Saturday 24 May 2014

Class

Our school trip to London. And yes, I do wear shocking colours!
When I was in my fourth year of high school, I didn't do much. Which is probably quite an understatement, since my grades started dropping faster than a parachutist who has forgotten his parachute! By the time I got negative grades (ie below 6/10) for German, I knew I was in trouble. Not that I minded that much. I just continued doing nothing, since I had to take the year again anyway!

The second time in my fourth year went a bit better. I applied myself a bit more, got better grades (even for German, which was my best subject) and by the end of the year I was allowed to go on to the fifth and final year of my high school experience. 

That final year does not stand out for me. I studied, I got good enough grades, I took oral exams, written pre-exam exams and was getting along nicely. 

On holiday after graduation
Then, after having taken my final exams (in Dutch, English, German, Biology, Science and Math), I relaxed. Waited for the summer to come. Waited for that piece of paper which would tell me that I had passed. Because even though I might not be top of the list, I knew I had passed. No worries there. 

The evening of graduation arrived. All the children in my year had shown up in their Sunday finery and with their parents in tow. Every student was addressed personally by the principal (I had been a shy girl on arrival, but had grown up to be a quietly confident young woman. Or something to that effect). I was top of my class in German, but had to share with another girl (only 0,01 points off a higher mark, I am still furious with that teacher). 

I just wished (certainly at the time) that my parents hadn't thanked the principal for all his good care of me! How embarrassing!

Second Blooming
This memory was prompted by Spin Cycle. Thank you Ginny Marie at Lemon Drop Pie and Gretchen at Second Blooming.

PS: I just realised, I graduated 25 years ago this year! Well done Spin Cycle for this timely prompt!

13 comments:

  1. I don't like to remember my high school times, I was an impossible student and a nightmare for the teachers. Somehow I made it, lol !

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  2. Hari OM
    Huh - that's spooky, my choosing to tell the school tales at last and not knowing about this linky! Sounds as if you got yourself distracted somewhere in that fourth year but it is also clear you have talent with language. That is a definite plus!!

    Graduation is as graduation does - life is the REAL school... YAM xx

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    1. I had two decks of cards and a balcony table and would play solitaire for hours on end instead of doing my homework. Fine by me, not so fine according to my parents or my teachers.

      Life turned out more of a school than school ever was, but I did learn plenty there. Most of which I have forgotten long ago! Although not my love for English literature. Fortunately!

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  3. In our different ways, we might have been similar apathetic high schoolers. I also got a little better in my last year.

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  4. I did not get my post completed in time to join the Spin fun. You are gifted in languages!

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  5. I graduated from high school 27 years ago, so we are not that far apart in age! I guess you mentioned this for my aging Spin Cycle post! I didn't do very well in my German class. I took many years of German, but I didn't use it conversationally and am not fluent at all.

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  6. I have been out 26 years this year! Yikes! Great post! You took a lot of languages. I just took Spanish. I was more interested in boys and friends rather than schoolwork.

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    1. The thing is though: English is quite universal, whereas Dutch isn't. So in order to make your way in the world, you have to learn other languages and fortunately I have a knack for them.

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  7. Ok, I join the club of being out of school for 24 years. I am impressed on the number of languages you know.

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  8. My first year of high school was a disaster for me. I didn't have to repeat it but it was not a good year for me. The rest of high school went much better. Actually got straight A's my third year.

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    1. I was one of those pupils who would always have something like 'should apply herself more' written on her report card. If I had applied myself more, I might have gotten straight A's, I was certainly clever enough. Just not willing enough.

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Any weighty (and not so weighty) comments are welcome!