Chronicles of My Classmates

High school is one of the most complex and mystifying concepts in the world. To those of you who have already experienced it, I’m sure you know what I speak of. To those who have not, don’t let teen flicks fool you—high school isn’t like the movies.

High school is not a place. It is not a person. It is not a school. It is a concept. It is that bridge between childhood and adulthood. It is a long bridge, and it isn’t straight or sturdy or predictable. It is windy and twisted and it’s not even complete—sometimes one finds themselves piecing it together. Sometimes one loses things along the way—but more often than not, they exit that bridge with knowledge beyond what is taught in sterile textbooks.

In my findings, I have discovered one fact in particular that jumps out at me: high school is surprisingly impersonal. When you walk across campus or down the hall, no one looks you in the eye. If you do not know them, if you are not friends with them, they will not see you. Not because they’re snobs or because they’re wildly popular, but because that’s how it is.

Friendships and relationships are forged, that’s true, but I can recall numerous times when I’d been in a class with people for months and they’d still say, “Ask that one girl if she knows the answer.” The comments are insulting, yes, especially if you know their name, but that is high school.

However, it doesn’t end there. In that gap between being a child and being an adult, hiding emotions and putting on masks are still relatively new concepts. People are so easy to study, so easy to trust and see through. And as high school can be particularly boring at times, sometimes the most interesting things to study are not the texts or subjects, but the students themselves.

Which is why I have decided to compile my findings and observations in this semi-truth, semi-inference catalog of “Chronicles of My Classmates.” Although there are no morals, no life stories to be had, hopefully you can learn from these people and their roads to adulthood. And who knows… perhaps you’ll see someone you know.

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Notes: I’ve been studying people a lot lately, seeing their little quirks and personality traits, and this idea came to me one day when I was zoning out in fourth period. I’m really nervous about writing about real people, and I would be really shocked if someone recognized someone they knew. Heh. I almost hope that doesn’t happen.

I'm usually pretty good at writing summaries, but I'm not really happy with this one. Any suggestions?

FYI, I’m changing everyone’s names in my stories. If you know someone who happens to have that name, I will say now that I do not mean to write them. No one in these stories has the same name as they do in real life.

With that said, please give me feedback on this story. I would really appreciate it!

Thanks!

Posted: 9 February 2007