The Generation X Files

I couldn’t decide between two topics for today’s blog post.

Fate decided it, or maybe it was mere coincidence depending on your world view. I logged in and saw that today’s suggested topic on WordPress is “What was your favorite subject in school?”

I was ruminating on my school years just yesterday, wondering how to condense them into a blog post.

I had actually started a draft on the other topic. But that seemingly innocuous question really got me thinking.

So I started this one instead.

I spent 12 years at the same school from age 5 to 17. It was an independent school for girls. I was a decent student but unambitious. My best grades were for spelling and grammar.

Oh, and English Speaking Board exams. But I don’t feel like those really count because frankly, show me a female that’s not good at talking! 😆

Although I did well in English class, it wasn’t my favourite. I read voraciously and loved all kinds of books. However, I found the state prescribed reads to be something to be endured, rather than enjoyed, with a few exceptions.

Also, I know you’re not supposed to say this, but screw Shakespeare!

Even now, I’m getting annoyed remembering wasting a precious weekend learning one of his soliloquies! Juliet was only 13 years old. I was too at the time and couldn’t relate to wanting to be the gloved hand touching her cheek!

I was alright at maths – until ‘x’ and ‘y’ entered the equation! I soon realised that my brain was not wired that way. Likewise the sciences. Here is pretty much all I remember from those classes:

• My Biology teacher once told my mum at a parents’ evening, “Your child is a lazy little monkey.” She did add I would do well if only I applied myself. *To be fair to her, I did once spend half a lesson repeating “Escherichia coli”. I kept saying it over and over like a parrot. My friend and I were big fans of Vic Reeves Big Night Out at the time. I tried to impersonate him saying it to make her laugh. Plus, it’s just fun to say. Try it! Ishereshercoaleye
• My Physics teacher was an odd chap. All I remember from his class is he’d go nuts if you coiled up a cable the wrong way. And properly apesh*t if you messed about with the soldering iron! Also, the physics lab was right next to the gym. It was hard to concentrate on the universe. The netball grunts on the other side of the wall were too distracting!
• My Chemistry teacher liked everyone to know he was a “Dr.” He wore a lab coat every day as a reminder. He gave me my first detention. I was passing a note to another friend in his class. It said, “Doctor Parson is a d_ _k. Please fill in the blanks” (Don’t worry. I’ve changed his name to protect his anonymity). He caught me mid-pass. Needless to say, he didn’t believe it was meant to be “duck” any more than you do now. Hence the detention. It was worth it though. He was a right w_ _ _ er!

I can vaguely remember some other stuff from those classes. I’ve forgotten the entire periodic table. That was soooooo important to know at the time it helped earn me that detention!

And, let’s all be honest for a second. The only thing most of us really remember from Biology class is reproduction!

In all honesty, I don’t think I had a favourite subject at school. There were things I found vaguely interesting. But mostly, I just couldn’t understand why we had to go to school at all.

I am not one of those people who think that their school days were the best days.

For me it feels like the start of our conditioning ahead of entering the rat race. I wasn’t interested in so many things that we had to learn about in school.

I became the class clown because my brain wasn’t engaged. And yet, my thirst for knowledge outside of school was (and still is!) unquenchable.

Why do we have to go to school? Why can’t we choose to opt out? Why is it so hard to choose what to teach your own children? Or where that learning happens.

As usual, I’ve got more questions than answers.

But, I suppose, if I had to choose, French class was alright…..

Citizen Jane x