I once asked my aunt grandma who is like 87 "what do you consider the best age in life?" And she told me "every age has its good things and its bad things, there is not a better or worse age to be". And i thank a lot that she gave me that perspective, that pretty much encapsules the YOLO mindset.
Ohh! Then I guess you can call her grandmother- in India, anyone who is like a grandma from our paternal side is called dadi and likewise for the maternal side Nani@@lug358
I always think that most high school coming of age movies could be set in college instead and it would just make so much more sense and stop kids thinking they need to grow up so quick in the ways they see on tv
I do see your point, but I do understand the reasoning behind setting them in highschool being that it's a more universal experience. Less people go to college than to highschool, and generally speaking the social hierarchy in college is a lot more fragmented because colleges are significantly bigger.
yeah it's harder to have the drama because in college it's like if you have drama avoid them, the campus is big enough. In high school you got first second and third period with them, you know@@fh9061
@@fh9061 I think in general, high school is a phenomenon in literature and media that is very distinct from an organic high school experience. High school in media acts to be a relatable setting, yes, but more than that, in invokes a set of implied groups and behaviors. When you hear a book is about a high school, you're generally going to think "Oh so it's going to be about a protagonist navigating a social hierarchy involving archetypal jocks, nerds, and potentially theater kids with some sort of twist" In that sense, it's not necessarily that we've all experienced high school that makes it a good setting, but rather that we know what to expect.
I suspect those that "peaked in high school" never hit the final maturity plateau and are mentally stuck in their mid teens to early 20's. They are the ones that treat the workplace like a classroom, their mannerisms, thought processes, emotional maturity and in turn behaviour never changed. They never became an adult. They peaked there because mentally and emotionally that's where they remain.
It's even worse when you see people my age early to mid 40s treating intimate relationships like they did in highschool Serial dating and bringing strangers around their kids and acting like teenagers I mean I didn't even do that in highschool as I was an introvert and didn't even date often as i was way too much into comics, playing video games and hockey and basketball with my friends
@@Chuck_EL We're around the same age, yeah it's strange to see. I mean if you want to be foolish for a night go for it, maybe do some of those things... but don't be it, don't live it. It's so... cringe. Then you get the people our age that date people half their age, I really do wonder what they talk about, they'd have so little in common. I wonder if social media influences that, always trying to "be the fun friend".
I'm late, but I 100% agree. A while ago, I found my old bullies Instagram. She was a cliché Mean Girl. Pretty af, shallow af... At first, she looked pretty well off. Her looks only grew, she's obsessed with tattoos, goes to clubs etc. But theeen...I discovered some reels. Yeah, apparently she was still starting shit. The ultimate "Drama" Queen never left the building. Question is where she'll be left once her looks fade or she gets into an accident.
@@leroyjenkins1249 Wow.. it's like looking back in time. They never grow up. My ex is like that, not very popular but popular enough and hangs around people a lot younger than her too. She's approaching middle aged and still acts like a teenager. She doesn't have looks but does have attitude as though she does.
I dated a guy like this. He never mentally matured past 17. He always compared me to how I was in High School (this was our second time dating, the first was in HS), he cheated on me, and every fight was turned into the “I’m leaving then, clearly this isn’t working,”
A word from a 30 year old: high school was the worst time of my life. I did not kiss hot people or ANYONE. I stayed home, watched anime and hung out with my four friends. College was what made me who I am and even now, this year at 30 I feel like THIS is the best time of my life. I’m financially stable, living somewhere cool, doing a job I love. Maybe in ten years I’ll look back and think that no, THAT time is the best in my life. Life has the potential for happiness. Just hang on if things are a bit shit until then. I promise you, as someone who never believed it, things get so much better.
I hate how most adults in my life act like when you graduate highschool it’s game over and you’re going to have a miserable life. I always get told “highschool is the best part of your life enjoy it while you can” and they talk about how “you’re gonna have to work the rest of your life and it’s gonna suck… “ it’s like they are telling me that I’m never gonna enjoy anything again after. Genuinely I don’t feel like these years are important lmao, like yeah they are but not in the sense they are saying I literally do nothing all day, like I sit at home and do homework and procrastinate and WISH I was working and had a car. I genuinely think people need to stop telling kids this, they think they are doing them a favor and “preparing them for what’s to come” but in reality it’s setting them up for failure because that’s what they think is going to happen to them so they don’t necessarily try too hard to make it anything else
I'm 29 and I'm the happiest I've ever been. My high school years were good and awful all at once, but they were definitely not the best time of my life. I hate how much people complain about adulthood to teenagers; there are so many beautiful things about being grown and while I had a great childhood, I wouldn't want to go back
I'm 26 and couldn't agree more. I remember being 14 and wanting to have a job and independence.. trust me, I think adolescence it's just the starting line and everything before that it's basically the prologue. Don't worry you'll meet people that feel less sorry for themselves😅✌🏻
I don't know what those adults are on. I'm in my 40s right now, and I'm so much happier now than I was in high school. Or college, which is the one I got told would be the best time in my life. I will say, college was a great time to make friends - the main downside of my adult life is the difficulty of making new friends. But aside from that one aspect, my life is far better now than any time period previous. I might wish for a younger body, but I certainly don't wish for my younger life.
For me the one sign that someone peaked in high school is if they still try to insult people the same way they did back then. I've met grown adult women who still do the teen girl point-and-laugh at other women (like you mentioned too), men who still try to insult each other like they're teen boys. When I was a teen I was devastated when some girl sarcastically told me my top was "super cuute... Last year's fashion..." I'm 32 now. If someone my age came up to me today and did that I'd be embarrassed for them.
@@xd._.28234 Some people really can't let it go. They learned how to gain influence and seem cool in high school and never adapted to a different environment.
My mum just walked in on me watching this and stated loudly “Oh wow! Talk about being unbelievably beautiful” Then i said “yeah shes funny too” and my mum said “wow, even better“ then walked off like nothing happened. Never had anything like that happen before but she ain’t wrong
I've always hated when people told me "high school years will be the happiest years of your life" or "wait till you're an adult and have to work a 9 to 5 and pay bills" because i'm currently 18, sick and tired of studying for school subjects i don't like and i can't wait to be 40, have my dream job, live in my own home in a (hopefully big) city together with my future girlfriend/wife (and perhaps boyfriend too), have at least one cat, maybe a kid or two and a small group of best friends to spend my evenings with. There's so much more to life than high school and life after it doesn't have to be miserable.
When I was 18, one of my teachers said to the class that your mid 20s to early 30s will definitely be the best years of your life, because you usually have a stable income, know how life works, a good understanding of who you are and your health is likely at its peak. And honestly, I can see that as I get closer to those years. 20 years old and can't wait to get older ;)
When I was about to graduate high school, my math teacher Mr Goss said "If these 4 years of high school are the best years of your life, you'll likely be miserable for the next 40 years of adulthood" and he also said "If you have kids before 21, you ruined your adult life before it even began."
The bully thing is EXTREMELY true. The people who bullied me still act that way and have still never left their hometown (unless it was to be an abusive frat guy in college). Might I add, almost all of them are divorced or are in failed marriages, and placing the blame is fairly cut and dry. Bullies who don't grow up stay exactly where they are.
Jesus Christ, I should have waited till the end to comment. One of my bullies literally burnt the back of my neck with a hot poker. I have a fucking scar and everything. Of course, no one found him at any fault for doing it, but they found fault with me for getting mad. (High school was fucking rough, there were good times, for sure, but I was extremely glad to be rid of that place.)
@@SushiDaddyThere was a guy who used to be this stereotypical jock bully in my HS and after he graduated, he was supposed to be a coach for a private high school... Until he was caught bragging about only dating freshmen girls who were basically 14-15....
I just wanna say thank you! I turn 20 in 3 months and I just feel empty. High school was not fun for me, college isnt that fun. I’m really starting to lose hope on when my life will be enjoyable. This video is a breath of fresh air thank you Emily! 🫶🏾
sorry to hear you aren’t having the most fun experience :( i can tell you that for me personally, after graduating college i have only grown to like life more and more and the same can happen for u! i truly hope things turn around soon! 🫶🏼
I’m turning 26 soon and honestly things are just now starting to pick up! The thing about how your brain finishes cooking around 25 isn’t super scientific I think, but it’s definitely a real experience lol. I’m pretty sure I’m gonna peak at 65 though so I’m honestly looking forward to being a grandma who slays 😂 whatever happens until then is what it is
I'll be honest, I wish I had put forth more effort into finding out about and *actually going to* social events when I was in college. Maybe that will help? Therapy helped me a lot tbh, but I had obvious trauma 😅 Anyhow, I miss the opportinities I didn't really make the most of when I was in college, but I do NOT miss the daily grind of college! Working full time isn't as bad, or at least it won't be once I'm finally done w getting my professional certification. Also, it's nice to have $$ to pay my own bills 😄
I remember my dad telling me before I started high school, "These are going to be the best years of your life." Nope, they were the worst. 20s weren't much better. Pushing 40, I'm a lot happier now than I was in all the ways.
Writing this as someone who is 17 and having a rlly bad time in high school, this video is such a comforting video to keep continuing high school, due to constant really bad bullying i faced🥲just makes me happy i am not peaking in highschool and to know life after high school will get better. Everyone in my life has told me i’ll miss high school - nope! Not at all! The constant bullying, the awful nicknames, really made me awful plus i am surviving with NO FRIENDS. Thank you for making this video, i feel absolute comfort
To me it's uncomfy because I've become the most mentally healthy I've ever been and lowkey feel like i might be peaking. Like dang i don't have plans for the future, I know I have two years left of highschool and all but what if this is it for me, what if I fall off
While I understand that the phrase "School days are the best days of your life" is supposed to encourage you to live in the present, and not wish your life away. But it implies that everything is downhill from there, when there can be great advantages of getting older, such as marriage or children.
@@weirddd469It can be way more than just marriage and children. A lot of ppl are happy without either. I personally don’t envision myself doing either of those things and I think that’s the best choice for me to live my best life :)
haha don't worry there are way more interesting things than marriage and children like freedom, independence, travel, changing the world into a better place, meeting ppl from extraordinarily different walks of life, live music, poetry, art galleries (they sound boring but they are often not depending in which one u go to), taking non addictive drugs without destroying your mental development, exploring forests.....i have to stop but this list could be infinite
As a thirty something old person, I would like to add: like 80% or more of your high school experience is defined by your relationship with your parents. So if your relationship with your folks is dysfunctional, you will not have a great high school experience. But have hope! I found the most important growth for me was when I left for college, and experienced life away from my parents for a while. THAT'S when so many people really start becoming who they want to be, and that's the time I look back on most fondly. 🙂
do you have any advice for young people who are scared to leave home? i'm 22 and still live with my parents (for financial reasons). i know i need to leave at some point but the thought is so scary. i feel like a child masquerading as an adult
It's funny how we look down on people who peaked in high school, but so many people will say college was the best years of their life and nobody looks down on them. Peaking in college is still _so_ early in life. I'm not really saying we _should_ look down on those people, it's true that life gets much more complicated once you graduate college and you're a true adult fully supporting yourself, but why don't we extend that same courtesy to high school peakers?
