Tuesday, June 24, 2008

If I could go back....

Ever think about what you would do differently if you could go back to high school?  


Man, every time I visit Goodland I go back to my teenage days.  What would I change?

1.  I would never have hid a note in a certain gorgeous boy's locker telling him his girlfriend was a dip and then undeniably describing myself, but signing the note anonymously.  Lord, have mercy was I a retard.

2. I would not have stolen my parent's van on a muddy day to go pick up my friend Tina to cruise Maine Street and then get it stuck in the ditch and have to run home in my white penny loafers to call Tina and make up a whopper of a lie to her dad about why I was driving in the first place.   And could he please come try to pull me out?  Oh, I was in 8th grade when I did that and I'd been taking the van out for little test drives unbeknownst to anyone for about a month before I decided it was time to cruise with a friend.   Tina's dad couldn't get his truck down the road as far as I drove the van.  My punishment was to pay for the tow truck and clean all the mud out of the van (because I tried digging the darn thing out with my bare hands before I gave up.  I got mud all over the driver's side) and my dad threatened that I might not drive again until I was 21, which was like cutting off a limb to me.  

3. I would bolster my wit and courage, unfortunately that didn't happen until I was in college.  But, there are things I would love to have said to people if I'd only had the guts.  I don't mean being hateful I just mean standing up for what is right and justified and shutting down the loud obnoxious mouths.  Like the time I was in MacDonald's a couple years ago and this big-smoking-loud-tattoo laden woman was talking on her cell phone and cussing up a storm in the play area.  Not that being forced into a play area doesn't already make me a little on the edgy, but I looked at her and said, "Hey!  Do you mind?  There are kids in here that don't need to hear that kind of language!"  and she looked at me and said......oh, sorry.  I know!  I shut her up!  Ooooh, I feel a cheer comin' on...  THAT'S RIGHT UH-HUH SAY IT AGAIN, GHS!

Which brings me to my next regret..

4. I would not have been a cheerleader.  Good God!  Rechelle just went into cardiac arrest.  Seriously though, I look at my cheerleading pictures and think, what the hell April, what the hell?  Did I not realize I was six feet tall?  I should have played sports.  Do you know how many coaches and parents asked me why I wasn't out on the court?  They were embarrassed for me.  I guess I had something to prove.   And I can dance and I'm not afraid to dance in front of people, but I feel awkward and self conscious on a basketball court.  Well whatever,  now I have a daughter that can play any sport with grace and confidence and has stamina and will power, but she can't dance a lick, I mean she refuses to try and shake her hips.  It's unfortunate and admirable all at the same time.  I guess I'll live vicariously through her while I look out the corner of my eye and criticized the weak arm positions of the cheerleaders.

5. I would have studied.  I can't even say I would have studied harder, because I never studied for anything.  What a blow it was when I got to college.  I was so unprepared.  Listen to me kids, go for the gold while your young!  STUDY HARD!  Geesh, I wasted so much time.

and this is why....

6.  I would not have dated Tim, Tony, Chris, Pat, Rex, Brian or any other guy I may have dated in high school but can't remember.  Because I never acted like myself around any of them and they were all way too freakin' SHORT!  Sorry guys.  Errr, what a waste!  Why couldn't I have my 38 year old brain in place when I was 15?  Why?

7. I would have spent more quality time with my friends and my family.  I would love to go back and have one day a week with my grandparents.  They only lived 17 miles away and I would go months without talking to them.  That is a crime.  

You know what?  I think that's it.  I'd like to say I'd go back and change my hairstyle and make up choices but then I'd probably look even more like a freak, not that a teenager with the brain of a 38 year old wouldn't be freaky.  Oh, but wait.  When I got to college I stopped curling my hair and wore very little make up and one of my sister's good friends saw me on campus and said, "Hey, April.  Wow!  You are so much prettier than you were in high school.  You look better with no make up."  sigh.  

8. So, okay I'd go back and chuck the hot rollers and the Mary Kay eye shadow trio.




10 comments:

Jenni said...

No do overs on life. I could say I wouldn't have dated the one other boy I dated besides my husband (back before he was my husband of course), but I learned a lot from that. Sure, I made mistakes. Sure, he was a total jerk. It could have been worse. I think I came away from that wiser and a little bolder and more confident. Wouldn't it be nice if we could just learn all our lessons the easy way though? Oh well. No time for regrets.

Cynthia said...

I, on the other hand, had no desire to drive and didn't get a license until after my freshman year at college.

But I lived in a city ad could get anywhere I wanted by bus, subway, tram or taxi.

And the driving age was 18 there and I was 17 1/2 when I graduated high school. But even after a yaear in Lincoln I still didn't want to drive....

Leah said...

Me too. I was freakishly tall, 5'10" and in drill team. I didn't have enough guts to go against the grain and play sports. So wish I had.

Karen Deborah said...

I admire your moxy taking the van and getting in the ditch, that took guts. I don't even like to think about highschool. You got it right on studying I should've been a doctor.

Rechelle said...

I am unable to comment because I am having a heart attack. What about the day you got kicked out of school for wearing that mini skirt? I guess you don't regret that???

jean said...

I loved high school and wouldn't change anything. Ok, maybe I would, but nothing big. It's the years after high school that could use a do-over. I'm still in shock that you drove while in 8th grade! (I'm almost proud of your bravery.) Your parents, however, must have had a fit.

April said...

Rechelle,
That miniskirt was adorable and part of a sailor suit. It was also longer than my cheerleading skirt! Man, was I ticked that day.

Anonymous said...

April we really need to see those cheerleader photos. Git on it woman!

I think you were gutsy all along, taking the van and driving without permission. The McDonald's story just shows how you've learned to channel it for the good.

Becky said...

I may be weird, but over all, I'm pretty happy with old high school me. The only thing I probably would have done differently is to make more of an effort to get to know my classmates in my own year. All my friends seemed to be ahead of or behind me in school.

Nancy said...

You made me laugh today! And, I can say that if I had a list of do-overs, some of them would be the same as yours. Hindsight is 20/20, ins't it?! And my daughters wonder why I preach what I do...if they could see just a small glimps of what a follower (not to mention partier) I was in high school, they'd kick me.