Dear people on Reddit;

I want to share with you my story of quitting high school and how much I regret this today.

When I was in my teenage years, I was a very loud gay person, I was dating men and doing everything that society said you can't do. My high school found out about this and they basically did not allow me to go back to school and so I had to change.

Long story short, I ended up quitting high school due to many factors such as discrimination, etc.. and I was doing drugs for a few months but later on, I was pursuing my dream, which is being an artist, so painting and performing/ dancing. I was for many years surrounded by successful people and artists, working amongst them, working at art hubs and residencies, attending workshops and seminars, and sharing expertise as well as keeping up with the art world which I thought was enough because it felt real as people share their stories and experiences. I even won a very important program in the arts, where I got mentorship sessions and a culture trip and where I presented a performance in the end.

But somehow today I feel so much left behind, I don't feel eligible or capable or worthy enough for anything because I did not finish my highschool ( I basically failed my official exams and was very drained by all the ill-treatment and discrimination I faced for being gay), I was young and in love and I didn't think of the consequences I could face by coming out in high school and wish I could have a normal job as I am very good at many things such as writing, organization, leadership, etc...I have even worked in NGOs, art residencies, event management, etc...

Today and a few years later, I am haunted by this regret and I feel sorry for not having my diploma and of being able to explore my potential as I wish to pursue my career or learn something new, and as I was always creative in high school and had good ideas and presentations. my friends find me to be creative and smart and this lost potential of all the possibilities I could have is making me feel isolated and incapable from the rest of the world.

I truly wish there was an option for me to continue my studies 5 years after I left high school, I really wish I could go to university and study just like everyone else my age.