@@sittingturtleduckonce you have at least double the amount of rent you’re willing to pay saved up, and a stable enough job to keep paying bills, go on Zillow and find a place to move to. Sounds simple but life is an expert at throwing curve balls, so long as you just stay on top of your bills, you’ll be fine. Debt is a hard hole to climb out of, even if we have to dig ourselves in it to survive occasionally. Don’t be afraid to fail, learn how to pick yourself up instead. We’re all flawed at the end of the day, perfection will always be out of reach so strive for better everyday instead. If you’re better than the you from yesterday, you’re fucking killing it. Just try to keep things simple, and learn how to save money. Those two skills will get you way further than you’d expect
Actually loved when you said that “ yeah you are only young once but you’re old once too “. People tend to drag this youthful persona till their late 30. I mean being/ cherishing your actual age isn’t that bad yk.
I feel like the people who say high school is the best years of your life are the ones who actually did have some sort of peak in high school... My mom's life has improved a lot from when she was in high school. From the stories she's told me she now has a job she likes, a good husband instead of a mean/petty boyfriend, is very happy with having her kids, and overall she's had a much better time as an adult than as a teenager. So when I was having my own angsty period because my life wasn't like the movies, she told me the truth: high school matters as much as you let it matter, and most people don't care at all. It honestly relieved a lot of pressure, even if she was the one who wasn't letting me go to parties in the first place lol.
UK here. We call high school secondary school, and it was the worst years of my life.I was an autistic social outcast and my friends all excluded me throughout. Now, at age 21 turning 22, I'm happier than I've ever been.
I recently read a letter I had written to myself when I was 16 (to be opened 5 years later time-capsule style) and I had written “I bet you think back fondly and miss these high school days”. Um, no… those were the worst times of my life!!! Just goes to show that you tend to hype up and romanticize that time of your life because of society and media even if it actually sucks.
I feel like people have both the mentality of "your only young once" and "you have your whole life ahead of you" at the same time so highschool just feels like you need to be doing so much but also nothing at the same time
This is exactly what I did. So much (frivolous stuff) and nothing (of importance) at all. But I'm leaving town for Post Grad next week. Hopefully will make it count.
I remember middle through high school being an absolute never ending dredge. I remember graduating and being euphorically happy with my friends that it “finally ended”. Now 10+ years later passed by like nothing and I feel FREE. Now I don’t have to tolerate people I didn’t like in my life daily because I was stuck in stuck in the same social circle. Now I don’t like someone? They literally don’t need to be in my life. I can, on a whim, decide to take a cross-country or international without approvals from anyone. Obviously, don’t love paying bills but the freedom of adulthood is worth it.
I was that 'strange' kid in high school who sat alone around the corner window, scribbled on notebook and had no friends. I made friends in college and that backfired me. Then at university I learned the balance. High school was the worst of three still where people laughed at me for being me. And about peaking- I'm sure I'm peaking more and more every year. From an average student I became the university topper, from an unkempt, unruly teenager I became a self-loving adult, from being bullied on I learned to protect people from being bullied on.
When I was younger, anyone who said the phrase, "High school will be the best years of your life," immediately lost any respect from me. The biggest perpetrator was one of my teachers. What a lie. Move at your own pace.
Being told that when I was suicidal made it so much worse. I genuinely thought my life was not worth living because being a teenager was hell. I then discovered adulthood and not having to put up with anyone's shit anymore be it parents, teachers or evil teenage girls and my life is so much more peaceful now. It was also just a lie because I am 22 now and I have never felt as bad as I did when I was 13. I still think back to ages 13-16 as the worst years of my life.
The best years of everyone’s lives depend on the person obviously, for me it was being a child age 5-12 playing Nintendo with my friends after school, no burdens, no real stress, just fun days with friends Good thing is that similar days can always be ahead of us too, even if if feels like a difficult period of time currently
My principal talks about how you should enjoy high school and get involved with it, but also how we should not peak in high school and set ourselves up for the future
cackled at the 'most of us were studying' because I lived through some riverdale level drama in high school and if I could go back I would just do my assignments 😭🙏
I really needed this… I had a meltdown yesterday bc I was scared of my graduation coming up and felt like I haven’t done enough. 😭 the hs experience is so romanticized and savoring youth is emphasized sm by media it added a lot of pressure on me but this gave me a much needed reality check
It’s funny that this comes out now for me bc I’m graduating from high school in just over a week. I’ve never been to a party, I’ve never kissed anyone, I haven’t lived a second of how high school is portrayed in media. And it’s affected me mentally- I feel like the most boring person alive at times. That said, I can’t wait to leave this place and finally start living Edit: y’all are so sweet I can’t 😭 re-reading all these as I make the drive to move in to college. I love all of you ❤️
I too am graduating in a little over a month and I too haven’t lived life like the movies. I am really boring, and I’m severely depressed. I can’t wait to leave here and live life. All this to say, you’re not alone, but I do feel lonely at many times
to both of you - I was exactly like you when I was in high school, and now I'm 22 and graduating college in 2 weeks. there is nothing - I repeat, NOTHING - wrong with you. media and peer pressure will tell you that you should have gone to parties/dated/had sex/gotten drunk/done stupid things during those years, and if you have, great! but if you haven't, that's also great too. you are not behind, you are not abnormal, you are just doing what feels true to you. there's no right or wrong way to be a kid!! I'm so proud of you both and I hope you two know that life does get better (not in a linear fashion - there are constant ups and downs and plateaus) and you have so, SO much life left to live and experience. it's perfectly fine to go it slow or be mundane or not live up to the crazy expectations portrayed in media. you're doing just fine. 🫂💜 sincerely, a previously "boring" highschooler-now-college graduate
you're not alone! I'm taking my last finals. I never got the "this is the best years of your life" thing. not because I didn't make good memories, but because I want to keep making them! not just stop living after high-school is over. it felt like people wanted to force this life on me. but let's not gaf and prove it wrong I guess
I'm so glad I'm not the only one feeling this way 🥹 I'm graduating on the 23rd and haven't done anything significant in HS besides going to prom, but I'm excited for the future. I hope I look back with fondness and excitement to see how much I've grown
The idea of life being over after high school literally destroyed me. I put myself under a crushing amount of pressure to succeed in everything before I turned 18. Of course I couldn't, nothing could or would ever be enough. I was a perfectionist who neglected my health, I cried on birthdays, I was beyond terrified of time. I was 2nd in my graduating class, but sobbed any time I thought about college. I had a genuine mental breakdown in the middle of my first semester of college. This week, I finished my first year and I think I am really coming to terms with life and the path I'm on, the whole lotta life I have both to live and look forward to. For the first time in several years, this month I didn't cry on my birthday. I think growing up this year showed me that it didn't all end. Truly, nearly all of my failures and fears came true, and honestly I'm okay. There's no more time limits on my successes, there's no being afraid of missing it all, I can just live for once. Instead of being in a panicked rush to savor every second and not lose a single moment, I can actually enjoy years this time around, it's pretty cool. :)
My life in High School was actually such stressful experience. I didn't make any friends here, my grades were awful despite me studying so much I got a fucking burn out and had to treat it and some other chronic illness... But once I finished it - my life quality got gradually better. I love my uni, I love my friends, I finally feel accepted, not looked down at and I absolutely LOVE each discipline. My health also improved, so I absolutely don't miss my school days. Never in the world would I like to come back in these even for a few days. Fuck this "high school is the best time" mentality, you have enough time to enjoy your life and it's never late 🫂
Going off to university at 18 was a major defining time if my life. Always felt an outsider in high school (small town Appalachia Ohio). For the first time I was surrounded by intellectual equals (in many cases they were my superiors!).
@@gmansard641 Omg I also come from a relatively small town where there truly isn't much to do. Staying at home was more interesting than going out lol But yeah, it feels that in uni people are way more interested in what they're doing so it's like... shit considered "working" at school is basically a standard activity at uni lol
That's what I never understood about "your teens are the best years of your life!" or just loving high school in general (those people were DEFINITELY popular). I was homeschooled in my high school years and that was hard enough to navigate, let alone an actual school setting. Your early 20s are so much better- more freedom to make your own choices, more confidence, more everything honestly. Don't panic and look forward to learning and growing more folks😊
lol, I wish I could beleive that but I just don’t think I’m gonna enjoy most of it. I have barely any passions and I don’t think there’s any job I could get and not hate. Plus I’m in a country I don’t like and have no friends. But hopefully I’m wrong I guess
It reminds me of the wisdom I heard back then in my high school days of what usually happens (and did) to the 'popular people', and most of all, the bullies. 2 bullies from back in my H.S. days are literally 'lawn guys' back in my hometown; one is the lawn grub poison sprayer guy, the other is the guy who mows the lawn and trims the bushes. I suppose they're both small business owners, good for them! Meanwhile, I've been living in Europe and Asia for the last 20+ years, speak at international conferences, published in academic journals, consultant projects all over the place... So glad that my 'peak' wasn't back in my high school days!
Sophomore about to be a Junior in August, can confirm these are NOT the best years of my life and the media definitely lied. No, I'm not dying my hair crazy colors, sneaking out, partying all night, experiencing crazy trips, being rude to my parents, going to concerts, or having crazy romance. Babe I literally just go to school, go home, and play games all day. I think if I was older, I would miss how easy it is to make friends with the close proximity, but not much else. The mean/popular people peaking rn blow my mind💀💀
Same age/grade as you and the only thing I do on that first list is dye my hair. I don’t think I know a single high schooler (myself included) who does anything but go to school, maybe go to practice, go home, do homework, repeat.
4th semester uni student here, trust me, it get's better. I also didn't do any of the stuff that popular media makes you think is normal. Don't feel pressured to do dumb stuff and keep going.
I’m autistic and have depression (possibly at least in part from suppressing the natural ways I would express myself and things that would bring me joy out of fear of people bullying me more) and my idea of what High School was going to be like was informed by watching tons of media… and real high school socializing, dealing with stress and overwhelm and just getting up every morning feels harder than ever I just feel like I’m missing everything so the reminder that there’s more to life than high school is really important to me… I think knowing the future can be better is what’s keeping me going.
Hey, I'm also autistic and have depression, but I graduated a long time ago. There is absolutely more to life than high school! Media doesn't represent high school very well. A lot of the time they're just adult (or at least college) stories in a high school setting and even then it's highly exaggerated. You're not missing something you'll never get back, I promise you.
I had the same experience! I just graduated like a week ago (stil have to write a few exams tho) and I am so happy it's over. The amount of times I almost died during high-school is not fun. But I honestly feel better already. At least I don't have to go to a crowded and loud place every single day. We've got this my guy
Im also Autistic, im (very recently) 17 and dropped out of school in november. I know that already is a privilige to even be able to do, but i live in sweden and it's a pretty reasonable option here (though im continuing my studies in fall) At the moment im working and let me tell you: i dont think ive ever been doing this well. Ive found a great workplace and get along really well with all my coworkers and I genuinley look forward to working every day. School is truly not my thing and working is a much better experience for me. It gets so much better, i promise you. We just have to get through school and then itll look up, you can do this!!
