart. I'm not and I have only met two or three people in my entire life who were.

Seen from the perspective of the revolutionary movement well-educated people are far more useful than people who dropped out of high school because they were too lazy to do their homework. Engaging in debates, convincing people to join the cause, building organisations etc. - it all takes intelligence and hard work.

Dropping out of high school because it is run in a distasteful fashion is not a revolutionary act. It is an act of personal lazyness and indolence. The revolutionary act is to stay in school, learn as much as you can, and counter the bourgeois bullshit you are going to be exposed to with sound arguments. When a counsellor tells you that you should learn how to obey your future boss you know it is bullshit. If you leave school he will just go on and tell the same to the next student who might believe it to be fair. If you stay in school and build a reputation as a sane and intelligent person you might be able to convince your fellow students not to listen to this sort of crap.

Engage with your fellow students and find a common ground. If you are lucky that common ground might even make it possible for you to act collectively against the worst stupidities of the current education system.

motion denied

28th June 2014, 02:20

While I agree with most of what Regicollis said, high school still positively sucks.

Ann13

29th June 2014, 04:22

I'll just do my work perfectly and be a good student in general with teachers who actually care about teaching. I'll do the bare minimum with teachers who don't care though. I'll try to participate a lot though so I won't get into trouble.

COЯЯUPT

30th June 2014, 00:03

I have my own share of grievances with the education system. Even with those grievances, I'm generally a straight A student who is surrounded by other students with drawn out narcissism and superiority complexes. I've managed to find a group of peers who may not be entirely left, but share their legitimate disliking of the system and want of change with me.

Anyways, now that I've provided a little bit of background of where I come from, I'll throw a few thoughts and suggestions out there for you. I'll bullet them for the sake of simplicity.

Accept that the education system favors those with a passive and reactionary attitude.
Don't succumb to feeling forced to recite the Creed of Americanism *cough* I mean the Pledge. I still stand out of pure respect for my uncle whom is in the Air Force, but I don't feel the need to recite it.
Develop your own system of note-taking. A little critical thought here and there where it helps can go a long ways.
Don't fall victim to the pressure to have false friends. One true friend still measures farther than thousands of false friends.
Relationships are an unnecessary distraction. That might just be my INTP attitude seeping in though.

Here's a little something I wrote a while back. Maybe you can take something from it: www(dot)mediafire(dot)com/view/4od4s89n52tllpv/UM-PartV(dot)pdf