I'll summarize my teen years (13-19) up:
★ 13 ★
Graduated and received honors for English, as well as a congratulatory plaque (25$ reward) for, again, English.
I finished two novels (handwritten) as well, which is why I won those awards lol I was popular in school as "that kid who writes books."
Freshman year at high-school. Lost a lot of friends; gained a handful more. Throughout Grade Nine my average hovered around 80-82%, earning me the honor roll both semesters.
By second semester, however, I had become severely depressed with suicidal thoughts crowding my mind. It got to the point where I suddenly freaked out in Geography and was taken to see the school counselor, who had me see a student "psychiatrist" every Wednesday. She told me that the Internet was my problem; that I spend too much time talking to people from around the world.
The real problem? Involuntarily neglect at home, inferiority complexes, low self esteem and an incredibly strong feeling of feeling unwanted, useless and unloved. The people on the Internet actually
helped me feel better. She didn't see it that way.
I cut myself with beer glass I found outside around June. My aunt was really concerned lol I'd also draw crude pictures of me stabbing myself.
★ 14 ★
Grade Ten was a year of skipping school, grade drops and a worsening psyche. I would hang out outside or at my aunt's house to avoid school.
It was well-known at that point by school counselors and teachers that I had a real problem. They tried to help me and talk to me, but it didn't help. They all reiterated the same thing: the Internet is bad. The Internet saved me from further self-harm. How could that be considered bad?
★ 15 ★
I moved into my mom's around the start of the second semester (January). My average shot up from 75% to 85%, where it should've always been. I had been talking to someone I met in an MMORPG and a two-week visit was planned in August. When he came, my mother went psycho the whole week, making threats to "send him back" if we were alone together in a room. She smacked me in the forehead and yelled at me, reminding me of "religious beliefs" that were not necessarily my own.
I left at that point. I went to live in Montreal with the boy.
★ 16 ★
Lots of stress this year. Police looking for a "run away," learning that the boy was three years older than I was told, job losses; I was unable to even get a job since I didn't have a SIN card. There was a lot of back-and-forth between Montreal and a little cottage city by Toronto this year, as evictions were common.
★ 17 ★
Returned to the little cottage city and began homeschooling. Because of my skipping a few years before (which, again, they recognized the reason but still held it against me), the school didn't want me anymore lol Told me either to do homeschooling or wait until I'm eighteen to go to the adult centre. Well, the adult centre only offers English and Math, so I'd not even be able to acquire my diploma there - just some certificate for the basics, which is null and useless. Can't use that to go to uni.
Homeschooling went well. The first half I didn't have a job; the second, I worked at a little ice cream place part-time until I got employed at Subway. I volunteered at an Elderly Home, too, for my volunteer hours (forty mandatory in Ontario to acquire a diploma). It was OK.
★ 18 ★
I spent this year working at Subway. I got my own apartment in October and the boy came to live with me. His English isn't the best, though, so he couldn't get a job. It was a very hectic, stressful and tiring year for me. Rent was high and the apartment was about equal to two now-standard bedroom sizes. Very small. We moved into a larger place but an incident sent him back to Montreal. I lost 675$ in "last" rent that was paid up-front, as is standard in Ontario (but illegal in Quebec, thankfully.)
★ 19 ★
I was readmitted into secondary school, even though they were denying most people over the age of eighteen. The only reason I got in was because the new VP was the one who handled my homeschooling and she knew that I was serious and dedicated as a result. Thank God.
I spent my final school year with the younger siblings of my former friends - people who should've been graduating with my younger sister, had she not dropped out. A weird turn of events, but I bested them in every class I was in.
Every 11U class I had, I was glared at maliciously by an old bully of my sister and a younger sister of one of my friends.
M, as we'll call her, hated me and spread exaggerated rumours about my "running away." She got the entire 11U body to team up and exclude me from anything. Well, didn't care, 'cause
I graduated with a scholarship for History (given by the local museum: 250$) as well as a 1,500$/yr renewable scholarship at the University of Ottawa should I have decided to attend there for French studies. I will be going to McGill in September, 2014 however so for me, that scholarship is moot.
I attended summer school in June to acquire my final 12U credit (I had five, but six is needed for university applications). This was, again, tiring. All year I was paying rent, working part-time (25h/week) and going to school full-time. I was completely exhausted. Going to summer school required getting up at 6:30am to catch a 7:45 bus to get there for 9am. I'd be home around 4pm. Then, I'd go to work from 5pm (approx.) until 11:30pm and walk home in the dark; I'd get back around 12:30am and then homework would commence. I typically slept 4-6h throughout June.
My mom kicked me out at the beginning of July because of a difference of opinion with my
father. Messed up, I know. She was angry because I wasn't going to pay him to move me back to Quebec. He was doing it as a graduating gift - I'm his first of four kids to graduate; three (incl. me) should have already done so by now - and an early birthday present. He didn't want me to pay, even when I insisted. So, yep, kicked out for that.
Kinda sad.
Before leaving, I asked to home-school Philosophy 12U in order to boost my grade average. Luckily, I was allowed, even though technically you need to be an Ontario citizen throughout the term to do so. I left with five months in the term left lol! but the principal didn't care. She adored me at that point, having always written "
Excellent!" on my report cards.
12U Average went from 94% to 95.2% as a result, therefore surpassing my 95% goal.
Grade Summary:
English 12U: 97%
Geology 12U: 98%
History 12U: 93%
Philosophy 12U: 93%
Anthropology 12U: 95%
Canadian Law 12U: 95%
Writer's Craft 12U: 87%
★
So I poll'd "A little good" because it was extremely up and down. Also did a lot of stuff and experienced many things that most teens do not lol