Some kids have deluded themselves into “playing the game”, almost LARPing as a character from a high school drama. Back when I was in high school most of the kids who did that kind of stuff almost felt like they were doing it because they felt they had to or they were wasting those years
I really needed this. The pressure to do all these things in highschool is so real. FOMO is real and it SUCKS. For me personally, I don’t go to in-person school and I feel like I’m missing out in a way because I don't have a best friend to go to parties or do ANYTHING with, I'm just alone at least 95% of the time. I feel like this is the last time I will get to have fun before I am an adult. My childhood was boring and I didn’t do anything except live on UA-cam as a form of escapism. So, as I said I just feel like I HAVE to make memories in highschool or I will have just wasted two of the most critical times of my life. It also feels like once I become an adult, I won't have any time to do fun things (since I’ll have to work around the clock because our economy is sub-par). Once I get old, I PHYSICALLY won’t be able to do those things. So, yes the pressure is real :/
As a high schooler who does school online, the whole obsession with high school in media is so daunting. The experiences in shows can definitely make me wonder if I’m making a mistake or missing out, so I really appreciate this video. One positive aspect is that I can’t peak in high school if I never went🙏
Ur not missing out 💀 I was horribly depressed and insecure in high school, now I’m 21 and fully recovered. Also much happier and satisfied with my life, working in a career I enjoy and going out with friends way more than I did back then. Life didn’t get better till after graduation 😂
I’m in gr 12 and now and for the past 3 years there’s literally nothing… I jus watch anime so I can watch the highschool I want to have. But fiction is fiction. The only thing near close to “fun” that I notice my other classmates do is go to the mall together 😂
For me personally high school was the WORST years of my life. I went to school in the Deep South, around some of the worst most horrible people. I was terribly bullied, I was pre transitioned, (I didn’t even know trans people existed until AFTER high school!! Deep South really is something) I was depressed and wanting to unalive. I didn’t know who I wanted to be. I had nothing I wanted to do. Fast forward and 6 months after my senior graduation I found myself and gradually built myself up. I’m 24 now and I’m just STARTING to APPROACH my peak. High school was my ROCK BOTTOM in every way. And I’m glad for it. I’m glad that I get to fully experience my peak as an adult.
I was abused by my mother at home, went to school and was abused by the students, got 100k followers on IG, I'm in an 8 year happy, non problematic marriage, have no kids and 6 ppl from high school have reached out to apologize. Everyone looks used up, has kids, is divorced etc. I feel ashamed to admit it and feel kind of immature but I'm enjoying life now that everyone who treated me poorly is doing worse than me.
As a teacher, I see some students that give off this vibe. Their work ethic is shtty and they only care about being popular. And I don't just mean regular teen behavior, some are reeally bad. It honestly kind of makes me feel sad for them, because at some point in the near future no one is going to care anymore about their bags, eyelashes or what shoes they wear
I have a favour to ask , see you are a teacher and I am an high school girl , I want to know know more about what type of student they might think I am . Can you help me ? I will describe what type of student I am , and you can ask me about any related questions too . I just want to know about it .
I graduate in 4 weeks and god I’m ready to be done with high school. Really hope these weren’t the “best years of my life” I’m back. Graduated. Thank god that’s over.
I'm 32 now and it feels like the last year or so have just been the foundation for me to go to where I'm meant to be. Basically it's never too late too make a change for yourself 😊 so don't worry so much about the high school years
@@De_Selby thanks it was meant to be :) sometimes you need to see someone saying that it's okay to not have everything figured out by your early 20s. My way of looking at it is your 20s are the time to try things, make mistakes, work a crappy job, and see what you actually enjoy and want to do :)
Same, I'm 36 and finally finding my groove 😂 I had a near death experience last year at 35 and took up gardening as a gentle activity to keep me busy without stress while recovering. Then I started wondering why the hell I was deliberately putting myself in stressful situations just to look "successful" by society's standards. Quit my job in HR (puke), now I work in a library and my kids come in after school every Friday with grandma to visit me and choose new books, and I do my gardening and I'm working on a novel. Much better.
High school was a unique experience for me. I was raised in a Cult (JWs) so high school was the place where I could be myself fully without all the Rules and Restrictions. I definitely didn't Peak but I'm grateful for my time there because I was shown a world outside of the bubble I was raised in and was able to discover who I really was. Now, I'm Deprogrammed and I express myself like I did in high school but with adult freedom. I wasn't Popular (TM) but I was cool with a variety of people, thanks to being in Band from 5th to 12th grade. I came in with the goal to be an architect but as time went on, I switched to wanting to become an English teacher or an author. Funnily enough, I'm a Caregiver and have been since 2012 but I still write for fun.
I was an athlete competing on the youth world level in high school. Now I have trauma from that, but otherwise live a normal life. Some would assume I have fallen from glory, but I was never truly happy in such a high stress environment...now I am happier than I ever was, and I wouldn't regret changing the course of my life. I think you "peak" when you are happy with what you are doing, have good healthy lifelong relationships, and feel like your life is worth living.
I know a boy that picked on me in middle school relentlessly (this was back during the 2016-2018 style of humor on the internet). I’m now in high school and this dude has seriously never grown up. How is it possible to peak in middle school??
Bro is peaking high school it seems. I had the same type of classmate a year ago, and he had to drop out or smth bc the school didn’t let him go to the next year lmao.
i'm finishing my first year of college, and trust me, high school is just the beginning! if you're going to college, it gives you the opportunity to meet so many amazing people your age (i found my future roommates in a club we all joined first semester)! and while i can't speak to personal experience for maybe going to more of a vocational school or just going straight into working, high school loses so much of its importance once you move away from it. i had a pretty good senior year all things considered, but the past year since then has been amazing, and i feel like the people i've talked to have felt similarly. the part of your life where you have the most agency has only just started, and it will be so much better than high school. good luck on whatever your plans are!
As a high schooler who has been depressed recently about being a loner and not making memories like all my other classmates are, this gave me so much comfort 😭 tysm for this vid Emily!!
I was diagnosed with depression, medicated, and had en eating disorder in high school. I’m 21 now and fully recovered, now at the HAPPIEST I’ve ever been!! Like I used to be so stressed over schoolwork, now I’m working full time in a career I love and realized those AP tests didn’t do anything for me. It’s far from most people’s peak, society just has a weird obsession with youth. Things absolutely get way better once you graduate :))
@@britterthecritter4531 this cheered me up so much 🥲 tysm! It’s so nice to hear that youre happy out of high school and I’m happy that there’s so much more behind high school
the "coming of age" part lowkey actually changed something in my mindset? thanks to the pandemic and mental shit i genuinly feel like i wasted my teen years, and it made me so afraid to enter my 20's (im 19 rn) but i think this might actually be one of the most helpful things ive heard about it!!
I'm so glad I didn't believe anyone about any school days being the best of my life. All it was was melodrama, crying about my notes and trying to balance unpaid work on top of that. I'm 25 now and I just came back of a concert I went to after going to a museum while on the vacations I planned and paid myself. Couldn't be happier! I definitely prefer this year to all those that came before.
I definitely don't think I've peeked in high school, but sometimes it feels like it. My mother got sick as soon as I turned 18, and I've been full time taking care of her since. I'm 29 now, and I have no real adult experience, college degree, or anything that "makes me a proper adult." I'm hoping things get better soon, and I'll be able to get a job or disability (I'm not sure if I'm capable of working, even if I weren't taking care of my mother for other reasons). I'd like to feel like a proper adult. I will say though, I don't miss high school in the slightest. I'm so glad it's over. The only reason I'd ever want to go back to those years is because that's the last time my mom was healthy, and it would be so good to see her that way again.
the fact that you’re caring for your mother alone is a blessing! you’re genuinely amazing and beautiful for looking out for your momma! i’m praying for you and your situation! 🙏 ❤️
I recently turned 18 and I’ve definitely felt like a lot of my teenage years were wasted due to insecurity, introversion, and the simple fact it didn’t look like the movies. There is a huge pressure to have that amazing teenage dream but something that’s helped me is seeing my mom and her friend. I just got finished hanging out with them and it’s made me excited to get older. My mom adopted me in her mid to late forties as a baby and now she’s in her mid to late 60’s. She still hangs out with her friends, parties, has fun, and she does it all with more freedom than any teenager would have. I did great during my early teenage years and although it wasn’t picture perfect and there was a lot i wish i would have done it got me to a great position now. I’m going to college on a scholarship so the pressure of that is off my back. I can enjoy life as it comes and i’m glad i learned so much my high school years. I’m working on being more out joying and have been able to reflect on many things that will make college even better for me. I’m simply grateful i made it so far because not everyone has the privilege.
as somebody currently in high school i find your comments about how the people who peaked in it being terrible human being kinda comforting in a very weird way.
Highschool years weren't the worst, but gosh I felt anxiety throughout all these years. Currently I'm studying at university and my life is so much better! I have friends who feel much better in work environment. I've never been busier than I am right now just having picnics, long walks and drinking coffee at friends house. There's no heavy partying but I've never been happier! I feel like we just need to find environment that suits us and school isn't the only setting we should experience our life at. It's too stressful, and later you just decide what you want to do at the moment
adults who tell you high school is the best year just think wrong. they act like you cant have fun anymore once youre an adult and thats just not true. being an adult just means you have more responsibilities. thats literally it. responsibility and fun are not exclusive, and any other adult who thinks otherwise are wrong and miserable. and this is ignoring kids who had shitty home lives and can finally live their lives when theyre old enough to move out and truly enjoy and discover themselves.
My mom told me once that high school are the best years of your life. I never believed that because I still have so much more life left to live besides high School. High school is such a short time of life. I graduated last month and turned 18 last week, some of my friends said they're afraid to grow up and they want to stay "young" or "in high school." I just never felt that way -- there is a time and season for everything and people need to learn how to let go.
Most miserable time of my god damn life. Never have been more depressed and stressed. I was either studying or having depressed panicked breakdowns rather than romances or parties or anything. It all went up from there and I haven’t had a single panic attack since graduating. It was a little jarring to leave that environment and then realise in retrospect like “oh oooohh having panic attacks in the school bathroom on a weekly basis is not normal and not just the way life is” I realised just how incredibly bad I was which I didn’t at the time because 1. I was too busy to spend time on introspection and 2. EVERYONE around me was stressed and sad so it seemed semi normal.
I was everywhere during highschool. I did a lot of extracurriculars and was the leader of a few of them, and then I would run and be nominated for homecoming and prom stuff. That happened a year ago and I genuinely cannot remember stuff already lolll. I did good in highschool, but I'm just doing much more in college, even planning on getting my bachelors two years early (wish me luck). As long as you're working hard, taking care of yourself, and being around people who love you and people you love, you're going to be just fine.
I was not the least bit popular in high school, despite my achievements, and now I am basically an outcast almost 25 years later. Being an introvert who moves to new places a lot and changes schools and jobs a lot and who doesn't know how to make or keep friends will do that to you.
