The only computer 'training' I received in high school was how to type quickly and basic use of Windows XP and Microsoft Word (no Macs at my HS during my time). I did have to do a few papers which required internet sources, but we were expected to know how to do that.

High school band was memorable, but other than that, it was kind of 'meh' for me. I didn't hate it, but I'm not ecstatic about it either. It didn't help I had a lot of monotone teachers to put up with, and even one where she was fired after I had her due to her obvious health problems, to put it lightly, keeping her away for more than half the year (for biology). My parents also made me take this ridiculous college preparatory class which 'taught' me things I could figure out on my own like how to pick a college to go to and the like. It did have some SAT prep (no ACT though), but most of that was very basic.

I will be the first to admit that my 60+ hours a week job in high school (yes, you read that right, no--that wasn't allowed for minors, but...) taught me more of use to me in college, grad school and life than high school ever did.

High school was, for me, a marvelous waste of time, for the most part. I literally slept through much of it. And still had like a 3.89 back in the days that 4.0 was the max.

That was how my moms high school life was except she made NHS(National Honors Society), jumbled three jobs together after and before school and only got 4 hours of sleep a night!

And every experience is different. In high school, I found the rough draft of the man I was to become. I learned how to write research papers, use Excel and Access. Learned how to balance a check book, basic accounting skills, write a resume, and how to be a speaker.

Then I went to college and soon refined the man I was becoming.

(I am a St X grad)

I will say that high school was a big social vehicle for me, more so than the material. I pretty much hated my middle school years for various reasons. I actually almost didn't continue band through that point as I was just frustrated at a lot of things. I'm very, very glad I kept doing it, not only for what I got out of it musically, but I felt a lot more comfortable socially as high school went on. I found I fit in with a lot of different cliques. I rather enjoyed that aspect of high school.

"The most important learning happens in here."

-Actual sign above my high school's lunch room.

Sadly all too true in Marysville, Washington.