High school time was not so good but also was not so bad. It was not so good because I had quite hard time to adapt to the lesson, but I had good time apart from that.
Compare to the junior high time I achieved many things in high school. I still remember the first achievement was when I honored best student in school orientation with other friends from other classes. I was also the vice of class leader. It was an experience that I never had before. I was noted for my leadership capacity for the first time. Those are my first grade experience.
Bad thing is that I couldn’t catch the lesson well. I was left behind, that was what I feel at that time. I used to be a smart student in junior high school, and high school definitely not an easy one for me. It was just tough. Saddest thing was when I got 7 (score range 1-10) in my English lesson. I used to known as one of the best students in English lesson when I was in junior high. My English teacher in high school was focus in few smart students, maybe because they were known as very smart students that’s why she kept focusing on them and neglected the others. To me that was hard. I was not also good at math, chemistry, and physics. When I was in junior high I did not have serious difficulties in those lessons. Started at first grad of high school, I already felt there’s something wrong with me. It was just like I lost myself.
I had tried to study hard and paid more attention to the teachers but still, I was not that good. When I received my school report I was quite relieve because I was still at the top ten students, still that was in the first and second term. In my last school term I failed to keep on my just so-so track record, I was not in the top ten students. I was sad but what I could do.
Things were getting worse when I was in my second grade of high school. I was in the same class with super students. Almost ¾ of the students were the smart ones. Teachers and lessons were harsh on me. I was so doomed. They taught the class in a strict way. I was stressed out. Worst of all many explain the lesson so fast. Maybe since ¾ of the class were smart so they thought that we’re all that good. I really had bad time. Every day was hell for me. I was almost never done my homework at home. I came to school earlier to ask my friends or to copy their homework. I really did not know what the answer of all the assignments my teachers gave me at that time.
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| My high school |
The only lessons that I like were history, civic, and Indonesian language and literature. My history teacher was a strict teacher, but learning history was just like travelling through time and it felt like a recreation time for me. Civic was also fun; well it was pretty boring actually; but since it’s discussed about nationalism and state and I love my country so much so that was not a big problem. And Indonesian language and literature was the best of all. The teacher was a young unmarried man and he was so supportive. Though many of the students mocked and disrespected him, but to me he was a great teacher. He was really supported. I respected him a lot.
Friends in the first and second grade were basically nice ones. They were much better than friends I had in junior high. They were more modest, honest, polite, and fun. My desk mate in the first grade was very nice. Other friends were also nice to me. I loved them. However class changed and so did friends. In the second grade my friends were not supported. Since they were smart students I found out that they were too busy with the lessons and score. They did not hurt me but they were not friendly ones. My desk mate was also a bit curt. I did not enjoy my time with her and I thought she did too.
Overall I hate my second grade of high school. If I could turn back time I would move to other class. My score was not good and when it’s time to choose what major for the third grade, I decided to join the social studies class. I had enough score to join the science class but I had decided not even to think about that chance. I had enough suffering study with smart students and I had enough experience strived with math, biology, chemistry, and physics.
Being a social studies student was not easy at that time. The prejudice that learning social studies mean incapable or stupid was normal at that time, maybe it still is until now. There were only 2 social studies classes and 6 science classes. So I also experienced being a minority in the school. But I found heaven in my last year of high school.
There were only 36 students in my classroom; the science class had 44-47 students. I had a big classroom with the nicest friends of all. There were 12 girls and 24 boys, and most of the boys were rascals. I was afraid at first but as time goes by I really enjoyed my time with them. None of them humiliated or disrespect us. We were like a big family. My best memory with my friend was when my friend invited the girls to come to her house to cook and to eat together. I was so happy, there were maybe 6 students joined the gathering. But surprisingly she invited the boys too. So when I arrived at her house instead of cooking we just prepared food and ate together. She already prepared a lot of food for all of us. Maybe almost 18 students came. There wasn’t special occasion we were just having a great time together. Some girls after few weeks later also came to my house and cooked together. I had a great friendship moment with my friends. I love them all.
I love my friends and I love my class. Though some teachers were not so nice, but overall they treated me and my friends well. Maybe being teachers for the minority students were also made them love us more. I especially love and respect my math teacher, whose wife was my math teacher at the third grade of junior high school. He was so patience to teach us, too bad the boys often picked on him. My homeroom teacher was also a great teacher. I respect and honor him.
Since I had a positive environment, great friends, nice teachers I could really maximize my capacity as a student. I was the first rank student twice and I got the second highest national exam in the region. I got a trophy, money as the prize and I also had a chance to meet the head of region (bupati) in a special ceremony. That was unforgettable memory.
Though I had worst year in my second grade, I had nice and sweet time in my third grade. I would never forget my first year too. That was the time when I felt so happy to wear my high school uniform. There was bad time and also good time. What about yours?
(Silvana)