The "highschool/teenage years are the best period time of your life!!!" sentiment is probably a ploy pushed by several industries hoping to make money out of insecure, impressionable teenagers and young adults who aren't ready for all those "responsibilities" yet and just wish they were teenagers forever.
Being trans in high school was an experience to be sure, but I was honestly not ever expecting it to be “the best time of my life”. Like dating and other firsts, I was just not expecting them, and when they didn’t happen I wasn’t disappointed, mainly cause I’ve seen other queer people online being like “yeah don’t worry, it gets better”.
it might sounda bit dramatic but this made me tear up a bit and i just wanna say thank you, I'm turning 18 and everyone is asking me what i'm gonna do to celebrate and what shenagans i'll be up to but i dont know what i'm supposed to do. I have to get my drivers license i have to work and save up and i have to study so much i have no idea if i'll even want to celebrate anything and everyone is acting like i'm wasting my time if i dont do something. I'm so stressed out but its comforting to hear that i have time so i just want to thank you for saying that. :,)
Omg you don't know how much I needed this. For about a month, I had constant debilliating anxiety about the future and a strong dissatisfaction for my life because I kept hearing "Enjoy your youth before you because a slave to corporation and never feel happiness again as an adult." Cause honestly, 8th grade was NOT my year, and what I was hearing was that that is basically the best life gets. I also was using most of my time focusing on academics and not on hanging with friends and stuff like that. I told my counselor about this and she said the same thing, that I need to enjoy my youth. Nobody rlly understood why I was so worked up but eventually I realized that the only people who talk about middle/high School like that or even talk about it at all are the people who are miserable. Whether or not that correlates with the fact that they probably didn't invest in academics, I don't know. What I do know is it's totally fine to not be happy 24/7 as an insecure hormonal teenager. Your life as an adult is not going to be terrible, and like Emily said, you're also only an adult once.
I remember on my last day of school, when everyone in my year was told to leave in the middle of class with no notice so we couldn't cause any trouble like the previous year did, there were people that were upset and treating it like a big deal and I was like "whatever, anyone I care about I can keep seeing. Screw this place", but now looking back on it two decades later, I was right, screw that place. Last year I found someone burnt down the maths block and I was genuinely shocked at finding out that the building was still standing in the first place. What a dump.
My mom used to always tell me about how being 16 would be the best moment of my life, or just being in high school would be the best moments. They were the worst actually.
Your intro to the topic was so spot-on!!! /Everything/ happens only once, not just being a kid or a teen or someone in your 20's. That's a good thing! Tomorrow you start a new day with an added 24 hours of experience. There is nowhere else to go but forward and lingering in the past beyond just a healthy amount of nostalgia and visiting memories will hold you back fr
As someone who’s being homeschooled throughout high school, this is a nice change of pace to hear. I always had this fear that I’ll miss out on everything due to it, but now I’m not so worried :)
I'm 30 now and the only things I miss about being 16 are having an uncomplicated life and not having to pay bills. Complaints about people used to be about petty things, not potential lawsuits 😭
feel like it's important to mention that the difference between during and after high school for a lot of people is responsibility right- you work a 9-5, you take care of kids, you take care of your home . high school is the time where they didn't have to do those things. but for a lot of us, high school was our 9-5, there were younger siblings or parents to take care of, a house to keep clean, and you live under the thumb of people who support you financially. then when you're an actual adult you gain that financial freedom, and every responsibility is something you've chosen . you may have to pay bills for your flat now, but it's yours . you don't clean up after anyone, your money is your own . even when you get a family, that's a life you've chosen . you choose to accept that responsibility, so it feels really different. a lot of people who got to be carefree in high school did so with the expectation that once they left, they had to give up fun for the rest of their lives. i think teenagers who grew up poor or with abusive/controlling parents will understand how baffling it was to become an adult, realise how much you can now do with your life, and then have someone tell you that it's all downhill from here. you also don't have to go to university or college to grow into your own- i did it through working a job i hated, then a job i loved.
I’m def existential about romance in younger years. I just graduated college this week and mourn the fact I didn’t get to be open and explore relationships as a lesbian. Like, yes, you’re only young once. There are places and experiences that can be only be experienced *once* at a certain age with someone. You can’t date as a 30 year old how an 18 year old would date. :(
I had a good childhood, but a stressful, unpleasant, and depressing life from middle school to college. I have some regrets from that decade, and many unlucky things happened to me. The upside is, I have almost zero nostalgia for the past. I feel like I'm peaking in the current year of my life.
Hey I’m sorry that you had such a stressful life. I know I’m just a stranger on the internet. But I genuinely hope things start to look up for you soon. I want you to know that you are valued and appreciated. And I hope you have a day/night wherever you are. Sending virtual hugs 🫂
Im in high school (started last year) and its a lot of pressure. I feel like im average, but sometimes i dont care as much about my grades as much as I do for my social life. Part of me wants to have a big social circle, but also i dont want to "peak" in high school in that sense. Sometimes im worried about how things will end up for me in the future because of this, but thank you Emily for your wonderful videos every weak!! They really uplift me and make me want to actually do something in my life.
i feel like i haven't really experienced anything in my teens and that my life is being wasted, but this video reminded me that theres still so much time so thank you for that
My high school memories are mostly just religious trauma and my desperation to leave my hometown and classmates behind me. I was pretty much the embodiment of Seymour singing about how much he wants to leave Skid Row in Little Shop of Horrors, except I was looping that hope and desperation for 4 years 🥲
honestly i'm so grateful i'm not in highschool anymore, it was hell, especially cause italian edication system is literally horrible. teachers don't gaf about you and literally hate their job and cope by bullying on their students😭😭 only some teachers actually like their job.
Thank you so much for doing this video. Not only it was funny and enjoyable, but it also helped me remember that life doesn't just go downhill after school. The media is so centered around youth that I'm quite stressed for the future, and it gets even worse with people telling me that these are "the best years of my life". This got my head cleared and kinda changed the way I view my high school years.
I love that your upload schedule aligns with my gym schedule. I literally watch you on the treadmill, laughing like a maniac in planet fitness not giving af
I graduated high school last year and I went straight to college but then had to take a semester off. I'm now just trying to enjoy being out of high school more, I'm 19 and and ready to experience life not mid, highschool was mid...it sucked.
High school was fun for me but honestly as soon as I got into college things just got so much better from meeting people to having more freedom to do anything to partying and exploring new places and shit I loved it. Now I’m 23 and honestly being an adult is great I don’t really mind working since I’m used to working a lot since I was a kid cause I helped out in farms and did some community service i just get paid now. I’ll be graduating college as a radiographer technician and I’m proud of what I’ve done
I remember people telling me highschool would be the best years on my life. My response was always "I sure hope not". I was right tho so that's pretty great :)
In some ways, I feel like I peaked in high school, especially since my greatest achievement happened right after 8th grade way back in 1996 (I won 3rd place in the National Geography Bee with a prize of $10,000 scholarship and was televised on national TV) while in other ways, life is a lot better now (at least now I get to live alone and smoke weed). I've never been to a high school reunion and I probably never will because It would be embarrassing for everyone to see that 25 years after high school, I still work at the bottom level of places like Amazon working alongside high school kids.
This is actually really encouraging as someone who’s almost a Junior in highschool. Im homeschooled and I always feel so insignificant but as long as life gets better later 👌🏻 All I need to do is be educated and make sure that my life will be better later and I’ll have more opportunities
Can’t peak in high school if you never peak at all
Can't peak if I perpetuate a plateau
can’t peak in high school if i never make it to high school 😍
@@wedgearyxsaberpls 😭😭
even a downwards spiral has a peak somewhere 💪💪
Yeah, I'm still waiting
I once asked my aunt grandma who is like 87 "what do you consider the best age in life?" And she told me "every age has its good things and its bad things, there is not a better or worse age to be". And i thank a lot that she gave me that perspective, that pretty much encapsules the YOLO mindset.
YES! Wisdom
That's really nice.
I love this comment but I’m a little confused what “aunt grandma” means, do you mean great aunt??/gen
@@whackinator i supose. English is not my first language. She is my grandma's sister
Ohh! Then I guess you can call her grandmother- in India, anyone who is like a grandma from our paternal side is called dadi and likewise for the maternal side Nani@@lug358
I always think that most high school coming of age movies could be set in college instead and it would just make so much more sense and stop kids thinking they need to grow up so quick in the ways they see on tv
*cough*EUPHORIA*cough*
Yeah kinda creepy how deadset they are on having theses characters be minors when they’re gonna do all this stuff
I do see your point, but I do understand the reasoning behind setting them in highschool being that it's a more universal experience. Less people go to college than to highschool, and generally speaking the social hierarchy in college is a lot more fragmented because colleges are significantly bigger.
yeah it's harder to have the drama because in college it's like if you have drama avoid them, the campus is big enough. In high school you got first second and third period with them, you know@@fh9061
@@fh9061 I think in general, high school is a phenomenon in literature and media that is very distinct from an organic high school experience. High school in media acts to be a relatable setting, yes, but more than that, in invokes a set of implied groups and behaviors. When you hear a book is about a high school, you're generally going to think "Oh so it's going to be about a protagonist navigating a social hierarchy involving archetypal jocks, nerds, and potentially theater kids with some sort of twist"
In that sense, it's not necessarily that we've all experienced high school that makes it a good setting, but rather that we know what to expect.
I suspect those that "peaked in high school" never hit the final maturity plateau and are mentally stuck in their mid teens to early 20's. They are the ones that treat the workplace like a classroom, their mannerisms, thought processes, emotional maturity and in turn behaviour never changed. They never became an adult. They peaked there because mentally and emotionally that's where they remain.
It's even worse when you see people my age early to mid 40s treating intimate relationships like they did in highschool
Serial dating and bringing strangers around their kids and acting like teenagers
I mean I didn't even do that in highschool as I was an introvert and didn't even date often as i was way too much into comics, playing video games and hockey and basketball with my friends
@@Chuck_EL
We're around the same age, yeah it's strange to see.
I mean if you want to be foolish for a night go for it, maybe do some of those things... but don't be it, don't live it. It's so... cringe.
Then you get the people our age that date people half their age, I really do wonder what they talk about, they'd have so little in common.
I wonder if social media influences that, always trying to "be the fun friend".
I'm late, but I 100% agree. A while ago, I found my old bullies Instagram. She was a cliché Mean Girl. Pretty af, shallow af...
At first, she looked pretty well off. Her looks only grew, she's obsessed with tattoos, goes to clubs etc. But theeen...I discovered some reels. Yeah, apparently she was still starting shit. The ultimate "Drama" Queen never left the building. Question is where she'll be left once her looks fade or she gets into an accident.
@@leroyjenkins1249 Wow.. it's like looking back in time. They never grow up.
My ex is like that, not very popular but popular enough and hangs around people a lot younger than her too.
She's approaching middle aged and still acts like a teenager. She doesn't have looks but does have attitude as though she does.
