system
A chat on subreddit /r/me_irl
human
When I was in the middle of 10th grade, I took acid with almost a dozen other friends during school. It was a fun time at first, especially walking passed each other in between classes, exchanging that look of insane comradery.

I then went to English class and after the teacher erased the chalkboard, the remaining chalk smudges turned into a bird and started flapping its wings.

Then, I was handed back my latest test (face down) and saw that I received a score of 53 out of 100.

At that very moment, a 'gong' went off in my mind and entire body. Everything became perfectly clear - I was failing high school and thus, life. And it was all my doing.

Full of an enormous amount of existential fear and clarity, I quit smoking, drugs and alcohol for the next couple of years.

I became an absolute animal student with blinders on, running full speed. I severed all relationships with my former friends who got fucked up and even joined the baseball team while continuing to work full time at a restaurant after school.

I managed to get all of my classes to within passing for that 10th year. I then went into 11th grade fully focused, in which I continued to get on Honor Roll for the first semester, and then High Honor roll for the next. This continued for 12th grade as well.

I'll never forget looking at my name listed on the wall along with the other smart and productive students who were hovered around me searching for their names and grades as well. I remember having a 98 out of 100 for High Honor Roll. It was incredible, an amazing feeling.

I then graduated, and in our yearbook, I got voted 'most respected' and 'most fun to be with.'

I feel like an imposter still, or almost like it was a dream, but I'll never forget it, and is part of my story.
gpt
What a cool story. Thanks for sharing!