Catherine
I learned that philosophy was a thing, and a thing I liked tremendously. I also learned that being part of group activities was big fun. This translated into joy through high school and college marching band. I still love me a good parade.
Natalie
In Grade 11? I learned to speak up when something is wrong. So much so in an assembly, where our principal was giving us a dress down,the 1,200 students were yelling in response. He asked if anyone was willing to come to the microphone. He was counting on us to be cowed. I stood up, made my way to the stage. I was so nervous but I knew what I had to say was important. Our principal was an institution who had been in place 40+ years and was a survivor of the WWII London bombings. Everyone ALWAYS deferred to him. I learned that day I’m not everyone, I’m someone who has a voice. And I haven’t shut up since. Hahahaha
Nicole
I learned I didn’t like feeling drunk and never got drunk again after the first time. I learned I enjoyed history and political science. I didn’t learn a lot of other useful things. Maybe that I had a good work ethic (part-time jobs) and that would serve me well.
Cate
I learned that doc martens make any skirt look better.
Tracy
In high school I learned that I wanted to be a writer more than I wanted to be an editor. And it remains true to this day.
Diane
I learned a few things. It’s okay to be unashamedly excited about not cool things (in my case, it was Jane Austen and Chaucer, thanks to great teachers). And maintaining friendships with everyone makes it easier to be that happy geek (being in a school too small for cliques helped a lot).
Martha
I learned I liked writing more than I liked science. I ditched my then life long dream of medicine for journalism. I hedged my bets though in the first two years of university taking half arts and half science courses and then settled into English lit, history and French for my degree. Essentially I learned to keep my options open snd always have a back up plan!
Sam
For me, it was a time of learning practical things. I learned to drive, and later I learned to drive a standard. I learned to work and to balance work with school. I learned to write essays quickly, the night before they were due. I learned to read quickly too. That’s not always good because when I started philosophy I had to learn to slow down.
