First time I went to my first high school reunion as Nikki, I was nervous and almost backed out not going. It was the 10 year and still remembered what I went through in high school. I was bullied, picked on and told I was a nobody being treated like crap. My good friends and I talked encouraging me to go and I can do it facing my fears not letting them hold me back. Going there, my heart was pounding like crazy and asking myself what was I thinking do it. Got there and luckily my good friend Marissa came in at the same time. Seen me and we hugged, she stayed by me there for me. Both walked in and most were shocked I changed appearance wise including the classmates whom did bully me, picked on me and telling me I was a nobody treated like crap. These classmates surprised me that were cruel to me, regretted doing what they did to me and apologized to me calling me Nikki. I saw they were hurting inside regretted what they did to me and I did forgive them. The other classmates, they commented to me that I was much happier and told them it is true. One teacher, her eyes lit up seeing me and I told her I go by Nikki now . She saw I was unhappy remembering me when I was my male side. Told her I felt this way and knew I had to transition. Said she was proud of me now happier as my true self as Nikki. I even slept good at night after I came home
Sounds like this was a very good experience for you Nikki. I am happy for you!
Chrissy
This is a big thing, Nikki. I am so, so proud of you.
A lot of what holds people back from being who they are, are the things they go through at this point in their lives. School. Being around other young people fighting just as hard to work out who they are... usually at the expense of others.'
You came, you saw, you conquered.
The thing is... and this is hard for a lot of people to get past. Some never do. After the schoolyard experience... we all grow up. Well, most of us... but my point is... doing what you did is something which took massive, MASSIVE courage. Keep hold of how that made you feel. And draw from that the next time you are faced with something you don't think you can do, okay?
*massive hugs*
Quote from: ChrissyRyan on August 13, 2024, 10:05:44 PMSounds like this was a very good experience for you Nikki. I am happy for you!
Chrissy
It was and most of my classmates got to know me as Nikki.They kindly asked about what my transition was like and seen I am the same person I was before but much happier in my life
Yes. The world is changing. Glad that your old classmates realized what they did wrong.
BTW, some of my high school classmates (all male) are eager to see me, and plan to fly here in November. They all look too old.
barbie~~
Quote from: barbie on August 14, 2024, 07:24:17 AMYes. The world is changing. Glad that your old classmates realized what they did wrong.
BTW, some of my high school classmates (all male) are eager to see me, and plan to fly here in November. They all look too old.
barbie~~
It haunted them for a long time for what they did to me. A school counselor was there as well, she had an oh my god look on her face seeing I changed with a much happier life. Told her I transitioned for 2 years now happy as a pre op mtf and she did call me Nikki.I still keep in touch with her
I'm so glad it was a good experience for you, Nikki! I'm admittedly a smidge envious.
Tounge in cheek: I didn't know those people then and liked even less of them. I have limited trust in any of them. Why would I go see them now? What makes you think I'd like them now or subject myself to the stress? I was who I was and am who I am, life is too short to get hung up on, "I'll show them."
How many of us live around our old high school anyhow?
Quote from: D'Amalie on August 14, 2024, 11:51:24 AMHow many of us live around our old high school anyhow?
I went to several high schools. California, Oklahoma, New York (state), Colorado, and Florida. Never graduated from any of them. No prom. No Homecoming. I wanted out of there as quickly as possible. When Florida told me I had enough credits to graduate but still needed to take Sophomore U.S. History in my senior year, I walked away and never went back. Got a GED in Alabama, then took college courses through the City Colleges of Chicago and the University of Maryland. After having college on my resume, high school was irrelevant.
My 25 year reunion is next year. I only went to my ten year and haven't been to any since. I am undecided whether I will attend the 25 year. The only people I really knew or cared about in high school are people I am still in contact with, so going an seeing a bunch of people who I either didn't know very well or were cruel to me isn't something I find very exciting. Maybe I'll go for the sake of curiosity. I don't know.
