School is a sort of weird microcosm of the way the world really works - and one of the lessons we get to learn pretty early on is that it's easy to earn a reputation for something that may or may not have anything to do with reality.
One Reddit user asked:
What were you known for in high/middle school?
And we're pretty sure the person who was known for having a good sneeze absolutely never self-identified as a particularly melodic sneezer, but like they said - people still bring it up years later.
That doesn't mean your rep is totally out of your control, though. Quite a few of the responses were from people who went out of their way to cultivate whatever weird thing they were known for. Shout out to the person who committed to a fake accent for a full year before dropping it the next school year to confuse everyone.
That's the kind of commitment that'll get you places in life. Maybe not great places, but places.
Lighthearted Parody
Starting a parody twitter account of the principal. It was pretty cool hearing people reading my tweets in class and no one knowing it was me, lol.
Got exposed later though; principal thought it was hilarious. I didn't say anything offensive. Yes, I made fun of them but it was all lighthearted. I wish I could go back and read the tweets, lol
Forgot To Be British
british crown GIFGiphyIn the 7th grade I came from a school on the other side of town so nobody knew me. I faked a British accent for a whole year. Then 8th grade started and I forgot I did that and just talked normal and everyone was very confused.
I did the same thing but I went to a different school once a week for gifted kids and when I was there I pretended to be an Australian
- HadesHat
There was a girl in my freshman English class who rotated styles and accents daily. She had spent some time in England, so when she dressed like a catholic school girl she sounded British. Then the next day she was a goth and American. Then she'd dress like a tomboy and drop her voice.
She also sabotaged all our socratic seminars with politics and held me up against the wall by the throat despite me being far more heavily muscled than her, but that's another story.
- legittz
At What Cost?
In middle school I was the guy that combed my hair before/after every class.
I now have no hair.
- DonJovar
Perfect hair, but at what cost?
Excessive of anything is injurious.
Tennis
Well I hit a guy in the face with a tennis racquet in the middle of math class and almost got sent to the principal's office because of it.
We could choose tennis as one of our class periods, so those who did would need tennis racquets and often carried them to school. Our lockers didn't fit our tennis racquets, so we had to carry them around with us to classes.
We ended up dating, and people got scared every time they saw me swinging my racquet around.
I similarly hit a girl in the face with a tennis racquet and then we ended up dating. She was an innocent bystander, it was eighth grade and I threw it just for sh*ts and giggles. After much apologies, we realized we thought each other was cute, eighth grade, blah blah.
We ended up hooking up later in life as well so 🤷
At The Bar
I was the kid that could get into bars.
My older brother was in a band, and I would go with them to help set up gear before a show, as a "roadie". Most bars let me hang out side-stage to watch and then tear down at the end of the night. So I was the 15 year old going to bars each weekend.
My parents and even the teachers knew, but I wasn't drinking so it wasn't a big deal. But the other kids though it was nuts and always wanted me to "sneak them in too".
Best Sneeze
In 8th grade there is a superlatives page in the yearbook for certain things like "Most likely to become president" or "Most likely to win an Olympic medal" and the 2 people that are voted for the most are pictured in the yearbook under that phrase.
I got voted for "Best sneeze" with another girl at my school, as we both have incredibly high pitched sneezes. To this day people still bring it up, even years later.
Shh
Being quiet. Not school shooter type of quiet, just quiet.
Same here, at some point someone apparently thought I died? Nope, just sittin in the back.
Friends assume you as re too shy to even make a presentation in class, they get the surprised Pikachu face, like dude.... there's a difference between being quiet (sometimes even lacking social skills) and not giving a damn of your grades
Never The Right Fit
Middle school - being that big city kid who has nothing in common with the local small town boys.
High school - being that small town boy who has nothing in common with the big city kids.
My parents moved around for work, and I never fit in during school.
This was me. I was always "the new kid". Went to 4 different high schools in 3 different states.
- realravenbell
VooDoo Queen
My ex boyfriend and I broke up (on a Monday) and he started dating a frumpy freshman the very next day. They both tried rubbing it in my face lol but I didn't care and took the high road. That Friday I had a bonfire with my friends to burn his sh!t he refused to take back.