I dated a guy like this. He never mentally matured past 17. He always compared me to how I was in High School (this was our second time dating, the first was in HS), he cheated on me, and every fight was turned into the “I’m leaving then, clearly this isn’t working,”
A word from a 30 year old: high school was the worst time of my life. I did not kiss hot people or ANYONE. I stayed home, watched anime and hung out with my four friends. College was what made me who I am and even now, this year at 30 I feel like THIS is the best time of my life. I’m financially stable, living somewhere cool, doing a job I love. Maybe in ten years I’ll look back and think that no, THAT time is the best in my life. Life has the potential for happiness. Just hang on if things are a bit shit until then. I promise you, as someone who never believed it, things get so much better.
I hate how most adults in my life act like when you graduate highschool it’s game over and you’re going to have a miserable life. I always get told “highschool is the best part of your life enjoy it while you can” and they talk about how “you’re gonna have to work the rest of your life and it’s gonna suck… “ it’s like they are telling me that I’m never gonna enjoy anything again after. Genuinely I don’t feel like these years are important lmao, like yeah they are but not in the sense they are saying I literally do nothing all day, like I sit at home and do homework and procrastinate and WISH I was working and had a car. I genuinely think people need to stop telling kids this, they think they are doing them a favor and “preparing them for what’s to come” but in reality it’s setting them up for failure because that’s what they think is going to happen to them so they don’t necessarily try too hard to make it anything else
I'm 29 and I'm the happiest I've ever been. My high school years were good and awful all at once, but they were definitely not the best time of my life. I hate how much people complain about adulthood to teenagers; there are so many beautiful things about being grown and while I had a great childhood, I wouldn't want to go back
I'm 26 and couldn't agree more. I remember being 14 and wanting to have a job and independence.. trust me, I think adolescence it's just the starting line and everything before that it's basically the prologue.
Don't worry you'll meet people that feel less sorry for themselves😅✌🏻
Yeah once I got a car and independence I had a better life. I never had that in HS. It wasn't a terrible time but it wasn't great either.
THIS!!!!
I don't know what those adults are on.
I'm in my 40s right now, and I'm so much happier now than I was in high school. Or college, which is the one I got told would be the best time in my life. I will say, college was a great time to make friends - the main downside of my adult life is the difficulty of making new friends. But aside from that one aspect, my life is far better now than any time period previous. I might wish for a younger body, but I certainly don't wish for my younger life.
For me the one sign that someone peaked in high school is if they still try to insult people the same way they did back then. I've met grown adult women who still do the teen girl point-and-laugh at other women (like you mentioned too), men who still try to insult each other like they're teen boys. When I was a teen I was devastated when some girl sarcastically told me my top was "super cuute... Last year's fashion..." I'm 32 now. If someone my age came up to me today and did that I'd be embarrassed for them.
Yes! (I'm 34, I know EXACTLY what you mean)!
sadly in uni or school jobs had to see that shit and some were over 21. like gimme a break u are 28 and im 19 and u here saying bs. (i'm 22 now)
Exactly, and when people eat drama up like they don't have better things to worry about
@@xd._.28234 Some people really can't let it go. They learned how to gain influence and seem cool in high school and never adapted to a different environment.
@@Pystoria older people gossup almost more than teenagers tho
My mum just walked in on me watching this and stated loudly “Oh wow! Talk about being unbelievably beautiful”
Then i said “yeah shes funny too” and my mum said “wow, even better“ then walked off like nothing happened.
Never had anything like that happen before but she ain’t wrong
She's SO real for that tbh
she should hear this!! it'll make her day💞
your profile picture 🤭🤭
@@whatsyouretammm omg is that andy?
Toooo real
I've always hated when people told me "high school years will be the happiest years of your life" or "wait till you're an adult and have to work a 9 to 5 and pay bills" because i'm currently 18, sick and tired of studying for school subjects i don't like and i can't wait to be 40, have my dream job, live in my own home in a (hopefully big) city together with my future girlfriend/wife (and perhaps boyfriend too), have at least one cat, maybe a kid or two and a small group of best friends to spend my evenings with. There's so much more to life than high school and life after it doesn't have to be miserable.
If it's downhill from here like so many people say then I have no idea how I'm gonna survive my 20s
When I was 18, one of my teachers said to the class that your mid 20s to early 30s will definitely be the best years of your life, because you usually have a stable income, know how life works, a good understanding of who you are and your health is likely at its peak. And honestly, I can see that as I get closer to those years. 20 years old and can't wait to get older ;)
When I was about to graduate high school, my math teacher Mr Goss said "If these 4 years of high school are the best years of your life, you'll likely be miserable for the next 40 years of adulthood" and he also said "If you have kids before 21, you ruined your adult life before it even began."
Jokes on you, I peaked in kindergarten 😤
You didn't have to flex on us like that 😭😭😭😭😭😭👊
I peaked in elementary 🗣️
same 💀
Same
Jokes on you, I peaked in preschool!
The bully thing is EXTREMELY true. The people who bullied me still act that way and have still never left their hometown (unless it was to be an abusive frat guy in college). Might I add, almost all of them are divorced or are in failed marriages, and placing the blame is fairly cut and dry. Bullies who don't grow up stay exactly where they are.
Jesus Christ, I should have waited till the end to comment. One of my bullies literally burnt the back of my neck with a hot poker. I have a fucking scar and everything. Of course, no one found him at any fault for doing it, but they found fault with me for getting mad.
(High school was fucking rough, there were good times, for sure, but I was extremely glad to be rid of that place.)
@@SushiDaddyThere was a guy who used to be this stereotypical jock bully in my HS and after he graduated, he was supposed to be a coach for a private high school... Until he was caught bragging about only dating freshmen girls who were basically 14-15....
Yeah. My bully from 6th grade through highschool ended up being a wife beater, divorced, and went to prison.
@@calico_queen8976
🤮
My bully from high school has a terrible life now and still lives in our hometown 🤣
I just wanna say thank you! I turn 20 in 3 months and I just feel empty. High school was not fun for me, college isnt that fun. I’m really starting to lose hope on when my life will be enjoyable. This video is a breath of fresh air thank you Emily! 🫶🏾
sorry to hear you aren’t having the most fun experience :( i can tell you that for me personally, after graduating college i have only grown to like life more and more and the same can happen for u! i truly hope things turn around soon! 🫶🏼
@@notevenemily thank you 🥹🥹 i love your videos they always make me laugh!!
Fingers crossed😊🤞
I’m turning 26 soon and honestly things are just now starting to pick up! The thing about how your brain finishes cooking around 25 isn’t super scientific I think, but it’s definitely a real experience lol. I’m pretty sure I’m gonna peak at 65 though so I’m honestly looking forward to being a grandma who slays 😂 whatever happens until then is what it is
I'll be honest, I wish I had put forth more effort into finding out about and *actually going to* social events when I was in college. Maybe that will help?
Therapy helped me a lot tbh, but I had obvious trauma 😅
Anyhow, I miss the opportinities I didn't really make the most of when I was in college, but I do NOT miss the daily grind of college!
Working full time isn't as bad, or at least it won't be once I'm finally done w getting my professional certification.
Also, it's nice to have $$ to pay my own bills 😄
I remember my dad telling me before I started high school, "These are going to be the best years of your life." Nope, they were the worst. 20s weren't much better. Pushing 40, I'm a lot happier now than I was in all the ways.
glad to hear that ❤
High school sucked so hard.
Writing this as someone who is 17 and having a rlly bad time in high school, this video is such a comforting video to keep continuing high school, due to constant really bad bullying i faced🥲just makes me happy i am not peaking in highschool and to know life after high school will get better. Everyone in my life has told me i’ll miss high school - nope! Not at all! The constant bullying, the awful nicknames, really made me awful plus i am surviving with NO FRIENDS. Thank you for making this video, i feel absolute comfort
as a 16 year old viewer ( who is definitely not peaking rn) this is a rly comforting sentiment tbh, thank u emily🙏
I’m about to turn 16 soon and this video helped me a ton too!
I’m 19 and yeah… high school sucked, like probably worst years of my life
yeah highschool was trash, just wait until you get wiser, more confident, and grow into yourself more. it gets so much better
To me it's uncomfy because I've become the most mentally healthy I've ever been and lowkey feel like i might be peaking. Like dang i don't have plans for the future, I know I have two years left of highschool and all but what if this is it for me, what if I fall off
@@demetriam2408 I feel that a lot sometimes too. Not to mention peer pressure and societal pressures.
While I understand that the phrase "School days are the best days of your life" is supposed to encourage you to live in the present, and not wish your life away. But it implies that everything is downhill from there, when there can be great advantages of getting older, such as marriage or children.
Can it be more than just Marriage or children tho? What if I don't want any of those :(
@@weirddd469It can be way more than just marriage and children. A lot of ppl are happy without either. I personally don’t envision myself doing either of those things and I think that’s the best choice for me to live my best life :)
haha don't worry there are way more interesting things than marriage and children like freedom, independence, travel, changing the world into a better place, meeting ppl from extraordinarily different walks of life, live music, poetry, art galleries (they sound boring but they are often not depending in which one u go to), taking non addictive drugs without destroying your mental development, exploring forests.....i have to stop but this list could be infinite
@@mesCheerios I love going to different art galleries based on the location!! Natural history museums are also a must ^_^
girl i need to stop seeing you fucking everywhere
As a thirty something old person, I would like to add: like 80% or more of your high school experience is defined by your relationship with your parents. So if your relationship with your folks is dysfunctional, you will not have a great high school experience. But have hope! I found the most important growth for me was when I left for college, and experienced life away from my parents for a while. THAT'S when so many people really start becoming who they want to be, and that's the time I look back on most fondly. 🙂
do you have any advice for young people who are scared to leave home? i'm 22 and still live with my parents (for financial reasons). i know i need to leave at some point but the thought is so scary. i feel like a child masquerading as an adult
@UTTP-142wut
@@itzskye7074 They are a spam bot. Just report them.
It's funny how we look down on people who peaked in high school, but so many people will say college was the best years of their life and nobody looks down on them. Peaking in college is still _so_ early in life. I'm not really saying we _should_ look down on those people, it's true that life gets much more complicated once you graduate college and you're a true adult fully supporting yourself, but why don't we extend that same courtesy to high school peakers?
@@sittingturtleduckonce you have at least double the amount of rent you’re willing to pay saved up, and a stable enough job to keep paying bills, go on Zillow and find a place to move to. Sounds simple but life is an expert at throwing curve balls, so long as you just stay on top of your bills, you’ll be fine. Debt is a hard hole to climb out of, even if we have to dig ourselves in it to survive occasionally.
Don’t be afraid to fail, learn how to pick yourself up instead. We’re all flawed at the end of the day, perfection will always be out of reach so strive for better everyday instead. If you’re better than the you from yesterday, you’re fucking killing it.
Just try to keep things simple, and learn how to save money. Those two skills will get you way further than you’d expect
Actually loved when you said that “ yeah you are only young once but you’re old once too “. People tend to drag this youthful persona till their late 30. I mean being/ cherishing your actual age isn’t that bad yk.
What's wrong with being youthful at 30? xD
tbf late 30s isnt that old lol
I feel like the people who say high school is the best years of your life are the ones who actually did have some sort of peak in high school...
