July 16, 2007

I Was No Mean Girl In High School

Did any of you watch Mean Girls? You know, the one with the very hot Lindsay Lohan (okay, she's probably not so hot now, being in rehab and all, but I have to say she was H.A.W.T in that show), playing a sweet innocent girl who got "plasticised" by the most popular girls in school? Watching the movie really reminded me of how complicated high schools are in the US (well, that and the hot babes. Eh, just because I'm straight, doesn't mean I don't appreciate hot women. And hate 'em to death. Tee hee hee). And how simple it was for me.

Oh we had our popular girls, all right. We had the "jocks" (that would be the school netball players, state athletes, etc), the "geeks" (mostly in the first class, where a lot of them are kiasu beyond compare), the rich ones, poor ones, and everyone else in between. But we had never drawn that line so clearly that we snub and ignore the ones of the other "classes".

What was it like for me in secondary school? Well, I was never an under-achiever, nor an over-achiever. I guess you can say I dabbled with each side from time to time, but always falling back in the middle.

I was never a prefect, class monitor or anything of authority. Well, I was an assistant monitor once in Standard 4, but I *ahem* abused my power and almost lost my now-best buds. Hey, it was my first time. When the teacher asked you to catch those talking, you do it! I was given the silent treatment for a week. Never again, I said. I joined the herd, and never became anything more than an average student. Still, it felt good wearing the "Penolong Ketua Darjah" badge for a year.

I became a part of the IT (as in, cool, not Information Technology) group in Form 4 and Form 5. At that time, I had absolutely NO idea we were that popular, but then again, maybe it's because a certain now-celebrity was in our group :p Still, we had so much fun. We had a love-hate relationship with our teachers; they couldn't stand us because we were so noisy, yet they were drawn to our exuberance and zest for life (that's what I thought anyway). One thing's for sure - I never felt like I couldn't fit in, nor did I dread going to school. In fact, I loved it!

Mean Girls

I joined the *ahem* kiasu group too, and became a kiasu girl myself. If not for them, I would have flunked my Form 5. For that, I really thank them for helping me out, and for giving me a chance to know that they were a really fun group too.

It's just funny, thinking of my school days, because we all played together, had fun together with people of different races and status of life. It never dawned on us that just because you're poor, you're not a part of us. Or if you were of a different race. One of my dearest friends in Form 3 was the nicest Malay girl I've ever had the honour to come across and know. Too bad we fell out of touch when she left us after Form 3. I wonder how she's doing now ...

Having said all that, I'm glad secondary school was not a battleground for me. Yeah, I struggled with some of the subjects, hated some of the teachers ... hey, it was all part and parcel of life in school. But the friendships made, with people from all different walks of life ... that is priceless.

So, what was life like in school for you? Were you a jock? A geek? Or an IT girl/boy?

16 comments:

beetrice said...

Let's see...I was in the..."whatever's not cool" group and wandered aimlessly between acquaintances...

Didn't really enjoy highschool, I can tell ya.

Kamigoroshi said...

Despite being the geek now, I was pretty much the nerd in high school. I couldn't get along with anyone because whatever I knew, I couldn't relate it with people. My social life was pretty much a mess because of race, religion and thinking (malay who was chinese educated and in a government high shcool).

So I learnt to live with the fact that I am alone. Of course, it wasn't until later that I discovered I had a knack around women. By then, high school was over and I'm now one hot geek (if I do say so myself :P ).

Anonymous said...

In high school I was a g-h-o-s-t. I meet ex-classmates and they don't remember me.

Timodee said...

Hmm, I don't think I really belonged to a particular category; a group of us were known as the 'noise-makers' at the back of class. (mind you, I always got told off even when I wasn't the culprit)

Sheena said...

Yeah, I abused my power, too.

Didn't come to my senses as soon as you did. Lost a friend.

Power gets you that way.

Maybe I was one of the IT girls, I dunno, otherwise how did I have all that school & social power to stop everyone from talking to the new girl in the first place?

Anonymous said...

Who on earth are you talking bout?

Merv Kwok said...

In secondary school, I was the class ass. 'Nuff said hehe

TrueBluePenangite said...

I remember that "toilet bowl" LOVED you and HATED me and Misery. HATED, LOATHED, DESPISED!!!! Then again we are not "good Christian girls"

Hahahahah. Sigh..I had so much fun in high school. It's like a million years ago sometimes and yet there are some event that I feel only happened yesterday. Remember we celebrated your 16th Bday at Babylon Bistro...wow, I thought that we were so cool then, wearing batik stuff and strutting in the mall. Then Misery and I had a sleepover party that was so much fun. I think it was our first party with...gasp...boys. Hey, the boys dodn't sleep over la...