While I was burning the last bit of stuff one of my field hockey teammates called me and told me the frumpy freshman got ran over by a car while making out with my ex. Apparently the girls sister was backing out of a parking spot and cut the wheel too sharp and dragged the girl under the tires while they were still embraced. It was such a mess.
Anyway, that's how I acquired the name 'voodoo queen'. But all three of those bastards harassed me all week leading up to that night and even afterwards. In my opinion, they all got what karma they deserved.
Ex also tried to get back with me numerous times after that since his new girlfriend was wheelchair bound and he didn't wanna deal with it. He was and still is a piece of sh*t.
I Was An Idiot
Had a fast loud car and always dressed up for every event/sporting game we went to. 1985 Camaro, graduated in 2011. Lots of burnouts and donuts. I essentially worked in high school to put money into that thing!
Everyone knew who I was and my sisters constantly got the "oh, he is your brother? You guys are so lucky". They were not lucky, I was an idiot.
- k666busa
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Redditor _ReDd1T_UsEr wanted to discuss the reasons why many of us decided to cut some people out of our lives, so they asked:
"What was the reason why your friendship ended with someone?"
Sometimes a person just has to go.
Planning Stages
Weekend Sunday GIF by DisneyGiphy"I stopped being the first to always initiate plans, and that was that."
Witty-Surround-6541
"I once asked a friend to plan our next breakfast + walk outing, since I always did that. He wrote me a letter ending the friendship. Stunning!"
fermat9996
Pants on Fire
"Habitual lying became too annoying and disruptive to tolerate."
Hosscatticus_Dad523
"When you constantly are thinking... this math ain't matching lol. People that lie all the time make me sick. I've told multiple friends that you don't have to lie to me."
"I feel so much better when someone can trust me and feel comfortable telling me a hard truth than an easy lie."
"Even if the truth made me feel some type of way, I'm still glad it was honest. I've even said thank you to people in the past that have been honest with me, good or bad! Some people just can not help lying about things. I wouldn't be able to ever keep a story straight if I did that."
__eden_
Bad Behavior
"He kept having kids with different girls and bailing on them. Coming from a 'went out for a pack of smokes' Dad myself, I just couldn't watch it anymore. Bailed after the third one. Think he's up to 6 now."
KingGuy420
"Reminds me of one of my ex-friends. She kept having kids with MULTIPLE guys (all of them were one-night stands), I don't think she even knows who the baby daddies are."
"She also kept begging me and people for money for pot, and she also bragged about having OnlyFans. She'd also make up stories about being in an abusive relationship with her boyfriend (she'd also cheat on him/tell people her and him they broke up, which they weren't)."
wisconsinking
Reasons
"I was a bad person and they ended it for perfectly sensible reasons. I would have done the same. I've changed, but I don't blame them for not reconsidering contact."
tabletopsidekick
"I’ve been there. I was a bad person and lost friendships and family relationships. I tried to apologize to everyone I hurt."
PDXGalMeow
"I also accepted that they don’t want me in their lives anymore. I learned that I made my mistakes, I learned from them, and I accept their choices. I don’t self-hate anymore and I try to be a better person in general. I hope you are doing well and practicing self-love and forgiveness."
PDXGalMeow
Money Issues
Donald Duck Money GIFGiphy"I lent them $20 and then they avoided me so they didn’t have to pay me back. Worth the $20."
BuickAssault
"I don't ever expect prompt returns of small amounts of money between my friends... we all buy each other rounds or buy the food for the BBQ or whatever. It ends up evening out over time I think we'd notice though if someone was always taking and never giving and then they'd probably get cut off too."
Badloss
In the immortal words of Cyndi Lauper... "Money Changes Everything."
Lack of Support
Happy Planning GIFGiphy"She joined a pyramid scheme selling butt-ugly leggings and it took over her whole life. When I finally told her it was negatively affecting our friendship, she accused me of not supporting her 'business.'"
LeftandLeaving9006
Oh Driver
"I was basically a taxi for my friends so I dumped them all."
Bullfrog_Little
"This one I can understand but depends on the situation. Not all of my friends had cars in high school, so our group needed to have me and my sh*tty '94 Plymouth Sundance come, or they couldn't do anything. I didn't mind at all then, but I definitely would these days."
Hoopajoops
"I remember I used to drive around with my buddies all the time before they had licenses. When one of my friends got his and a car I said sweet now you can drive me around for a bit, he replied that he wasn't gonna waste his money on gas like that. See ya, haven't really spoken to him since."
