[graciegirl]

Were you a good student, an excellent student, a fair student, or did you struggle??..........and now that you have reached maturity, how much did your school experience affect your life?

Do you consider academics as important as life experiences in being successful and happy?

[Talk Host]

I could have been an honor roll student. I could have been valedictorian if I had tried.

I was so interesting in getting into radio that my attention was diverted all the time. For three years at a Catholic high school, with limited opportunity, I barely (and I mean barely) passed.

My senior year, I transferred to the public high school where they had a radio/television department, and I shot up to the top 10%.


My wife was valedictorian of her senior class three years in a row.

JLK

[dillywho]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Were you a good student, an excellent student, a fair student, or did you struggle??..........and now that you have reached maturity, how much did your school experience affect your life?

Do you consider academics as important as life experiences in being successful and happy?

I wish we could have had the accelerated classes available when I was in high school. Much of it came too easy and as a result, I often did not really apply myself. Now, I tackle the harder things....not always with great success, but I tackle them. Most of all, I treasure the friendships, with some being even as far back as first grade.

I do not consider academics nearly as important as life experiences. So many things you just cannot get from books. We have to experience life, good and bad. Life experiences make us what we are, not books.

[Sydney]

Graciegirl I could have been…

I hated school or the whole concept, I worked very hard at getting kicked out for smoking or having my hair too long so I could go to work. Started out making 50 cents an hour no overtime and worked a 72 hour work-week. Child labor laws??? $36.00 a week before taxes, I was rich. Eventually I made as much as a buck nickel and hour plus commission. But I quit when I was 15 to go out and experience the life, i.e. hitch hike to California, become a flower child and live in communes spare changing and picking up bottles for extra pennies…

I thought I knew everything, couldn’t tell me – I B SMART – I decided to get back into the working force and settle down when I turned the old and wise age of 17. Even went back and got my GED, now, I really knew everything, especially since I got my GED at the local community college. LOL

Got drafted, ran to the Navy, and eventually got my Bachelors, and started realizing I didn’t know quite everything. Few years later I got my Masters Degree, and continued studies in Process Improvement and now, ‘Holy Bat Cr*^Man’ I really don’t know anything.

Eventually, when I reach maturity I might be able to determine how much my school experience affected my life? But again life is funny that way; I could have been but wasn’t.

Got two BAs from the University of Nevada, Reno with Distinction which was for GPAs (between 3.50 and 3.74) without taking Honors classes. My MA in Librarianship (Denver U.,) was probably around a 3.50 GPA while I also held down three jobs in different libraries or associated with work in different libraries.

Law school was another story as I really hated some of the law school classes and the games that went on in them. I did really like the clinical program though as well as some of the classes that took a more practical approach to the law.

I have done some very valuable work for victims/survivors of crimes since leaving the University of Minnesota Law Library employment in 1991. I do not think many academics would see it as all that worthwhile but victims/survivors knowing more about what programs are out there accessible through public and law library web-sites is a very practical thing.

[cashman]

Hormones kept me from being an "a" student.

[uujudy]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Were you a good student, an excellent student, a fair student, or did you struggle??..........and now that you have reached maturity, how much did your school experience affect your life?

Do you consider academics as important as life experiences in being successful and happy?

I was a never-ending student. Every other class sparked my interest, and I changed majors more often than I changed my clothes... The only 'real' degree I have is an Associate, but it took me 10 years to get that one. Every time I was close to getting a BA or a BS we moved, and the next time I signed up for classes there was a new major to be explored. The first time we visited The Villages I was hooked on the idea of the Lifelong Learning College. LIFELONG! That's like forever! This sounds like my kind of place!

[Boomer]

Well, I did not have much time in high school to worry about being a student. I was very busy teasing and spraying my hair until it looked just like a motorcycle helmet. (If you have seen the movie or the play "Hairspray" that was how my hair looked.) It was quite time-consuming to maintain that look. There was really no time to study.

I also got into trouble all the time for PDA (Public Display of Affection) because between classes, I was always kissing my boyfriend. I swear the princpal was tracking me. He always showed up and yelled. "BOOMER! STOP IT! GET TO CLASS NOW! yOU ARE GOING TO GET MONO! AND SUSPENDED, TOO!" (Hah! I never did.)

My algebra teacher kept asking me all the time if I knew the value of X. Well, I did not really care about that because I felt that in real life there was no such thing as algebra.

The guidance counselor used to call me in once in a while and show me my standardized test scores and yell at me about how I could do better. I thought, so what? I do OK. I'm kinda busy with other stuff.

Ohhhhhhhhh, some of you know now what I ended up being when I grew up. (don't tell) But you know what? I really think that not having been Little Miss Perfect helped me more in my job than any of those college classes ever did. And I loved my job. Most of the time. But sometimes, well, let me just say that paybacks can be hell.

Boomer
.

[Pturner]

...an average student. But I made all A's. Please don't judge me harshly for this, but I loved learning. Still do.

Seriously, I took book learning too seriously when I was in school. It was only later in life that I learned life was more rewarding than learning. Now I know, or think I do, that wisdom comes from friendships, love, laughter, kindness, generosity and having and being fun!

Bob Dillon had me pegged on this one: I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now!

[Larryandlinda]

class clown (he) squeaks through college, gets BFA
marries National Merit Scholar (she) who becomes NASA geek and secondary educator
raise 3 scholars
escape to The Villages
academics no comparison to life experience

[BUC]

I wish I'd have paid closer attension to my studies, but I was a football player.I spent my time in the gym. I was always passed along because I was a football player. During first year of college injuried ( no more college) I could barely read. I enlisted in the military (Seabees) studied worked hard (I did not want to be stupid anymore) earned promotions also earned my college degree in Construction Managerment. I attended several colleges over the years but finally got my degree. I provided for my family and attended school as much as possible. It only took 17 years to get degree. I retire from the U.S. Navy (Seabees) as a BUC 20 years ago and have been constructing roads and bridges since then in Ga.
My four daughters were good students 3 are teachers and 1 is presently attending Valdosta State U.
My wife and I stressed God and education to our girls, and they seem to be doing O.K. (Praise Jesus)

[Army Guy]

In grade school, you don't want to know!
In college-A student, graduated with honors with 3 degrees. Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

Army Guy