How much have you changed or grown since high school?

[Anonymous]

The other thread inspired this topic.

Since high school, how much have you changed or not? In what ways? Why? Or are you pretty much the same?

I was totally socially impaired and awkward. I was the weird artsy kid who ate lunch in the cafeteria and had no friends.

As an adult I am still the same weird arty person who has trouble making friends. yikes!

[Anonymous]

I'm a whole lot more self assured in some ways (in public, socially I'm not cowed by anybody). I can talk to anybody now where I'd be shy in HS. I have plenty of friends, one BEST friend.

I'm still just who I am, pretty honest and upfront. Not that I try to be see-through, just the opposite, actually, but most people think I wear my life out in the open. I feel pretty confident in public, but I know I'm still off the mark a lot of the time.

[Anonymous]

21 years out of high school -

I'm more introverted, with less friends, and I'm find with that.

I'm more kind and relaxed. Teenagers can be such jerks, and even though I wasn't outright mean, I was still fickle, judgmental, and a bit snobby. I've been humbled.

I'm liberal, and not so closed minded. I grew up in a small town, Catholic school, in a red state. While I always considered myself a liberal, now my beliefs align with my environment. Example - having kids made me pro-choice, vice pro-life. I've obviously distanced myself from religion, even though I'm grateful for the foundation it provided me as a child.

[Anonymous]

I'm more liberal minded in some ways. I grew up in a very strict conservative Christian household.

[Anonymous]

I graduated from high school 14 years ago. I'm more confident now, but less sure of what I ultimately want to do with my life. I have a job I enjoy, but when I was in HS I was probably *too* sure that I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. Now I know I don't want to be in this job forever, but I don't know what else I would do.

I think I'm more humble and less self-absorbed.

I still have trouble making and keeping friends because, while I enjoy hanging out with other people, I'm also pretty introverted. After a long day at work and taking care of my toddler, I really look forward to an evening messing around on my guitar. That hasn't changed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm more liberal minded in some ways. I grew up in a very strict conservative Christian household.

+1 same here.. and I'm much more self aware and less rigid. I am and have always been a type A personality, but my friends who have known me since I was in HS have stated how much more laid back I am now. My DH attributes it to being with him (probably), but I attribute it to having kids. It's too hard to remain that much of a Type A with kids and working. Something's gotta give.

I'm also less serious than I was when I was younger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from high school 14 years ago. I'm more confident now, but less sure of what I ultimately want to do with my life. I have a job I enjoy, but when I was in HS I was probably *too* sure that I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. Now I know I don't want to be in this job forever, but I don't know what else I would do.

I think I'm more humble and less self-absorbed.

I still have trouble making and keeping friends because, while I enjoy hanging out with other people, I'm also pretty introverted. After a long day at work and taking care of my toddler, I really look forward to an evening messing around on my guitar. That hasn't changed.

I'm 48 and I still don't know what I want to do, so don't feel bad.

I also used to play the guitar, but now with two kids, I haven't touched that guitar in 20 years.

[Anonymous]

I’m almost entirely different. My parents influenced me a lot in high school. Then I spent a lot of time in my 20’s questioning their belief systems — from religion, to politics, to sense of social obligation. It wasn’t until my 30’s that I figured out just how toxic my mother was and how her influence had caused me to be anxious, angry, and socially awkward as a teen. I had also taken on some of her more narcissistic and codependent traits. With self examination I worked hard to get away from being like that. I don’t blame anyone who found me judgmental, pedantic, attention-seeking, or oppressively depressive as a teen and young adult. I’m now much more outgoing with a larger and more diverse group of friends. I’ve shifted into a role where I tend to prefer listening to talking. I’ve grown a lot in my capacity for empathy, and I’m hardly ever irritable. About the only things I’ve held onto are a couple of talents and a couple of interests/hobbies that I developed in my time in high school. But even these have evolved some. As an example, I still love cars, but I’m not looking for thrilling races at this point in my life.

[Anonymous]

I am no longer painfully shy. I'm still introverted but now I don't die inside at the thought of speaking in front of people.

I am a lot more self aware. I was incredibly self absorbed as a teen, it impacted all my relationships and made my life a lot harder than necessary. I still have a huge selfish streak but nowadays I am aware of it and actually try hard to curb it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from high school 14 years ago. I'm more confident now, but less sure of what I ultimately want to do with my life. I have a job I enjoy, but when I was in HS I was probably *too* sure that I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. Now I know I don't want to be in this job forever, but I don't know what else I would do.

I think I'm more humble and less self-absorbed.

I still have trouble making and keeping friends because, while I enjoy hanging out with other people, I'm also pretty introverted. After a long day at work and taking care of my toddler, I really look forward to an evening messing around on my guitar. That hasn't changed.

I'm 48 and I still don't know what I want to do, so don't feel bad.

I also used to play the guitar, but now with two kids, I haven't touched that guitar in 20 years.

Thanks

You should pick the guitar back up! It's so much fun and is such a stress-reliever.

[Anonymous]

i grew 5 inches

[Anonymous]

I think at the core, I'm mostly the same as I was in high school. I was a pretty independent thinker, even back then. However, I have grown exponentially in my world exposure, confidence, and knowledge. So I think I'm the same person, just augmented.

[Anonymous]

My sense of humor is exactly the same.

[Anonymous]

I am quite proud that I've not grown at all since HS, exact same weight (thin/fit) now as I was 30 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Still chasing tail, still smart, still doing the minimum necessary to get by (I'm sorry to say).