What's your one regret from high school that you still think about?

P.O. Box 151285
San Diego, CA 92175

[juliaalvessoares]

So basically everyone regrets having studied too hard or not hard enough. Having enjoyed the high school life too much or too little. This is very comforting because I could see that if I didn't have my regrets, I'd have others. So it's all good! We were all doing the best we could with what we knew. High school may seem easy but it's actually a very complex phase because we're forced into a little society and we don't have a strong sense of self yet. Let's just focus on being authentic now and making the best choices we can for our present 🌻

[sharonhutchins]

I regret that the only thing I can remember from graduation from high school is my mom, looking wistfully at the kids who were honor students, and saying, “I wish you’d been one of those kids.” I just felt so depressed. I was the first of my family to graduate from high school. I was so proud of myself. Until then. I still want to hear her say she’s proud of me. Now, she’s gone and it’s too late. Parents, tell your kids you’re proud of them. That’s what you want them to remember.

[Sarae]

The girl that regrets grinding and AP classes that cause her anxiety is so relatable.

[bv]

I had a friend who I hung out with from grades seven through high school. He was like a soulmate to me. But we were 'just friends'. In grade 11 he asked me to go to a wedding with him and I had just started dating someone else. I wish I had said yes and then seen where that stream of my life would have taken me. He was such a good friend and we shared so much together. We are so short-sighted when we're young. I'm in my sixties now and when I tried to look him up and find out what happened to him, I found out he had died at 38. Regrets! He was a special man even as a boy.

[SpiritualSimon]

when thoraya drops a new video I know its a good day

[silje_therese]

I regret not being myself. My depression stole all my confidence. There were so many things I wanted to say, so many outfits I wanted to wear and so many people I wanted to talk to. I wish I could've talked back when I was mistreated, spoken my mind when I felt small and helped out other people who might've needed my help. I've been left feeling like arguments were never concluded because I was never able to say my part, I lost friends because I never told them when I was upset with them and I never went up to someone to try to befriend them. But oh well, I'm already 21 and my school life is over...

[kit_the_kat]

My family was extremely strict growing up, so going out and dating was not a possibility. We had all AP courses, so it kept us busy anyway. Bullying had my sister and I keeping to ourselves most times. Hanging out with newfound friends wasn't a thing either because of trust issues and my parents being protective — honestly though, with future revelations rightly so. Either way, when my twin sister and I were Freshmen, there was a boy named Matt in his Junior year. He was so friendly to us both, handsome and sort of like the sun that starved flowers tend to stretch towards. After him, the bullying stopped because his popularity gave him quite the respect of the teenagers around us, and he used that to look out for my sister and I. He was impossible not to love, platonically or romantically, Matt was someone who made us feel welcome while enduring such a rough transition period in life. For months, Matt introduced us to his friend group and the AP teachers, greeting us both daily with fiercely warm hugs and a ready smile. As the seasons changed and headed towards Christmas, his diligence in asking my sister out only grew stronger, until he'd finally managed to convince her to give it a chance. Matt made plans to talk to my parents and start things off the proper way.

I remember our last meeting so vividly. The 3 of us had a class together at the end of the day, it was slightly overcast but the air was wet and cold; strange for a Florida winter. Matt came into class wearing his leather jacket, a freshly shaved bald head, and his signature dimpled smile. He flirted with my sister all period while she desperately tried to take down notes, even got into trouble by the teacher. The thing is, he was just so damn charming that he always got out of trouble. The guy was hilarious, he would get us to laugh and the blame would pass onto us or someone else. Towards the end of the class though, Matt got real serious. He told my sister that he was going all in with this, and that he wasn't going to give up. He kissed her forehead and then gave me a big bear hug. Right before leaving he spun around and told us that he couldn't wait to give us both the gifts he'd gotten, that it had taken forever to think of what to do but that he'd figured it out and we would never forget it. He was excited to speak with my parents too, and told us it would go well, that there was nothing to worry about. After blowing air kisses to us Matt left, dimpled smile and all.

Later that evening, my family was all in our living room. My dad was preparing for work, my sisters and I working on getting ready for orchestra practice, and my brother running around the couches. The news was on carrying the perfect background noise. I was putting on my socks when the news anchor mentioned an accident with a student from our school. A drunk driver hit a motorcyclist at a red light. My sister and I both looked up nervous. The woman continued to give small details, never giving much away about the person hurt. It wasn't until Matt's photo popped up that we both broke down.