My mom's life has improved a lot from when she was in high school. From the stories she's told me she now has a job she likes, a good husband instead of a mean/petty boyfriend, is very happy with having her kids, and overall she's had a much better time as an adult than as a teenager. So when I was having my own angsty period because my life wasn't like the movies, she told me the truth: high school matters as much as you let it matter, and most people don't care at all. It honestly relieved a lot of pressure, even if she was the one who wasn't letting me go to parties in the first place lol.
oh yeah my parents never said that
UK here. We call high school secondary school, and it was the worst years of my life.I was an autistic social outcast and my friends all excluded me throughout. Now, at age 21 turning 22, I'm happier than I've ever been.
SAME
hell yeah
I’m in secondary rn lol
theres nothing more effective at giving you social anxiety than your average year 7 experience.
real, year 10 was such a lonely time for me
I recently read a letter I had written to myself when I was 16 (to be opened 5 years later time-capsule style) and I had written “I bet you think back fondly and miss these high school days”. Um, no… those were the worst times of my life!!! Just goes to show that you tend to hype up and romanticize that time of your life because of society and media even if it actually sucks.
IM SORRY BUT LMAO 😭
Lowkey this is real
@UTTP-142 dead internet theory is becoming more real 😭
Blame the teenage dream showcased in American movies. I've heard teen years in foreign countries is much different.
@@DrawciaGleam02 yeah! I went to school in Germany and it was pretty horrendous…
I had the same thing happen, but lil bro also said, “I’m proud of wherever you are.” T_T
I feel like people have both the mentality of "your only young once" and "you have your whole life ahead of you" at the same time so highschool just feels like you need to be doing so much but also nothing at the same time
This is exactly what I did. So much (frivolous stuff) and nothing (of importance) at all. But I'm leaving town for Post Grad next week. Hopefully will make it count.
I remember middle through high school being an absolute never ending dredge. I remember graduating and being euphorically happy with my friends that it “finally ended”. Now 10+ years later passed by like nothing and I feel FREE. Now I don’t have to tolerate people I didn’t like in my life daily because I was stuck in stuck in the same social circle. Now I don’t like someone? They literally don’t need to be in my life. I can, on a whim, decide to take a cross-country or international without approvals from anyone. Obviously, don’t love paying bills but the freedom of adulthood is worth it.
I was that 'strange' kid in high school who sat alone around the corner window, scribbled on notebook and had no friends. I made friends in college and that backfired me. Then at university I learned the balance. High school was the worst of three still where people laughed at me for being me. And about peaking- I'm sure I'm peaking more and more every year. From an average student I became the university topper, from an unkempt, unruly teenager I became a self-loving adult, from being bullied on I learned to protect people from being bullied on.
GIRL JUST 4 MORE SUBS AND YOU'RE AT A MILLION
RIP ur math grades 😕💔
close!! 4k more!
Harvard is calling!!!
it’s crazy !!! 😱😱
so close! it’s 4k 😭
amanda the highschooler in the first skit growing up to be a cancer research scientist is such a heartwarming touch
@UTTP-142
Lmao hard work? You're too lazy to switch out the names on your copy pasted comments
Fr that’s so cute
When I was younger, anyone who said the phrase, "High school will be the best years of your life," immediately lost any respect from me. The biggest perpetrator was one of my teachers. What a lie. Move at your own pace.
People who say that (especially teachers) are the ones who peaked in high school 😭
Being told that when I was suicidal made it so much worse. I genuinely thought my life was not worth living because being a teenager was hell. I then discovered adulthood and not having to put up with anyone's shit anymore be it parents, teachers or evil teenage girls and my life is so much more peaceful now.
It was also just a lie because I am 22 now and I have never felt as bad as I did when I was 13. I still think back to ages 13-16 as the worst years of my life.
The best years of everyone’s lives depend on the person obviously, for me it was being a child age 5-12 playing Nintendo with my friends after school, no burdens, no real stress, just fun days with friends
Good thing is that similar days can always be ahead of us too, even if if feels like a difficult period of time currently
My principal talks about how you should enjoy high school and get involved with it, but also how we should not peak in high school and set ourselves up for the future
cackled at the 'most of us were studying' because I lived through some riverdale level drama in high school and if I could go back I would just do my assignments 😭🙏
I really needed this… I had a meltdown yesterday bc I was scared of my graduation coming up and felt like I haven’t done enough. 😭 the hs experience is so romanticized and savoring youth is emphasized sm by media it added a lot of pressure on me but this gave me a much needed reality check
It’s funny that this comes out now for me bc I’m graduating from high school in just over a week. I’ve never been to a party, I’ve never kissed anyone, I haven’t lived a second of how high school is portrayed in media. And it’s affected me mentally- I feel like the most boring person alive at times. That said, I can’t wait to leave this place and finally start living
Edit: y’all are so sweet I can’t 😭 re-reading all these as I make the drive to move in to college. I love all of you ❤️
I too am graduating in a little over a month and I too haven’t lived life like the movies. I am really boring, and I’m severely depressed. I can’t wait to leave here and live life. All this to say, you’re not alone, but I do feel lonely at many times
to both of you - I was exactly like you when I was in high school, and now I'm 22 and graduating college in 2 weeks. there is nothing - I repeat, NOTHING - wrong with you. media and peer pressure will tell you that you should have gone to parties/dated/had sex/gotten drunk/done stupid things during those years, and if you have, great! but if you haven't, that's also great too. you are not behind, you are not abnormal, you are just doing what feels true to you. there's no right or wrong way to be a kid!! I'm so proud of you both and I hope you two know that life does get better (not in a linear fashion - there are constant ups and downs and plateaus) and you have so, SO much life left to live and experience. it's perfectly fine to go it slow or be mundane or not live up to the crazy expectations portrayed in media. you're doing just fine. 🫂💜 sincerely, a previously "boring" highschooler-now-college graduate
you're not alone! I'm taking my last finals. I never got the "this is the best years of your life" thing. not because I didn't make good memories, but because I want to keep making them! not just stop living after high-school is over. it felt like people wanted to force this life on me. but let's not gaf and prove it wrong I guess
I'm so glad I'm not the only one feeling this way 🥹
I'm graduating on the 23rd and haven't done anything significant in HS besides going to prom, but I'm excited for the future. I hope I look back with fondness and excitement to see how much I've grown
CMOn!!!!! ME TOOOOOO
The idea of life being over after high school literally destroyed me. I put myself under a crushing amount of pressure to succeed in everything before I turned 18. Of course I couldn't, nothing could or would ever be enough. I was a perfectionist who neglected my health, I cried on birthdays, I was beyond terrified of time. I was 2nd in my graduating class, but sobbed any time I thought about college. I had a genuine mental breakdown in the middle of my first semester of college. This week, I finished my first year and I think I am really coming to terms with life and the path I'm on, the whole lotta life I have both to live and look forward to. For the first time in several years, this month I didn't cry on my birthday.
I think growing up this year showed me that it didn't all end. Truly, nearly all of my failures and fears came true, and honestly I'm okay. There's no more time limits on my successes, there's no being afraid of missing it all, I can just live for once. Instead of being in a panicked rush to savor every second and not lose a single moment, I can actually enjoy years this time around, it's pretty cool. :)
This is the most relatable comment I’ve seen so far. Glad you’re doing better! 💜
Damn bruh i might be on this path
bro, feeling like sh*t on one's birthday still resonates deep with me.
but it feels great to realize those fears, once strong, are now fading
Aw man, I’m glad that you seem happier and are actually enjoying life instead of rushing it!
I’m turning 19 in 1 month. I felt the same way 1 year ago but now I’m excited for all the life I have ahead of me
My life in High School was actually such stressful experience. I didn't make any friends here, my grades were awful despite me studying so much I got a fucking burn out and had to treat it and some other chronic illness... But once I finished it - my life quality got gradually better. I love my uni, I love my friends, I finally feel accepted, not looked down at and I absolutely LOVE each discipline. My health also improved, so I absolutely don't miss my school days. Never in the world would I like to come back in these even for a few days. Fuck this "high school is the best time" mentality, you have enough time to enjoy your life and it's never late 🫂
i love that ur better !!! my experience is very similar - also at uni atm and i am so HAPPY. ;) it was nice to read this !
Going off to university at 18 was a major defining time if my life. Always felt an outsider in high school (small town Appalachia Ohio). For the first time I was surrounded by intellectual equals (in many cases they were my superiors!).
@@natalie3875 YEAH!! sorry for answering so late, hope you're having a great summer 💖
@@gmansard641 Omg I also come from a relatively small town where there truly isn't much to do. Staying at home was more interesting than going out lol
But yeah, it feels that in uni people are way more interested in what they're doing so it's like... shit considered "working" at school is basically a standard activity at uni lol
That's what I never understood about "your teens are the best years of your life!" or just loving high school in general (those people were DEFINITELY popular). I was homeschooled in my high school years and that was hard enough to navigate, let alone an actual school setting. Your early 20s are so much better- more freedom to make your own choices, more confidence, more everything honestly. Don't panic and look forward to learning and growing more folks😊
lol, I wish I could beleive that but I just don’t think I’m gonna enjoy most of it. I have barely any passions and I don’t think there’s any job I could get and not hate. Plus I’m in a country I don’t like and have no friends. But hopefully I’m wrong I guess
It reminds me of the wisdom I heard back then in my high school days of what usually happens (and did) to the 'popular people', and most of all, the bullies. 2 bullies from back in my H.S. days are literally 'lawn guys' back in my hometown; one is the lawn grub poison sprayer guy, the other is the guy who mows the lawn and trims the bushes. I suppose they're both small business owners, good for them! Meanwhile, I've been living in Europe and Asia for the last 20+ years, speak at international conferences, published in academic journals, consultant projects all over the place... So glad that my 'peak' wasn't back in my high school days!
Sophomore about to be a Junior in August, can confirm these are NOT the best years of my life and the media definitely lied. No, I'm not dying my hair crazy colors, sneaking out, partying all night, experiencing crazy trips, being rude to my parents, going to concerts, or having crazy romance. Babe I literally just go to school, go home, and play games all day. I think if I was older, I would miss how easy it is to make friends with the close proximity, but not much else. The mean/popular people peaking rn blow my mind💀💀
Same age/grade as you and the only thing I do on that first list is dye my hair. I don’t think I know a single high schooler (myself included) who does anything but go to school, maybe go to practice, go home, do homework, repeat.
4th semester uni student here, trust me, it get's better. I also didn't do any of the stuff that popular media makes you think is normal. Don't feel pressured to do dumb stuff and keep going.
I did dye my hair crazy colors in high school but I got bullied for it😍
Same, I relate to every single word you said. It's not like I'm weird or anything but it's just not giving what it needs to give. 🫠
I’m autistic and have depression (possibly at least in part from suppressing the natural ways I would express myself and things that would bring me joy out of fear of people bullying me more) and my idea of what High School was going to be like was informed by watching tons of media… and real high school socializing, dealing with stress and overwhelm and just getting up every morning feels harder than ever I just feel like I’m missing everything so the reminder that there’s more to life than high school is really important to me… I think knowing the future can be better is what’s keeping me going.
