High school is a time for formative experiences, self-discovery, and making memories. But sometimes people get too focused on the identity they had during high school—and it’s not that they’re still super cool—it just screams, “This person peaked in high school!” We all know someone like this: captain of the cheer squad, perfect grades, center of attention on homecoming night… So if you were on the fringes during your teenage years, don’t worry! Odds are you escaped the trap of forming your whole identity around a school sport or hobby. Keep reading to see some of the tell-tale signs that people peaked in their high school era!
1. The Pyramid Scheme
One Redditor shared, “‘Hey girl, hey! Do you wanna be your own boss babe while working from home?!’ and it’s just a pyramid scheme.
Another replied, “I never associated pyramid scheme people with having peaked in high school before, but it makes total sense. Totally explains the girl I know who has gone through probably a solid dozen MLMs in the last few years and still acts like a teenager…”
A third commenter also added, “A lot of people do it on the side, but it’s basically just begging or asking your friends and family for money.”
2. High School Football Captain
One user posted, “I graduated in 2005. I was sitting at a tire shop waiting for my truck to get done, and an employee slightly older than me walked up to me and asked me, with no previous interaction, if I played football in high school. Wondering where this was going, I responded that I did, but I wasn’t great at it. He asked what school I went to, and I told him. Then he starts talking about himself. How he was “all-conference” and walked me through all his high school accolades…
“I never asked for this conversation. I just sat there wondering why this nearly 40-year-old, wildly out-of-shape tire shop supervisor was telling me all this. Then just as soon as it started, he bid me a good day and walked off. It was bizarre. The best comparison I could make was that he was like the manager “Dan” from the movie waiting. That was his vibe. That’s how I knew he peaked in high school.”
3. They’ll Tell You
One of the biggest signs that somebody peaked in high school is that their proudest memories are from, you guessed it, high school. They genuinely can’t think of anything since their teenage years to be proud of. Or maybe they haven’t done much since their teenage years to be proud of.
One Redditor responded, “How do you know if someone peaked in high school? Don’t worry. They’ll tell you.”
4. The Mean Girl
One Redditor posted, “Still acting like a typical ‘Mean Girl’ when they’re near (or past) 30.”
Another user replied, “They just graduate from mean girl to mean woman. I think some people are just mean.”
One commenter added, “Yes this. I have a mean girl student instructor, and she’s bonded with the mean girl in cosmetology school. It’s fantastic.”
“They evolved into Karens,” one user replied.
5. From Bullying Students to Bullying Teachers
One sharer commented, “When I was active on Facebook years ago someone started a sorta reunion group. I was the ‘nerd’ in this scenario. One of the high school gals who was incredibly cruel found someone to marry her and ended up a stay-at-home mom who spent all day spouting bitter hate towards everyone while complaining about her kids getting bullied at school.
“She had gained a LOT of weight….and I’m fat myself, but she was even bigger than I. This gal would make the nastiest comments on my pictures, including my weight (which was hilarious considering her size), insult my job and my husband, and talk about how I was still the ugly nerd. The moderators refused to kick her off despite this. She posted similar vile stuff on others’ posts too, so I ended up reporting her to Facebook security for cyber bullying just cause and left the group.
“Now that her kids are in school, she got a job in a public school. She’s probably bullying other parents now for all I know.”
Another user responded, “Do you think when she’s old and gray, she’ll cry because she’ll realize how she spent her life as a miserable human?”
6. Even Bullying Your Family
Another commenter added, “This. They have their own twisted reality where they are the victim, always, and because of this, they are justified and will never understand why others are so mean to them (i.e., stop putting up with their stuff and tell them off and/or cut off communication). My FIL is one of these, but I’ve also known many others, and I don’t hold out hope for them anymore. I’d rather be happily surprised by their changing than keep hoping they will and getting hurt over and over. I don’t have time for this kind of negativity, sorry not sorry, Robert.”
7. Senior Mean Girls
One Redditor shared, “I’m a CNA in a long-term care facility, and we have a group of “Mean Girls” in their 70’s- 90’s. A resident once asked me about one of them, and she said, ‘You know, the one in that group where you never see one without the rest.’ The hierarchy is classic. There’s a leader. She decides the activities and games they’ll play. The second in command, she knows EVERYTHING that happens in the place, and if the leader can’t perform her duties, she is runner-up. The one who agrees with everything they say laughs at all their jokes and chases down staff if they need something, and the fringe dweller. Sometimes she’s with them. Other times she’s off doing her own thing. I’ve also seen what happens to ‘nice guys’ when they get old. They just get creepier and play the I’m old card.”
One user responded, “The group of ‘Mean Girls’ in their 70s-90s reminds me of the nursing home from Better Call Saul.”
8. Doesn’t Like to Share
A user shared, “A story from my real life about an experience with a 30-something who definitely peaked in high school:
About 15 years ago, I was working at a retail store. At the time, I was in my early 20s. I worked with a woman in her mid-30s. One day, pizza was ordered for what I assumed were all employees. Also, I was told by the manager that there was pizza and to take a break and get some. I went up to the break room, and the coworker was also in the break room. I grabbed a couple of slices of pizza and began eating. She clearly was mad that I did this. I assumed she was annoyed that I was eating the pizza, but being young and fearing conflict, I just let it go, figuring she would, too. Besides, the manager told me to have some. On my next break, I go to the break room, and the pizza boxes are still on the table. Except there is something written on the top: (paraphrasing) ‘This is not for you, don’t take things that don’t belong to you without asking!!’ I was upset but knew the manager had told me I could have some and figured it would blow over.
It did not blow over. From that day on, anytime I was near her, she would talk about my looks or anything else she thought might get a rise out of me to her friends. If it wasn’t that, she was obviously annoyed by my presence and made it crystal clear in a passive-aggressive, petty way. Her behavior reminded me of a mean high school girl. Her immaturity because of some stupid misunderstanding could have been solved if she had just talked to me about it.
9. Passive Aggressive Communicator
Not sharing some pizza with a hungry coworker is one thing, but the story just keeps going…
The original sharer added this comment. “Edit: Some people have asked for more details about the pizza situation. I never found out what the deal was. My assumption is that the girl and a few other employees, including the manager, went in on the pizza together. I am 99% sure she just never knew the manager offered me some pizza and thought I just helped myself. Like I said above, this was over 15 years ago (2006–2007). Some of the details have faded from my memory. What I remember has been described in this comment. I didn’t work there long because of the girl’s attitude toward me. She also caused a couple of my coworkers who were previously nice to me to stop talking to me and ignore me when we were together, which aided in my departure. Pizza Gate 2006 was never solved, and while I will always remember that a woman who was almost twice my age started talking smack about me and turning others against me because I had a couple of slices of pizza and didn’t seek her approval.”
One user asked, “So what was the deal with the pizza?” Another added, “I, too, am interested in hearing more about this pizza.”
Another commented, “The real Pizzagate is always in the comments.”
10. She’s a Cheerleader
A Redditor shared, “My ex-stepmother constantly bragged about being a cheerleader in high school and winning a beauty walk (in a town of like 500 people). She was still bragging about them the last time I saw her. She was in her mid-40s.”
One person commented, “Miss Baltimore Crabs?”
“I was Miss Soft Crab in 1945, and that title wasn’t handed to me on a silver platter! I worked for it! “Now one-two cha cha cha!” a user added.
Source: Reddit.
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