This post is dedicated to Annabanana and all other wild, strong willed adventurers.
High School drop outs have a bad reputation. It’s “oh so obvious” to society that if a person drops out of school they are a “failure”. Pffft! You say drop out of school, I say drop in to life. Sure there are those that give up and never try, but I know many people that have dropped school so they could get a GED and move on with their lives. Some people go on to college, some start their own business and some take off on adventures.
We do not have an education system that teaches people to be creative and seek knowledge. We have a system that produces batches of patriotic worker bees who can memorize well. I was so bored in school, I decided that if school was so boring, college would be the same or worse. It took a year of working boring low pay jobs to change my mind about attending college. So finally, I got an Associates degree and I am happy I did. The bottom line is most of our success is dependent on how we react, the choices we make and whether or not we decide to learn on our own. Now I know that sitting in a classroom memorizing rules doesn’t work for me. I learn much better when I can work creatively and at my own pace. I learned that failure is just a fork in the road that takes you in a different direction. It’s not all bad.
Do you think having a GED would stop you from becoming a governor, a famous actor, a business owner or an Olympic medalist? Think again. http://www.k12academics.com/academic-testing/ged-testing/famous-ged-recipients
There is a huge difference between giving up and going against the crowd to get where you want to be. When have you decided a different path was better than following the crowd?
Individual Empowerment 
That’s amazing Roberta. You must feel so proud of yourself. I can’t imagine growing up with people who would be so mean. Good for you to prove them all wrong.
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I grew up with low self-esteem in a sick family. My parents thought I was developmentally slow. I suffered from extreme anxiety and thought I was stupid. I was told I wasn’t college material and I should marry my dreams. I didn’t get my H.S. diploma until I was 35-years-old and transferring from a community college to a University. I was very ashamed about not graduating from High School. I kept it a secret. Now I am a Doctor of Clinical Psychology.
Dr. Roberta Cone
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Thanks for chiming in. My mom tried her best to give us a great education and I was lucky enough to homeschool for one year. I loved it. Your kid(s) may not realize how great they had it until later in life, but I bet they will grow up always wanting to learn.
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Thanks for chiming in Marge. Taking a year of before college is a good idea.
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We homeschool and use K12 for part of our curriculum. Where else could a 2nd grader get Latin?
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I agree that the education system is all about “sameness” not creativity. There is no time to spend with the students who need a challenge or those who are struggling. I understand why so many parents fight for ‘charter’ schools where their child has more teacher attention and is encouraged to grow.
I also think that students should not be allowed to leave high school and go directly to college. There should be a year off – to work or play and figure it all out.
Good post, thanks!
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That’s wonderful Paula. I am happy that you got an education on your own terms. I completely agree that we have a lifetime to learn. Thanks for the comment.
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I loved high school but did not want to go to college and ended up dropping out after my second semester. My parents were devastated, but I eventually went back after a few years of traveling and learning about who I am and what interests me. I have an undergrad and graduate degree and may move on for a PhD one day, or not. We have a lifetime to educate ourselves in all kinds of ways. 🙂
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