Day 19 High school 1980 thru 1982

Description

Day 19. In February 1980, my younger sister and I were enrolled at our mothers old school - Otago Girls High school (or OGHS) in Dunedin. I don't know if we were enrolled as legacy students, because the school zones did not come into effect until several years after we left. If they had been in effect, we would have had to have been enrolled as legacy students because we did live outside the school zone. There was one other high school that was closer to our home.

Anyway, I was in the equivalent to Grade 11. My sister was in the equivalent to Grade 9. As has been mentioned in an earlier layout page, children in New Zealand start school at age 5, so they do 13 years of education, finishing HS around the age of 18. The summer break is over the Xmas and New Years holiday (sun, sand and surf during Xmas was the norm). So schools generally run from early February to early and mid December.

OGHS is of course an all girls school. Something I had no experience with. And I was also having to sit the first year of national exams. At the end of the first year I passed 4 out of 5 subjects. I was shocked to have failed English. My score was in the 40s, but it was still a failing mark. I blame that on the lack of Literature and Shakespeare in my previous school.

My next 2 years at OGHS were not much better. Once again i failed to pass my national exams at the second level and had to repeat the year. I just managed to squeak out a pass at the end of 1982 which gave me enough marks to enroll at University. Unfortunately, I flunked out of University as well. Mostly because I chose to study a subject I really had no interest in. That was a decision I still regret.

In the meantime, I lived for the summer holidays. Those were the highlights of the 1980s.

Supplies

Navy Blue Paper
https://www.digitalscrapbook.com/marisa-lerin/designs/navy-solid-paper-02-asset

Gold frames - At the Beach elements kit
https://www.digitalscrapbook.com/sheila-reid/kits/at-the-beach-elements-kit-ocean-sand-summer-vacation-coastal-orange-green-blue-tan

Centre bottom image of OGHS main doors - and also the badge and school title at top left - Both from the school website - https://www.otagogirls.school.nz/

Lower left image of our first house in Dunedin and lower right image of my mother at OGHS in the 1950s - personal family photos

Large OGHS Image (at the top) from Google street view dated 2018