DontcallmeShirley_82
2063
"How's this for oddly specific: Friend since 1980, was hanging out at a bar in 1992 and there was a dispute of over a $15.00 bar tab. I was in the right, but whatever - he held a grudge for years."
"Ran into him in 2017 and we were both too old to care. Started to see each other now and then. 2023 and we're at this local bar for a show and got into a fight about $15.00 a ticket."
"Maybe he'll call me in 2063."
The68Guns
Exhausting
"She was a taker, constantly. When I needed something she made it about her yet again. Exhausting to be around."
LordyIHopeThereIsPie
"I'm going through this right now. Can't tell you how many texts I have from her in the past few days telling me that I need to get over myself, need to stop making myself the victim, have been a terrible friend, have never been there for her."
"She's the most narcissistic person I know and everyone does everything for her. She has one of the easiest lives ever and anytime anything bad happens to her she believes that everyone is against her and she's the victim here. It's pure insanity. There is no talking sense to people like this."
cheeseburgerwaffles
Life Changes
point pointing GIF by Shalita GrantGiphy"I've lost like all but two of my 'friends' because I stopped drinking and doing hard drugs."
ConcertTerrible8877
"Same here dude. My circle is small but hey at least it's a circle I know I can go to."
Miss_mayonnaise
Oh, how things change when the booze dries up.
How much fun were you really having?
Do you have any stories about cutting off a friend? Let us know in the comments below.
Curious to hear from ex-lovers who've been there, Redditor Lishasquarepant asked:
"What caused your last break-up?"
These Redditors found they and their significant other were no longer on the same page.
"Simply, we grew apart."
– catetheway
"Same, I feel like Michael Scott everytime I try to start another relationship. 'No question about it, I am ready to get hurt again.'"
– Gthew
Happier Apart
"Same. We loved each other like siblings, not spouses... Ugh! Lovely man though who now has a fab girlfriend. We are good friends and much happier apart."
– MoxieHasKnottyBits
No Regrets
"Same. And it f'king sucks, but that’s life. It’s been a year and I still hate every second that she’s not in my life, but at the same time I know she’s happier now than she would’ve been if we stayed together."
– throway35885328
Having no communication is the worst part.
Silent Partner
"He slowly got distant. I believe he lost interest and didn't dare be honest with me about that."
– GaiaNatur77
The Late Blame Game
"I had that happen as well, but then he pinned it on me being distant and not affectionate enough."
"My guy, if you pull your hand away every time I try to hold it, I'm gonna stop trying to hold it. And if I ask if something's up and you repeatedly tell me everything is fine, I'm going to believe you. Don't wait till I'm at my worst moment and then reveal you had issues with me for 3 months and break up with me for it being 'my fault.'"
– Billielolly
"Everything Is Fine"
"Oh man, the asking repeatedly and getting a 'nothing' reminds me of a story."
"My friend used to ask her ex this every time he was unusually quiet. He’d always say he was fine, then at one point, told her to stop asking because it was making him feel weird."
"So she did."
"Six months later he initiated a divorce because she didn’t care about his feelings anymore."
"Like…don’t ask for sh*t then get pissy when you get what you want."
– TheRealJackReynolds
And then there are those who were not invested in the relationship for a long time.
The Struggle Is Real
"He seemed to struggle with the concept of not f'king random people."
– spanglesandbambi
Leaving The Problem
"He moved to his country because he missed his family. So he only sent a WhatsApp message saying he was going to stay there. I would have preferred a call at least to break up a marriage."
– kattia12
New Life
"Something similar happened to my cousin. He married her in the US, they had a baby together.. a few years go by, he misses home, goes back to visit.. His family had an arranged marriage ready for him 🤦🏻♀️ He ended up with a new wife and new baby. Hasn’t came back."
– MysticalMom7
A Foreign Custom
"It just seems so surreal that a grown a** adult with a wife and baby would leave his family behind for an arranged marriage. I'll never fathom the mentality."
– ro0ibos2
Ouch
"I wasn't having sex near as often as she was."
– YourWordsMatter
Breaking up is hard to do.
But a good thing to remember is that love can be found again and the new relationship can be even better than the previous one.
And that's something that can't be recognized until you look back in retrospect.
We all have to kiss a few toads.