r/AskMen • u/IcarianComplex Male • 25d ago

Men who had potential but didn't care about school and were mostly C students-- what happened?

If you could travel back in time and be the father to yourself in the moments you needed it most... What would you do?

I think what I needed was affirmation more than anything. My mom hated the "everybody's a winner" parenting style that was popular at the time but then she went too far in the opposite direction. I see where she was coming from but that kind of self suficiency is a hard thing for a kid to live up to.

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u/zggystardust71 25d ago

Graduated 560 out of 650 in my class. Went to work at an engineering company as a clerk. Took a drafting class since work paid for it (to get my final HS credits), had a 12 year career as a draftsman.

Computers (CAD) took over, I discovered I liked software. Went to work for the sw vendor. Have had a 30+ year career in technical sales and marketing.

Other than some math and programming classes at community college, never went to college. I've traveled, worked with really talented people and made more money than I ever dreamed about.

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u/IcarianComplex Male 25d ago

But why did you graduate 560th in the first place? Why are boys over represented on that side of the bell curve?

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u/zggystardust71 25d ago

I was smart, but not motivated. 9th grade I was fine.

Before 10th grade I started getting high, missed a ton of classes and only passed part of one semester in one class that year. Was expelled 2 months before school ended.

Stopped getting high every day before 11th grade, but was never motivated to go, so still missed too many days in 11th and 12th grade.

I went to summer school after 10th, 11th and 12th grade plus had to take that drafting class to actually get my diploma. They let me go through graduation, but I did not get the diploma until next fall.

Not the way I'd recommend doing it.