The Education of James Banks

I am visiting the dentist today which bring back old memories. Primarily, how I decided to drop out of high school. I've told this story to so many people by now that I might as well publish it on my blog. Here's how it all happened:

When I was fifteen years old, my father recommended that I take my GED during the next year and start attending the Univ. of Idaho. At that time, I decided against it, but it did cement in my mind that more options than a high school diploma existed. (In retrospect, I cannot remember why I demurred, but it is a decision which I somewhat regret. I could be graduating next semester if I had done this.)

After deciding to continue high school, I lingered for about two years, never seriously considering dropping out until one day that I visited the dentist and, somewhat fatalistically, had my mouth cleaned by a very annoying, chatty nurse. She asked me what grade I was in and I told her that I was beginning my junior year. "How old are you?" she asks. Seventeen. She then said, with the air of a political analyst, "You must have been held back." I mumbled that my birthday was very recent. (Which was true, actually, although I should note that I was a few months old for my high school class.) By the time that the dentist came into the room, he asked me what I was planning on doing in the near future and I said, "I'm going to the University of Idaho next year."

In reality, when I started attending the University of Idaho, I had no idea that I would not end up returning to high school; I had almost no confidence at the time and at least considered the possibility that, within two months, I would be sitting in a high school class once again hoping to redeem myself for graduation. My parents were very supportive, as were most of my teachers (though I know one person who told me that s/he had the feeling that it was a big mistake.) But, looking back now, I think that dropping out of high school was the best thing that I could have done and, in some ways, it turned out to be a blessing while I was a freshman in college. It was useful for core science, for example, because it is in your junior year, not your senior, that you learn chemistry.