What You’re Missing By Not Physically Going To School – Via My Favorite High School Movie Quotes

Non-attendance at school is the “new black”. You will soon be kicked out of your new “blended” school that required just 2.5 hours per week physically in attendance. Kind of impressive, really.

First, I’ll come to your defense.

1. Covid-induced school closures have pretty much given every student the idea that going to school is optional;
2. You are making choices that any 13-year-old would be making sans parental supervision.  If I had been given the opportunity to skip Jr. High altogether, I would totally be in your same position.

I will, however, contest a couple of your excuses:

1. Self/mother-diagnosed autism – Sorry girl, this one’s part mom’s justification for not getting you to school and equal part Bull Sh*t. Every professional that has spent time with you knows how engaging you are – not on the spectrum.
2. Social anxiety = perfectly normal (particularly in Jr. High). Another sorry-not-sorry, but the tech addiction and avoiding real life are the leading contributors to your social anxiety. At a time when you should be personally exploring, connecting, and gaining life experiences, you’ve been gaming and watching other people living equally faux lives online. Exposure is how we (yep, me too) learn to manage and ease social anxiety. 

While an online education certainly has perks, such as the ability to move at your own pace, our preference it that you physically attend school full time. Academia aside, you will learn more from your social interactions in Jr. and High School about how to interact with others in your adult life than anywhere else.

Besides…

How else will you know for absolute certain that teenagers don’t break into spontaneous song after seeing a cute guy in the hallway; achieve instant popularity on a makeover bet; or dance in perfectly choreographed unison at the prom?*

Girl – These are the kind of things that keep me up at night!

First, let’s consider what social anxiety is NOT…

It’s NOT some sort of disease or physical disability requiring self-isolation and the avoidance of all slightly uncomfortable situations for the rest of your life.  Social anxiety is totally normal and manageable… “Like, for sure.*²“

It’s NOT an embarrassingly visible impairment.  No one is shunning the socially anxious student at school claiming “she doesn’t even go here.*³”

Most importantly – It’s NOT a fixed mark of who you are and will always be.  Social anxiety is simply something you’re experiencing in this moment and something everyone experiences in their lifetime. It’s NOT who you are, just simply something you’re experiencing. Now you’re empowered with choice.

The “that’s why they call them crushes*⁴” sad part of all this is that the more you avoid… the more you play into this “disability”… THE WORSE IT GETS.

The “alright, alright, alright*⁵” awesome part is that the more you engage and interact with others… the more you do whatever it takes to help overcome these anxious moments… THE BETTER AND EASIER IT GETS.

This choice to not engage in a “real life” is far more dangerous than not understanding these famous High School quotes…

You are missing out on the infinite opportunities for success and feeling proud of yourself each time you do something that pushes you beyond your 13-year old self.

Don’t worry, your graduation from the 8^th grade is “in the bag.*⁶”   But right now you are faced with a pretty pivotal decision that could very well determine whether you’re restricted by an “I’m on curfew girl*⁷” life living with your mom when you’re 30.

So, you can either: 1) Download all the recommended movies I’ve listed below to see what you’re missing out on by avoiding school… OR…

2) Live your own unique Jr. High & High School experience.

“It’ll be just like high school, only better!”*⁸

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References:

• * See all variations of High School Musical, She’s/He’s All That, and every 90’s High School movie that includes a prom scene
• *² See also Fast Times at Ridgemont High
• *³ See also Mean Girls
• *⁴ See also Sixteen Candles
• *⁵ See also Dazed and Confused
• *⁶ See also Clueless
• *⁷ See also Bring it On
• *⁸ Seriously, watch Bring it On