On Friday Fives on Secondary School

[danieldwilliam]

1. Did you enjoy your senior year of high school?

I note that these questions are couched in quite a USian centric way.

For example in Scotland, when I was in secondary school, we sort of had two senior years. Which we didn't call senior years. Or even Sixth Form. We had Fifth Year, after which one sat Highers and, traditionally went to University at 17. The we had Sixth Year, a sort of optional extra year in which one could do more Highers, or some sort of made up Certificate of Sixth Year Studies if you wanted to go to Universtiy abroad (England) or spend the time having sex.

I remember Sixth Year being quite hard work. Because I had arrived in Scotland in Year 4 (to do Standard Grades) I had not been able to do all the Highers I needed to do in Fifth Year in order to get in to Law School. At least that was the theory. Given that got some sort of super A* result for Higher  Economics in Sixth Year and was top of the school in crash Higher History (a Higher without having done the preceding Standard Grade) I could and should have done those in Fifth Year. I'd have then gone on to do Law, perhaps in Edinburgh, perhaps in Aberdeen (I got a scholorship to Aberdeeb and my best mate went there. I'd have probably still gone to Aberdeen.)

Sixth would then have been more fun.

2. Did you have a senior trip (high school) and were you able to go on it.

I'm not entirely sure what a senior trip is. I went on a school trip in the last weeks of Fifth Year, but that was a school trip for all years. I was on the trip with my then girlfriend and a one of my best mates. We went canal boating in the Midlands. That was good fun.

3. Was graduating (from either high school or college/university) a big thing with your family or just another day?

School graduation not really. I mean their not really a thing in Scotland. For my family, well I'm the eldest child of a medical doctor and a research scientist, if I hadn't done brilliantly at secondary school I would have brought shame and humiliation on my family.

Graduating from University was more of a thing, but only in that it marked the successful completion of something that I was supposed to have achieved anyway.

4. What were you looking forward to the most after graduating from either high school or college/university?

Thing I was most looking forward to after secondary school, beer and sex. Which University delivered.

When I graduated from university, on refelction,  the thing I was actually most looking forward to was breaking up with my girlfriend but that wasn't going to be happening for a few years so I was really looking forward to five years of miserable financial and moral poverty. Which was delivered.

5. Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give your graduating self?

My advice for myself leaving secondary school. Have more sex, learn how to use a mind-map and do more past papers - DO NOT date J!. Advice for myself graduating University, get out sooner, before the abuse turns nasty.

Comments

[mountainkiss]

I don't think I knew what your father did for a living.

Why do you say moral poverty? If this refers to what I think it does, I disagree I think although of course I don't contradict you.

I have an insane craving for a canal boat holiday, although it would have to be with someone else doing all the heavy lifting.

[danieldwilliam]

Dad started off as a research metallurgist and ended up as an asset manager at BP.

It does, inter alia, more anon when in front of keyboard.

I also fancy a canal boat holiday. Can you pilot one?

[mountainkiss]

No, that’s what I meant by heavy lifting. I basically couldn’t do anything except be on the boat.

[danieldwilliam]

Ah,okay. I thought you meant the actual heavy lighting ie opening lock gates rather than the figurative heavy lifting.

I can drive the boat and so forth if need be.