Misery, I think Tine is talking about Sharifah, the crazy one.

Tine said...

Beetrice: Oh well, lookit you now. Your social life is tops, and I have no life. Tsk tsk tsk.

Kamigoroshi: Tee hee hee, geeks are so in right now. Smokin' hot. Geekish enough to be real smart, but still having that look which is so appealing to the ladies. That, or I'm just thinking about Adam Brody :p

(Damn, you're Chinese-educated? I'm such a banana *sigh*)

Adino: Ouch, that's gotta hurt!

Timodee: Hehe, I was that too in Form 4 and Form 5. Thank goodness a majority of the noisemakers were the prefects, and my peeps :p

Sheena: Ouch! Ever wondered what that girl's doing now? ;)

Misery: Err I was talking about a lot of people leh. See my reply to Truebluepenangite.

Merv: Ahh, got it :p

Truebluepenangite: Dammit, you just HAD to remind me of that "toilet bowl". God, I still remember how she talked to me, tried to brain-wash me into thinking that you and Misery were a bunch of no-gooders :p

Gosh, it seemed like so long ago. I remembered my 16th birthday. That was the first time I wore so little out!! :p Oh yeah, I remembered about the sleepover. Can't believe my mum actually said I couldn't sleep over, just 'cos I lived so near. GAH!!

Yep, Sharifah's the one. Wonder how she's doing now ...

Kleio the Muse said...

Woah, great post dear. You had me feeling very nostalgic bout my school life. You even made me had an urge to write about my school life. Totally enjoyed this post of yours.

As for moi, hmm... I am not quite sure which category I belonged to during my highschool. Probably borderline-IT gal. Can't help it if I stick-out like a sore thumb ie. me being a 'Banana' in a school full of Chinese educated peers. Oh man, I can't even tell if someone's making fun of me in Mandarin right in front of my face. It sucks! I had always felt like an outsider, like an alien or something. Worst is, if I speak English, peeps will just get cold and brush me off as a show-off. Sigh...

Oh, and I freaking hate the nicknames they gave me... deviously twisting my beautiful given name into something so distasteful :(
Yea, 'Banana' (Siang-Jiau Ren) was also another fond nickname for moi.

Kleio the Muse said...

Oh yeah, I forgot to mentioned why I said I am actually a borderline-IT gal. Well, apart from being ridiculed at, I was rather well received by ze male counterpart. They see me as unique and almost rare due to my personality and up-bringing contrast with the other females. I am actually quite fair and more so with my long luxurious black hair. Often times, people would ask if I am half Japanese or of other mixed parentage. Hence, this physical part made me stands out as well.

Maybe life is fair after all ;)

Anonymous said...

I don't know if I enjoyed school. I was a geek-IT-not really IT group. I'd loved to have done things differently. Anyway for this, you are a rockin girl blogger! :)

Anonymous said...

oh yea..i remember her. I used to call her and we'll wait til we had a cross line and listen in to other ppl's conversation. Apparently, some ppl were having an affair in her neighbourhood...lol

actually, i was referring to everyone you were talking bout...lol..

Were we the IT group? I thought we just happened to THINK we were...lol

Anonymous said...

I remember sharifah from form 1! She was sitting behind or next to you. Pleasant girl. Always smiling. And yeah... I wonder how she's doing too...

I don't see myself belonging to any particular groups... but I'd think u would have categorized me under the nerdy group. :P

Tine said...

Kleio: Wahh long comment :p Thanks!

Oooh do write one of your own. Would love to read what school was like for you. Man, I left school ten years ago!

I wasn't in a Chinese school, and as good as it was for other people, I'm really glad my parents sent me to an English-speaking school. I never spoke Chinese well, and was always branded a 'banana' (still am one). I always thought 'banana' was such a derogatory word, but after coming back from university, if people call me one, I'd say, hell yeah, I'm PROUD to be one!!

Ahhh ... so you're popular amongst the opposite sex eh, despite it all? Yep, life's fair, sucks to those who called your those bad names then :p

Paris: Ooooh kam sia kam sia! :D I shall write about that ASAP :p

Misery: Hahaha, I was talking about the people in our class lah. Those girls sitting in front, we talkative buggers sitting behind. Hahahah!!

Hey, I thought we were the IT group. I still think we were :p

Kooi: Hehehe ... nah, you were more of an in-between, methinks :p

Kleio the Muse said...

Just to let you know that I really did mine own post about life in highschool. Plus, I have tagged my friends with it. Hahahaha

Here's the post.

I have to thank you for inspiring me. Domo arigatogozaimashita.