I don't think I was ever really meant to be in school.
When I was in grade 8, I found out that I could fail miserably and the board of education wasn't allowed to hold me back, so I did exactly just that. I failed every single class and they still sent me into grade 9.
In grade 9, I felt so un-challenged by school, I decided to skip and spend my time purusing more philosophical endeavours. When I was 15 I found out that they weren't allowed to kick me out until I 16. So I missed a total of 364 classes (termed school), and my lowest mark was a 6. It wasn't even like I was with my friends so I can't say that they were a bad influence, because most of the time I was alone. I would go to the libarary and read philosophy or behavioural science textbooks.
When I was 15 I also discovered drugs and drinking.
When I was 17 a good friend of mine became a stripper and before I knew It I was out boozing it up at after hours bars and staying out till 5am on weekdays. So, needless to say, I didn't graduate high school. During that time a lot of sordid events took place. Like getting arrested, being in numerous car accidents, being offered a job as a chauffer for call girls.
That was pretty much how things went until I turned 23. Then things started to slow down. I got more serious about a post secondary education and I got my GED. I tried to get into a school where the registrar literally told me that I wasn't smart enough or dedicated enough to be able to get my GED in the time that I told him I would. Nevertheless, I showed him he was wrong. I ended up dropping out of that school because I was offered a great, and progressive position with one of the largest companies in Canada for its industry, and I'm slowly climbing my way up the corporate ladder.
Even after all those years people are still baffled at the fact that i never graudated high school or pursued a post secondary education.
It just goes to show, there's a big difference between booksmarts and street smarts.
Sometimes I regret not finishing school the proper way, but I was never a big fan of conformity, and even though sometimes I wish things happened differently, I don't regret anything. Some people go their whole lives sheltered never really feeling like they lived.