It definitely will :) it's good u saw this. Keep going😊🫶
Hey, I'm also autistic and have depression, but I graduated a long time ago. There is absolutely more to life than high school! Media doesn't represent high school very well. A lot of the time they're just adult (or at least college) stories in a high school setting and even then it's highly exaggerated. You're not missing something you'll never get back, I promise you.
i resonate so hard with this :) you're not alone!!!
I had the same experience! I just graduated like a week ago (stil have to write a few exams tho) and I am so happy it's over. The amount of times I almost died during high-school is not fun. But I honestly feel better already. At least I don't have to go to a crowded and loud place every single day. We've got this my guy
Im also Autistic, im (very recently) 17 and dropped out of school in november. I know that already is a privilige to even be able to do, but i live in sweden and it's a pretty reasonable option here (though im continuing my studies in fall)
At the moment im working and let me tell you: i dont think ive ever been doing this well. Ive found a great workplace and get along really well with all my coworkers and I genuinley look forward to working every day. School is truly not my thing and working is a much better experience for me. It gets so much better, i promise you. We just have to get through school and then itll look up, you can do this!!
She may not be pregnant but never fails to deliver ‼️
😂😂😂
wait don't the midwives deliver?
@@sittingturtleduckTRUEEE
Some kids have deluded themselves into “playing the game”, almost LARPing as a character from a high school drama. Back when I was in high school most of the kids who did that kind of stuff almost felt like they were doing it because they felt they had to or they were wasting those years
I really needed this. The pressure to do all these things in highschool is so real. FOMO is real and it SUCKS. For me personally, I don’t go to in-person school and I feel like I’m missing out in a way because I don't have a best friend to go to parties or do ANYTHING with, I'm just alone at least 95% of the time. I feel like this is the last time I will get to have fun before I am an adult. My childhood was boring and I didn’t do anything except live on UA-cam as a form of escapism. So, as I said I just feel like I HAVE to make memories in highschool or I will have just wasted two of the most critical times of my life. It also feels like once I become an adult, I won't have any time to do fun things (since I’ll have to work around the clock because our economy is sub-par). Once I get old, I PHYSICALLY won’t be able to do those things. So, yes the pressure is real :/
As a high schooler who does school online, the whole obsession with high school in media is so daunting. The experiences in shows can definitely make me wonder if I’m making a mistake or missing out, so I really appreciate this video. One positive aspect is that I can’t peak in high school if I never went🙏
high school is hell, don't worry you're not missing anything
Ur not missing out 💀 I was horribly depressed and insecure in high school, now I’m 21 and fully recovered. Also much happier and satisfied with my life, working in a career I enjoy and going out with friends way more than I did back then. Life didn’t get better till after graduation 😂
off topic but your pfp is HEAVENLY🤑
You're good. Making friends is easy but the drama is just No girl, ugh I hate that part
I’m in gr 12 and now and for the past 3 years there’s literally nothing… I jus watch anime so I can watch the highschool I want to have. But fiction is fiction. The only thing near close to “fun” that I notice my other classmates do is go to the mall together 😂
crazy to see you be at almost a million, as a fan for 6+ years im so proud of you emily
thank you honey 🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼 i’m excited for the future too 😸😸
For me personally high school was the WORST years of my life. I went to school in the Deep South, around some of the worst most horrible people. I was terribly bullied, I was pre transitioned, (I didn’t even know trans people existed until AFTER high school!! Deep South really is something) I was depressed and wanting to unalive. I didn’t know who I wanted to be. I had nothing I wanted to do. Fast forward and 6 months after my senior graduation I found myself and gradually built myself up.
I’m 24 now and I’m just STARTING to APPROACH my peak. High school was my ROCK BOTTOM in every way. And I’m glad for it. I’m glad that I get to fully experience my peak as an adult.
I was abused by my mother at home, went to school and was abused by the students, got 100k followers on IG, I'm in an 8 year happy, non problematic marriage, have no kids and 6 ppl from high school have reached out to apologize. Everyone looks used up, has kids, is divorced etc. I feel ashamed to admit it and feel kind of immature but I'm enjoying life now that everyone who treated me poorly is doing worse than me.
Don't feel that way. Karma got them. Enjoy your life ❤
As a teacher, I see some students that give off this vibe. Their work ethic is shtty and they only care about being popular. And I don't just mean regular teen behavior, some are reeally bad. It honestly kind of makes me feel sad for them, because at some point in the near future no one is going to care anymore about their bags, eyelashes or what shoes they wear
I have a favour to ask , see you are a teacher and I am an high school girl , I want to know know more about what type of student they might think I am .
Can you help me ? I will describe what type of student I am , and you can ask me about any related questions too . I just want to know about it .
I graduate in 4 weeks and god I’m ready to be done with high school. Really hope these weren’t the “best years of my life”
I’m back. Graduated. Thank god that’s over.
TWIN!
Honestly, my 30’s have been the best years of my life.
@@catlover2223 I'm only 20 but iv heard alotttt of people say their 30's were their best. My parents were the first to tell me that
I'm 32 now and it feels like the last year or so have just been the foundation for me to go to where I'm meant to be. Basically it's never too late too make a change for yourself 😊 so don't worry so much about the high school years
That's quite nice.
@@De_Selby thanks it was meant to be :) sometimes you need to see someone saying that it's okay to not have everything figured out by your early 20s. My way of looking at it is your 20s are the time to try things, make mistakes, work a crappy job, and see what you actually enjoy and want to do :)
@@forgottenartformi enjoy nothing and want to kill myself
Same, I'm 36 and finally finding my groove 😂 I had a near death experience last year at 35 and took up gardening as a gentle activity to keep me busy without stress while recovering. Then I started wondering why the hell I was deliberately putting myself in stressful situations just to look "successful" by society's standards. Quit my job in HR (puke), now I work in a library and my kids come in after school every Friday with grandma to visit me and choose new books, and I do my gardening and I'm working on a novel. Much better.
High school was a unique experience for me. I was raised in a Cult (JWs) so high school was the place where I could be myself fully without all the Rules and Restrictions. I definitely didn't Peak but I'm grateful for my time there because I was shown a world outside of the bubble I was raised in and was able to discover who I really was. Now, I'm Deprogrammed and I express myself like I did in high school but with adult freedom. I wasn't Popular (TM) but I was cool with a variety of people, thanks to being in Band from 5th to 12th grade. I came in with the goal to be an architect but as time went on, I switched to wanting to become an English teacher or an author. Funnily enough, I'm a Caregiver and have been since 2012 but I still write for fun.
I swear you see JW pop up In the weirdest places. No offense.
I was an athlete competing on the youth world level in high school. Now I have trauma from that, but otherwise live a normal life. Some would assume I have fallen from glory, but I was never truly happy in such a high stress environment...now I am happier than I ever was, and I wouldn't regret changing the course of my life. I think you "peak" when you are happy with what you are doing, have good healthy lifelong relationships, and feel like your life is worth living.
I know a boy that picked on me in middle school relentlessly (this was back during the 2016-2018 style of humor on the internet). I’m now in high school and this dude has seriously never grown up. How is it possible to peak in middle school??
Damn! At least be glad you ain't that loser.
Bro is peaking high school it seems. I had the same type of classmate a year ago, and he had to drop out or smth bc the school didn’t let him go to the next year lmao.
graduating highschool in two weeks & really needed someone to tell me that it’s not just downhill from here.
i'm finishing my first year of college, and trust me, high school is just the beginning! if you're going to college, it gives you the opportunity to meet so many amazing people your age (i found my future roommates in a club we all joined first semester)! and while i can't speak to personal experience for maybe going to more of a vocational school or just going straight into working, high school loses so much of its importance once you move away from it. i had a pretty good senior year all things considered, but the past year since then has been amazing, and i feel like the people i've talked to have felt similarly. the part of your life where you have the most agency has only just started, and it will be so much better than high school. good luck on whatever your plans are!
As a high schooler who has been depressed recently about being a loner and not making memories like all my other classmates are, this gave me so much comfort 😭 tysm for this vid Emily!!
I was diagnosed with depression, medicated, and had en eating disorder in high school. I’m 21 now and fully recovered, now at the HAPPIEST I’ve ever been!! Like I used to be so stressed over schoolwork, now I’m working full time in a career I love and realized those AP tests didn’t do anything for me. It’s far from most people’s peak, society just has a weird obsession with youth.
Things absolutely get way better once you graduate :))
@@britterthecritter4531 this cheered me up so much 🥲 tysm! It’s so nice to hear that youre happy out of high school and I’m happy that there’s so much more behind high school
GUYS WAKE UP THE LESBIAN POSTED
I think she's bi lol
@@player_37936she’s not, she’s said she’s a lesbian
our lesbian queen frfr
LETS GO LESBIANS
😂 this made me laugh
I'm 47 and because of life, I think I truly start living now. Loved studying, hated school. Perhaps from now on it only gets better. 😊
the "coming of age" part lowkey actually changed something in my mindset? thanks to the pandemic and mental shit i genuinly feel like i wasted my teen years, and it made me so afraid to enter my 20's (im 19 rn) but i think this might actually be one of the most helpful things ive heard about it!!
I'm so glad I didn't believe anyone about any school days being the best of my life. All it was was melodrama, crying about my notes and trying to balance unpaid work on top of that. I'm 25 now and I just came back of a concert I went to after going to a museum while on the vacations I planned and paid myself. Couldn't be happier! I definitely prefer this year to all those that came before.
I definitely don't think I've peeked in high school, but sometimes it feels like it. My mother got sick as soon as I turned 18, and I've been full time taking care of her since. I'm 29 now, and I have no real adult experience, college degree, or anything that "makes me a proper adult." I'm hoping things get better soon, and I'll be able to get a job or disability (I'm not sure if I'm capable of working, even if I weren't taking care of my mother for other reasons). I'd like to feel like a proper adult.
I will say though, I don't miss high school in the slightest. I'm so glad it's over. The only reason I'd ever want to go back to those years is because that's the last time my mom was healthy, and it would be so good to see her that way again.
i hope you get a good job!
@why-by5sc Thank you lovely! :)
the fact that you’re caring for your mother alone is a blessing! you’re genuinely amazing and beautiful for looking out for your momma! i’m praying for you and your situation! 🙏 ❤️
@GriffinPrismriver Aww thank you so much! 🥺
I recently turned 18 and I’ve definitely felt like a lot of my teenage years were wasted due to insecurity, introversion, and the simple fact it didn’t look like the movies. There is a huge pressure to have that amazing teenage dream but something that’s helped me is seeing my mom and her friend. I just got finished hanging out with them and it’s made me excited to get older. My mom adopted me in her mid to late forties as a baby and now she’s in her mid to late 60’s. She still hangs out with her friends, parties, has fun, and she does it all with more freedom than any teenager would have. I did great during my early teenage years and although it wasn’t picture perfect and there was a lot i wish i would have done it got me to a great position now. I’m going to college on a scholarship so the pressure of that is off my back. I can enjoy life as it comes and i’m glad i learned so much my high school years. I’m working on being more out joying and have been able to reflect on many things that will make college even better for me. I’m simply grateful i made it so far because not everyone has the privilege.