To this day I wish I'd been more bold. I wish I'd have been less afraid of rejection by peers and my family and that we had hung out all the times he asked us to. I wish that we had gone out to eat with him and his friends every time he asked. I wish that we had gotten to see him the next day so that my sister and I could surprise him with our gifts and laugh as he tore through the wrapping. I wish that Matt hadn't had to work that day that had him at the light. I wish that the world got to experience what a wonder of a person he was. There are so many regrets in my soul when it comes to Matt, but the biggest will always be not acting during the moments that seemed insignificant. The ones that would have let Matt know how much I cared for him like a brother.

[rml]

I regret not telling anyone when I was assaulted. I feel like I could have processed way sooner in life and things would have been better. Now I am 40 and trying to fix the mess I became.

[melissadavis]

The guy at the end is THE advice I was thinking the entire time. I tell the same thing to my niece all the time and remind her that the friends she's so worried about right now will most likely not be there for her when she's older.

[skylargreen]

“Take the risk or lose your chance” This has been my credo since high school. So I have no regrets. Thanks Thoraya 😊

[Vismay_K]

It’s really like one person’s tragedy is another person’s treasure.

[ananimity]

I was abused horribly by my father and a member of my family. Because of my homelife my father forbid me to make friends or bring anyone around the house or to give out our telephone number. So, I kept myself distant from people because I knew it would be dangerous to be social. I regret not telling someone about the abuse and making friends.

[sansthedrummer]

I regret letting my trauma get to me at that time. I couldn't study properly, had no real friends, and the faculty thought I was a lost cause. Thankfully I'm able to correct the academic mistakes now

[KP-hiom]

I regret no being more involved in school activities - sports, clubs, music etc. I also regret not being friends with people of diffrent races. However, the best thing about high school is that I have been married to my high school sweetheart for 31 years. Starting going out with her when we were 16 and 17. Been together every since. Our daughter just graduated high school. We supported every activity she wanted to indulge in. Now she is in college and we encourage her to spread he wings and meet interesting people. and travel.

[timdertroll]

I love how for everything the opposite was was said at least once

[camh]

I would have never thought that I would enjoy this channel so much, but I do. I learned a lot about myself watching this channel. I still have a hard time hugging people and saying ''I love you'', but, baby steps !!!...

[Brandy_j]

At first I would say, I have no regrets in high school because I did my work, I had a few good friends and I was respectful. But when I think about it, my only regret was giving up on fluently learning Spanish. I allowed teachers and Latinos to discourage me. The Latinos and the African Americans would tell me that I am trying to be Latina because I want to become fluent in the language so I gave up. I finally got the balls to re-learn the language and become fluent three years ago. Now I will be getting my masters in Spanish Next year

[mgad]

I had a classmate in highschool who always had good grades and who I found annoying. There were a few moments where I said hurtful things to her, simply out of jealousy. It is not only my biggest highschool regret (more middle school, I was 10-12 years old or so), but my biggest life regret. I wish I could tell her how sorry I am.

[DanielSelk]

I regret not admitting my homosexuality at that time. I was terrified of what people would think. My circles were all evangelical christian conservatives so while I might have been in danger I feel I would have maybe even met someone who could have loved me at that time instead of waiting till my late 20s to start coming out.

[alylopez]

I regret letting my parents own fears and isolating behavior rule me. In my eyes they weren’t just overprotective and strict, they were toxic and controlling and I felt like I had no control over my own life, I had no agency no will to love that was my own. They never hit me or kicked me out that type of cruelty, but i lived in intense and constant fear that making my own choices would result in their disappointment and disapproval and I would be punished emotionally. My parents told me not to trust people. They wouldn’t let me do things like hang out with friends And when I’d ask why they would say “because I said so”. That messed me up, because when I finally got to start making my own choices in college I was overwhelmed and was consumed by the anxiety that I didn’t know myself or my own body. My dad was toxic and controlling and my mom was just an extension of his ego. I know HS is such a small part of your life but I feel like I missed out on so much, and if I had felt alive for myself during those years I wouldn’t be so lost and struggling rn. And also I have so much anger and rage now because I never got to really experience those emotions then. I was the obedient and docile little doll creature my parents wanted me to be.

Random anecdote about that time: when I was a junior I had to get my wisdom teeth out. It was the era where all those funny videos of kids after their wisdom teeth removal were all loopy and saying silly and dumb shit. I was so terrified of my parents that I was scared in my loopiness that I would accidentally admit I liked girls or something that big, I was scared that I would reveal my true self and be punished.