Is it normal that i feel like i'm wasting my youth?

92% Normal
10 Comments

I've always been a little shy. Not on an extreme level or anything but I was definitely never the first one to speak up or approach new people. I just turned 18 and I'm starting grade 12. I always try to convince myself that my priority is good grades to get into university, but as graduation gets closer and closer I've been getting a little depressed. This anxiety has been coming over me lately when I'm trying to sleep. I keep worrying about how graduation keeps getting closer and how I feel like I've barely done anything with my time in high school. I've been hanging out with the same people for a while now and I don't even like them. It seemed like we never did anything interesting so a lot of nights I would just relax at home. It seemed fine them but it really sucks looking back on it.

Every night I would tell myself how I'm going to branch out the next day and be more social, but every morning I would wake up, say fuck it and nothing ever changed. Now it feels too late. The groups and cliques are pretty much set in stone now and even though my shyness has gotten a lot better lately; it feels weird just talking to random people now because it's grade 12. Everyone has their groups and it's not like I can just walk up and invite myself in.

I've been going out more lately but my group of friends is still the same. All I want to do is grit my teeth, get through high school and never think about it again. At the same time though, I can't help but feel like I wasted my time. Did I?

Do you think it might have something to do with the atmosphere of a high school. I know a lot of people hated high school and many people say it's the hardest part of your life but just as many people say it's the best part of your life. I just can't shake the feeling that everyone that hated high school, hated it not because of anything to do with the school, but simply because they fucked up exactly like I did and wasted their time.

Any guidance? I'm in a really shitty place in my life right now.

Voting Results
92% Normal
Based on 49 votes (45 yes)
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Comments ( 10 )
  • Mando
    11 years ago

    Anyone who says high school was the best part of their life must have a sad life. Here's some advice.

    Stop creating expectations and then doing nothing, being negative and getting whiny. In other words - shit or get off the pot. Go out and meet new friends - or at least meet new people - or don't. Make the best of the friends you have - or move on. There are only ever 3 basic choices in any situation: change it; live with it; or leave it.

    Next, a lot of people - if not most - feel high school was something of a waste of time. I do. So don't dump on yourself for that at all. So what if you shoulda, coulda, woulda done a few things better? You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig.

    Finally, the best really is yet to come. Stop fretting about what little life you've lived yet, make the most of it now, and look forward to and plan for your future. It will be what you chose it to be - starting now.

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    • NeuroNeptunian
      11 years ago

      This.

      OP, 18 is a really young age to worry about wasting your youth, and the line between being young and being old is drawn more so by you than any other factor of life (except, maybe for health but I hope that is not something you will have to worry about for a LONG time).

      Do what makes you happy, quit worrying so much. If you're having to force yourself to make friends or social interactions then you are not enjoying yourself. Do what you enjoy, not what you feel you have to do because of what others do, or because of what you see on TV etc.

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  • sunshinemoonlight
    7 years ago

    I know exactly what you mean I felt the same way i don't know if its normal or not... :(

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  • Memehoney
    11 years ago

    Just enjoy your youth. College is great just don't stress yourself out before you get there. Because freshman 15 is the worst. You'll already have midterms, finals, and tests to worry about...

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  • kelili
    11 years ago

    You'll get your chance at university!

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  • JaySays
    11 years ago

    Hey,
    Sometimes in life we go through moments where we feel like we've wasted time but I think if you look again you will see that you've had a pretty good time! Sometimes we focus too much on the 'could haves' and we don't see the reality of how blessed we really are. You made it through High School and you survived it! That's pretty awesome alone. You have friends, and though you say you don't like them, more likely than not you do because you are still with them. It is not too late to change. Go on and cross that bridge and make new friends. Nothing is set in stone. Part of being an adult is making connections we otherwise would not. Here is something I learned in High school: what I did or did not learn as a child is not my fault. Part of growing up is taking the responsibility of learning and unlearning what I need to for my life. Going forward, be who you say you want to be and leave your shiness, you're one of a kind and you've for something no one else in this world has: you! Share it with the world!

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  • squeallikeasacofpigs
    11 years ago

    Oh don't worry about it, you're still young. Life will be SO much better when you go to Uni. A fresh start, go out to parties and clubs, get smashed off your face with your friends, have loads of sex and enjoy being young and single. It's not over, it's just getting started.

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  • TheSecret
    11 years ago

    I feel the same exact way. I'm in 11th grade and I've been feeling this way for a while now. I think most people our age start to feel this way. It's so hard to know what to do because you wanna get good grades so that you have a good future, but then you think about the future and it seems like the fun times of ur life are now and they end soon and if your wasting it worrying about the future, then it's like you don't have any fun, but if you waste the now time having fun then you could end up having a not so good future. There's literally no answer to life, it's extremely annoying cause there's no gaurenteed "good" life. I have come up with this theory though... you kinda have to chose if you wanna have a great youth or a great adulthood, I'm almost positive you can't have both :P

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  • LookSomeonesWelding
    11 years ago

    same feeling for me. when you don't socialise enough with people, you look back realise that you didn't really enjoy it much. other people seem so happy with where they are and what they have done. sure good grades are nice, but you probably only feel annoyed at yourself for wasting social opportunity. probably a lot of regret too.

    for the present, all that you can really do i suppose is to look forward from this and start fresh as a more confident and willing-to-socialise being. don't make the same mistake for university.

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  • [Old Memory]
    11 years ago

    Yeah, what you're experiencing is pretty normal. I understand your need to want to have a friend-group to share what you feel should be a memorable time in your life.

    I don't think you're "wasting your youth" though. I think you're just at the very beginning of the fun part; in fact it's so new to you, you don't even know it's happening to you. :D

    You want to have a good time once or twice before your grad? Then go out and make it happen. Find some loners just like you to make friends with and then find a party to go to and party like drunken monkeys. Let loose.

    But still take your studies seriously; that shit can affect the rest of your life.

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