The gifted and talented program was full of cheaters. I've even heard from one of my former classmates that most people in the top ten of my class were cheaters...
There may be cheaters everywhere in life. What one knows and what one can prove may be two different things.
I wish I went to a far better school.
Better in what sense? More emphasis on ethics (aka decency not to cheat)? More enforcement of academic integrity?
No one wanted me to become the valedictorian.
Were you close... possibly salutatorian?
Beating my former classmates in everything would mean to me that I would have to be a lot more famous than them in a good way. Much like how Einstein has been the most popular genius for many years.
A few thoughts:
- It is not healthy to set one's life goals in reference to unfriendly high school classmates.
- It does not appear that Einstein had fame or fortune as his goals.
- Did you know, Einstein was also a
cheater...?
- With the thousands of high schools graduating hundreds of pupils each year, it is unlikely that many will become as well known as Einstein.
- There are many young people pursuing their own individual calling, careers, goals... and these may spark positive inspiration for finding one's own niche. For example, this list of Forbes 30 under 30 may be of interest:
https://www.forbes.com/30-under-30/2021/ I've been talking about how the valedictorian was a cheater to others for 3-4 years, but no one believes me... Should I just give up on trying to convince people?
Not knowing the people involved, but drawing on life experience in general, I would suggest that people are not necessarily disbelieving you, but may rather be trying to drop the topic and encourage you to let it go. Yes, I think you should give up on trying to convince people. Not because it is untrue. But because focusing on other's shortcomings is negative and unhealthy. This was mentioned in the mentor story upthread. The possibility of making yourself vulnerable to charges of libel, slander, or defamation were also mentioned.
I hope that she fails at life.
While some former classmates may seem to be benefiting from ill-gotten gains, IMO you do NOT want to be generating this type of negative energy. It is important to find things you can be positive about.