So, so similar! This is all off topic below, but related to Lori Dee's reply to my modest acknowledgment that Nikki had a good experience at her first HS reunion.
As youngest of a military man's children, I had eight different DoD schools in the NATO countries and America. Primary and secondary in Germany, Tennesee, Alabama, Texas, Delaware. Only had 11th/12th year in the same school and only half a day at that. Tech school half a day you see.
I really wanted to be back in Europe. But what did I know? I graduated easily enough but we lived in a very rural area so bussed in to school. No social life. No dances. No parties and worst of all, only a few friends and then only during school hours. To busy bailing hay, milking cows, picking cherry peppers, shelling butter beans, baby sitting for a small pool of neighbors, and splitting firewood for income. I do have to say, in spite of my stepmother's abuse her surety that I was a sissy (and other such words) she did teach me sewing, cooking, cleaning, child care, etc. Prepping me to be a good little wifey.
The mid to late 70's were the same in the states as they were in the UK. Economically unsound, unpredictable, and unsupportive to the folks with no generational wealth. I really wonder how my father made ends meet. We built our own house, modest but livable on the 50 acres of swampy woods bought cheap from Granddad when he sold the farm in '68. Of course I knew nothing of any of this. I was just living my life praying for escape from my stepmother's despotic oppression, mental and physical abuse. Work and school were my escape. So graduating with a high school diploma (honor roll) was my ticket out. At 17 Dad signed for me to enlist. I was gone. naive and unprepared. I received five year, ten year invitations to a high school reunion. But I was overseas and didn't care to go anyhow. Defense Language Institute, Regent's College (University of New York) and much later my Masters.
Thanks for listening.
Quote from: BlueJaye on August 14, 2024, 02:53:41 PMMy 25 year reunion is next year. I only went to my ten year and haven't been to any since. I am undecided whether I will attend the 25 year. The only people I really knew or cared about in high school are people I am still in contact with, so going an seeing a bunch of people who I either didn't know very well or were cruel to me isn't something I find very exciting. Maybe I'll go for the sake of curiosity. I don't know.
You could challenge them to a boxing match. ;D
I would pay to see that.
Reserve me a couple of tickets too! :)
Been to a few school reunions even though my schooldays were a hell of bullys & fighting.Being the big kid it was my fault & I was forever in trouble for retaliating. Dad once bet me £5, quite a decent sum of money in 1972 if I could manage a week without fighting! He knew he wouldn't have to pay me! None of the bullys were there,one in prison for a very long time for 3@x offences,another killed in a drug deal gone bad, one more sectioned & another overdosed. Don't know what happened to the others.
Quote from: NikkiM on August 13, 2024, 09:00:34 PMFirst time I went to my first high school reunion as Nikki, I was nervous and almost backed out not going. It was the 10 year and still remembered what I went through in high school. I was bullied, picked on and told I was a nobody being treated like crap. My good friends and I talked encouraging me to go and I can do it facing my fears not letting them hold me back. Going there, my heart was pounding like crazy and asking myself what was I thinking do it. Got there and luckily my good friend Marissa came in at the same time. Seen me and we hugged, she stayed by me there for me. Both walked in and most were shocked I changed appearance wise including the classmates whom did bully me, picked on me and telling me I was a nobody treated like crap. These classmates surprised me that were cruel to me, regretted doing what they did to me and apologized to me calling me Nikki. I saw they were hurting inside regretted what they did to me and I did forgive them. The other classmates, they commented to me that I was much happier and told them it is true. One teacher, her eyes lit up seeing me and I told her I go by Nikki now . She saw I was unhappy remembering me when I was my male side. Told her I felt this way and knew I had to transition. Said she was proud of me now happier as my true self as Nikki. I even slept good at night after I came home
Well you are braver than me, I would not dare attend a high school reunion. Well done..
For me, I have never been back to where I grew up.. My mother longer lives there and I moved far away from my home town.. where I live now, is my home.