The 5 Lies They Tell You About High School

High Expectations

#2: You’re not alone.

The posters they tape to the walls in the main office of high school that read “we are here to help” with the cartoon characters building a house together are just to make you feel more comfortable while you’re sitting in a seat waiting your turn to talk to the guidance counselor after you know you’ve messed up badly. I stared at the poster and began to think about all the things that happened in my high school experience so far and wondered why I never came for help in the first place.

Oh yeah, because no one cares. Or no one truly cares.

When people say to come to them if you need anything, they don’t mean it. It’s only common courtesy. Nobody should tell someone their problems expecting the other person to care because they’re most likely glad that you have them and they don’t.

“You have to help me, Ms. Rose. I’m begging you.” I cried.

“I’m sorry,” Ms. Rose sighed. “There’s nothing I can do. Grades are permanent. Your teachers didn’t offer extra credit or retakes?”

I thought back really hard. There were times that my pre-calculus teacher told me specifically to turn in my homework or retake a test, but I never did because I had plans with my “friends”.

“They did, miss.” I said softly.

“That’s the help you were given, and you didn’t accept it. There’s not much I can do for you at this point.” Ms. Rose shook her head and her double chin jiggled a bit.

“Here’s the problem...” I began, trying to swallow the lump in my throat. “I slacked off. Okay? I admit it. I focused more on being homecoming queen than on my school work. My priorities weren’t straight. My boyfriend broke up with me,” I paused. It wasn’t hard the day he broke up with me because I had thought he would come back. Each day after that, when I realized he wasn’t going to come back, I started becoming sad. “…and I realized where I went wrong. Is there anything you can do for me? Anything! I’m begging you.”

Ms. Rose just looked at me begging with a blank stare. She didn’t respond back fast enough, so I pointed out the poster that was hanging above the secretary’s desk outside of Ms. Rose’s office.

“We’re here to help,” I repeated. “Prove that to me.”

“Ms. Huntington, we are here to help.” Ms. Rose dropped her reading glasses down around her neck, leaned over the desk, and stared at me. Her eyes two black holes pouring into me. “To help before a problem escalates. If it does, it’s your own problem then.”

“So now that I actually have a problem and came for the help, you guys are just going to not care?” I was furious. Not just with Ms. Rose, but with myself. I knew I was wrong. Nobody is here to help me. I need to be looking out for myself. No one is going to see you fall, or hear your thoughts before you make a choice and tell you to stop. That’s what you have to do on your own because at this point in life, you are on your own.

“Our staff did what we could to help you. You didn’t take that help, not our problem. It’s yours now.”

I didn’t know how to respond to Ms. Rose. During freshman orientation they said, “Come to us if you need something. Don’t be afraid. We are here to help”. I finally went for the help and I was turned away because I didn’t come before the problem even became a problem? I know it’s my fault for not getting my priorities straight, but I figured there would always be a solution to get me out of my bad situation no matter what.

“You are a senior, Ms. Huntington. It’s about time you learn that you need to take responsibility for your actions and not expect things to go your way or expect others to bounce you back up.” Ms. Rose paused. “You are excused.”

I expected so much out of high school. I expected to go through the high school experience with my best friend, to have my second family not only grow, but stay together. I expected to meet my future husband. I expected to get straight A’s and get accepted in the college of my dreams. I knew I would mess up, but not this bad. I guess I expected someone to always be there for me, to hold my hand through it all, to have someone underneath to help me up like I did for everyone else. I expected so much, but my work ethic and my potential didn’t match up.