Aww. Best of luck sweetie❤
as somebody currently in high school i find your comments about how the people who peaked in it being terrible human being kinda comforting in a very weird way.
Highschool years weren't the worst, but gosh I felt anxiety throughout all these years. Currently I'm studying at university and my life is so much better! I have friends who feel much better in work environment.
I've never been busier than I am right now just having picnics, long walks and drinking coffee at friends house. There's no heavy partying but I've never been happier!
I feel like we just need to find environment that suits us and school isn't the only setting we should experience our life at. It's too stressful, and later you just decide what you want to do at the moment
I like that Emily actually talks about stuff young people worry about. Her channel and videos have helped me personally with those issues.
WAKE UP EVERYONE
I’VE BEEN AWAKENED
BEEN AWAKE
i am AWAKE
BEEN AWAKENED
I have awaken
adults who tell you high school is the best year just think wrong. they act like you cant have fun anymore once youre an adult and thats just not true. being an adult just means you have more responsibilities. thats literally it. responsibility and fun are not exclusive, and any other adult who thinks otherwise are wrong and miserable. and this is ignoring kids who had shitty home lives and can finally live their lives when theyre old enough to move out and truly enjoy and discover themselves.
A-MEN
My mom told me once that high school are the best years of your life. I never believed that because I still have so much more life left to live besides high School. High school is such a short time of life. I graduated last month and turned 18 last week, some of my friends said they're afraid to grow up and they want to stay "young" or "in high school." I just never felt that way -- there is a time and season for everything and people need to learn how to let go.
Most miserable time of my god damn life. Never have been more depressed and stressed. I was either studying or having depressed panicked breakdowns rather than romances or parties or anything. It all went up from there and I haven’t had a single panic attack since graduating. It was a little jarring to leave that environment and then realise in retrospect like “oh oooohh having panic attacks in the school bathroom on a weekly basis is not normal and not just the way life is” I realised just how incredibly bad I was which I didn’t at the time because 1. I was too busy to spend time on introspection and 2. EVERYONE around me was stressed and sad so it seemed semi normal.
I was everywhere during highschool. I did a lot of extracurriculars and was the leader of a few of them, and then I would run and be nominated for homecoming and prom stuff. That happened a year ago and I genuinely cannot remember stuff already lolll. I did good in highschool, but I'm just doing much more in college, even planning on getting my bachelors two years early (wish me luck). As long as you're working hard, taking care of yourself, and being around people who love you and people you love, you're going to be just fine.
I was not the least bit popular in high school, despite my achievements, and now I am basically an outcast almost 25 years later. Being an introvert who moves to new places a lot and changes schools and jobs a lot and who doesn't know how to make or keep friends will do that to you.
The "highschool/teenage years are the best period time of your life!!!" sentiment is probably a ploy pushed by several industries hoping to make money out of insecure, impressionable teenagers and young adults who aren't ready for all those "responsibilities" yet and just wish they were teenagers forever.
I mean it cant be so coincedencial that lots of actors who play high schoolers on TV are actually on their 20s.
Being trans in high school was an experience to be sure, but I was honestly not ever expecting it to be “the best time of my life”. Like dating and other firsts, I was just not expecting them, and when they didn’t happen I wasn’t disappointed, mainly cause I’ve seen other queer people online being like “yeah don’t worry, it gets better”.
it might sounda bit dramatic but this made me tear up a bit and i just wanna say thank you, I'm turning 18 and everyone is asking me what i'm gonna do to celebrate and what shenagans i'll be up to but i dont know what i'm supposed to do. I have to get my drivers license i have to work and save up and i have to study so much i have no idea if i'll even want to celebrate anything and everyone is acting like i'm wasting my time if i dont do something. I'm so stressed out but its comforting to hear that i have time so i just want to thank you for saying that. :,)
Omg you don't know how much I needed this. For about a month, I had constant debilliating anxiety about the future and a strong dissatisfaction for my life because I kept hearing "Enjoy your youth before you because a slave to corporation and never feel happiness again as an adult." Cause honestly, 8th grade was NOT my year, and what I was hearing was that that is basically the best life gets. I also was using most of my time focusing on academics and not on hanging with friends and stuff like that. I told my counselor about this and she said the same thing, that I need to enjoy my youth. Nobody rlly understood why I was so worked up but eventually I realized that the only people who talk about middle/high School like that or even talk about it at all are the people who are miserable. Whether or not that correlates with the fact that they probably didn't invest in academics, I don't know. What I do know is it's totally fine to not be happy 24/7 as an insecure hormonal teenager. Your life as an adult is not going to be terrible, and like Emily said, you're also only an adult once.
I remember on my last day of school, when everyone in my year was told to leave in the middle of class with no notice so we couldn't cause any trouble like the previous year did, there were people that were upset and treating it like a big deal and I was like "whatever, anyone I care about I can keep seeing. Screw this place", but now looking back on it two decades later, I was right, screw that place. Last year I found someone burnt down the maths block and I was genuinely shocked at finding out that the building was still standing in the first place. What a dump.
My mom used to always tell me about how being 16 would be the best moment of my life, or just being in high school would be the best moments. They were the worst actually.
Your intro to the topic was so spot-on!!! /Everything/ happens only once, not just being a kid or a teen or someone in your 20's. That's a good thing! Tomorrow you start a new day with an added 24 hours of experience. There is nowhere else to go but forward and lingering in the past beyond just a healthy amount of nostalgia and visiting memories will hold you back fr
As someone who’s being homeschooled throughout high school, this is a nice change of pace to hear. I always had this fear that I’ll miss out on everything due to it, but now I’m not so worried :)
I think this video just gave me a brand new type of confidence and taught me that hating high school is a completely viable viewpoint.
ngl man i was getting real tired of rewatching them videos rn so I'm glad as soon as I refreshed I got a new one fr 🔥
I'm 30 now and the only things I miss about being 16 are having an uncomplicated life and not having to pay bills. Complaints about people used to be about petty things, not potential lawsuits 😭
GIRL CONGRATS ON GETTING 1M SUBS!! I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOUU
feel like it's important to mention that the difference between during and after high school for a lot of people is responsibility right- you work a 9-5, you take care of kids, you take care of your home . high school is the time where they didn't have to do those things. but for a lot of us, high school was our 9-5, there were younger siblings or parents to take care of, a house to keep clean, and you live under the thumb of people who support you financially. then when you're an actual adult you gain that financial freedom, and every responsibility is something you've chosen . you may have to pay bills for your flat now, but it's yours . you don't clean up after anyone, your money is your own . even when you get a family, that's a life you've chosen . you choose to accept that responsibility, so it feels really different. a lot of people who got to be carefree in high school did so with the expectation that once they left, they had to give up fun for the rest of their lives. i think teenagers who grew up poor or with abusive/controlling parents will understand how baffling it was to become an adult, realise how much you can now do with your life, and then have someone tell you that it's all downhill from here. you also don't have to go to university or college to grow into your own- i did it through working a job i hated, then a job i loved.
i’m pooping while watching this. it hurts, love your vids!!
girlll same!!
Why does it hurts? Are u okay?
thanks for sharing this important information
Are you sure the internet needed to know this?
yes
I’m def existential about romance in younger years. I just graduated college this week and mourn the fact I didn’t get to be open and explore relationships as a lesbian.
Like, yes, you’re only young once. There are places and experiences that can be only be experienced *once* at a certain age with someone. You can’t date as a 30 year old how an 18 year old would date. :(
I had a good childhood, but a stressful, unpleasant, and depressing life from middle school to college. I have some regrets from that decade, and many unlucky things happened to me. The upside is, I have almost zero nostalgia for the past. I feel like I'm peaking in the current year of my life.
Hey I’m sorry that you had such a stressful life. I know I’m just a stranger on the internet. But I genuinely hope things start to look up for you soon. I want you to know that you are valued and appreciated. And I hope you have a day/night wherever you are. Sending virtual hugs 🫂
Im in high school (started last year) and its a lot of pressure. I feel like im average, but sometimes i dont care as much about my grades as much as I do for my social life. Part of me wants to have a big social circle, but also i dont want to "peak" in high school in that sense. Sometimes im worried about how things will end up for me in the future because of this, but thank you Emily for your wonderful videos every weak!! They really uplift me and make me want to actually do something in my life.
CONGRATULATIONS ON A MILLION EM!!! oh my god im so proud
Emily I just want you to know you were my bisexual awakening.
THIS IS SO REAL
i feel like i haven't really experienced anything in my teens and that my life is being wasted, but this video reminded me that theres still so much time so thank you for that
My high school memories are mostly just religious trauma and my desperation to leave my hometown and classmates behind me. I was pretty much the embodiment of Seymour singing about how much he wants to leave Skid Row in Little Shop of Horrors, except I was looping that hope and desperation for 4 years 🥲
honestly i'm so grateful i'm not in highschool anymore, it was hell, especially cause italian edication system is literally horrible. teachers don't gaf about you and literally hate their job and cope by bullying on their students😭😭 only some teachers actually like their job.
i think videos like these are so important for the young generation, especially in this era of social media. thank you for posting this!
Thank you so much for doing this video. Not only it was funny and enjoyable, but it also helped me remember that life doesn't just go downhill after school. The media is so centered around youth that I'm quite stressed for the future, and it gets even worse with people telling me that these are "the best years of my life". This got my head cleared and kinda changed the way I view my high school years.
I love that your upload schedule aligns with my gym schedule. I literally watch you on the treadmill, laughing like a maniac in planet fitness not giving af
I graduated high school last year and I went straight to college but then had to take a semester off. I'm now just trying to enjoy being out of high school more, I'm 19 and and ready to experience life not mid, highschool was mid...it sucked.
High school was fun for me but honestly as soon as I got into college things just got so much better from meeting people to having more freedom to do anything to partying and exploring new places and shit I loved it. Now I’m 23 and honestly being an adult is great I don’t really mind working since I’m used to working a lot since I was a kid cause I helped out in farms and did some community service i just get paid now. I’ll be graduating college as a radiographer technician and I’m proud of what I’ve done
I remember people telling me highschool would be the best years on my life. My response was always "I sure hope not". I was right tho so that's pretty great :)
In some ways, I feel like I peaked in high school, especially since my greatest achievement happened right after 8th grade way back in 1996 (I won 3rd place in the National Geography Bee with a prize of $10,000 scholarship and was televised on national TV) while in other ways, life is a lot better now (at least now I get to live alone and smoke weed). I've never been to a high school reunion and I probably never will because It would be embarrassing for everyone to see that 25 years after high school, I still work at the bottom level of places like Amazon working alongside high school kids.
emily posted so i know it’s gonna be a great rest of my day
OMG SHE POSTED YET AGAIN!! Love you emily❤
This is actually really encouraging as someone who’s almost a Junior in highschool. Im homeschooled and I always feel so insignificant but as long as life gets better later 👌🏻 All I need to do is be educated and make sure that my life will be better later and I’ll have more opportunities
CONGRATS ON ONE MIL!!! SO PROUD OF YOU!!