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Article created by: Gabija Palšytė

Today, many people look back at their years in high school with pleasant nostalgia; they look back at the friends they made, the time they spent together, and all kinds of activities they took part in. However, that is not the universal high school experience, as for some people, it was a time spent mostly keeping to themselves.

Whether they loved it or hated it, the lonely kids, too, eventually graduated, leaving high school behind; in some cases, leaving their old ways behind, too. A member of the 'Ask Reddit' community recently got curious about how life turned out for the lonely kids from people's high schools, so they started a thread about it, where quite a few netizens went down memory lane. If you're curious about how life for the lonely kid in their school panned out, continue scrolling to find their stories on the list below.

#1

Two young women laughing and enjoying sunny day near colorful mural, symbolizing where the lonely kid from school ended up. I had a lonely kid in my fitness class, freshman year of highschool in 2005ish. She was part of the intellectual friend group at my school, and none of her friends were in fitness class, so she would keep to herself every day. I had never spoken to her before, but she seemed approachable so one day I asked her if she liked good charlotte since my best friend and I were obsessed. Turned out she loved good charlotte and all other bands that my friend and I liked! I didn’t stop hanging out with her since that day. She ended up being valedictorian at our high school, graduated college with a full ride, and we’re still best friends, she is my kids god mother and she helps them with math now.

ComplexRisk3919 , Savannah Dematteo Report

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    #2

    Pilot flying a helicopter at sunset, symbolizing where the lonely kid from school ended up in life stories. I HAVE A GREAT STORY!!
    There was a guy who went to the same elementary, middle, and high school with me. Kids were always making fun of him because he was skinny and deemed "weird" for liking obscure things like math and airplanes. Some of the popular kids claimed he sometimes would smell so he would always sit by himself. Throughout the years, I always made an effort to be kind to him as we were both in band. I played the flute and he played the saxophone. I always thought he was very kind and didn't deserve all the mean comments.

    Well fast forward ten years, I'm friends with him on Facebook. Turns out, he got in shape and went to flight school after high school graduation. He became an airline and commercial pilot for a major Airline. I see him posting all the time about spending a weekend in a different country! He literally posted a picture of himself with a couple of buddies in Switzerland last week. Every time I see him post, I get so happy for him.

    LoverKat11 , Matheus Bertelli Report

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    #3

    Lonely kid sitting alone in a classroom while other children interact, illustrating stories of school life changes. There was a guy in high school who everyone sort of ignored. he wasn’t bullied exactly, just… **invisible**. he never raised his hand, never joined any clubs, and always sat alone at lunch. i had a few classes with him, and once in a while, i’d partner with him when no one else would. i remember once in chemistry, we ended up talking about video games during a lab experiment. and he lit up talking about it, and it was probably the most i’d ever heard him say in one go. but after that, we mostly just went back to polite head nods in the hallways.

    i recently stumbled across his profile on twitter and turns out, the “quiet kid” is now developing indie games with a small team and he’s been doing really well too!

    what stuck with me, though, was this one post where he mentioned how just one person acknowledging your presence, even casually, can mean everything when you feel invisible. i can’t be sure if he was talking about me or someone else, but it made me realize how even the tiniest effort to connect with someone might stay with them in ways you never expect.

    hehe4ever , Mikhail Nilov Report

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    #4

    Teen sitting alone on a park bench holding his head, symbolizing the lonely kid from school and his later life story. It was me, a bunch of people started a prank where they were going to tell everyone i was going to bring a gun to school. Everyone believed them, even after I was cleared by the cops and all the evidence came out. The principal told me it was best I didn't come back. It was senior year and I was 19 so no other highschool in the area would admit me to finish my diploma. I became an unemployed depressed drifter for 8 years then joined the Navy. Doing better now but it really threw my life plan out of whack, I was top of my class gradewise, and my clear path to college was destroyed right in front of my eyes and life became much more lonely for until I joined the Navy. Now I have a wife that's way too hot for me and kids that are smart and social butterflies.

    International-Food20 , Inzmam Khan Report

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    #5

    Man focused on computer screen in office, illustrating stories about the lonely kid from school later in life. He became my boss. To be honest tho, I befriended him in high school and he's been one of my best friends ever since. A smart guy. He went from no self esteem to a team manager in the IT department we work in today. He got me a job. He is making waves and I know people from my class would have their minds blown if they saw him today. We also play in a band together, doing monthly live shows. He turned into a classy extrovert from a total quiet, bullied nerd in high school.

    Necessary_Ad_7601 , Wavebreakmedia Report

    #6

    Man in glasses enjoying cigar and reading magazine, symbolizing where the lonely kid from school ended up later in life. Smoked weed every day at school, failed exams, got a degree, Set up a business and is a multi millionaire.

    JampotScheme , Andrea Piacquadio Report

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    #7

    A family walking along the beach shore near palm trees, illustrating where the lonely kid from school ended up later. Right now, I'm sitting in my house in Sri Lanka with my son and husband. Got literally as far away from there as I could.

    EmmalouEsq , Oleksandr P Report

    #8

    Ginger cat resting peacefully indoors, illustrating the theme of where the lonely kid from school ended up later in life. She moved away & lived in several different countries. got married & divorced. made New York City her home, started college at 54 & now lives happily & quietly with a ginger cat

    Porkchop_Mummy , Hiang Kanjinna Report

    #9

    Medical professional in green scrubs with stethoscope and wristwatch, symbolizing success of the lonely kid later in life That's me, I came out and left the church I was raised in, got a girlfriend I love more than anything, and work in a hospital with pediatrics. Life is pretty good and I definitely don't miss sitting alone in the hallway eating lunch.

    Direwriter , Kaboompics.com Report

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    #10

    Person sitting on a bed with hands clasped, representing the lonely kid from school in a reflective moment. I was the lonely kid. Currently in psych ward.

    magischeblume , Tima Miroshnichenko Report

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    #11

    Man focused on writing in a library surrounded by books, illustrating where the lonely kid from school ended up later in life. Well, I just googled him and he's a Georgetown law professor.

    kittenxkisscharm , cottonbro studio Report

    #12

    A muscular man lifting a barbell in a gym with colorful graffiti, showing strength and transformation of the lonely kid. He got jacked out of absolutely nowhere and won a bunch of powerlifting competitions.

    SydvegasRaidroosters , Ketut Subiyanto Report

    #13

    Young woman embracing her dog, highlighting emotional connections of the lonely kid from school later in life. I’m her, I’m 32 almost, late diagnosed autistic. Vibing but still lonely but with a dog so not entirely.

    candyscab , Yuli Como Report

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    #14

    A couple walking on grass near an old wooden building, symbolizing where the lonely kid from school ended up later. I'm doing great, thanks for asking. Got published, got married, produced a couple of albums, performed a lot, went around the world, saw Persepolis, bought a house in the country and retired.

    Imightbeafanofthis , Emma Bauso Report

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    #15

    Two students outside a school building, one reading papers, representing the lonely kid from school stories. I am haunted by that guy. In junior high I walked home with him once. We talked. He was elusive, but kind and attentive. I liked him but, in my 13 year old adhd brain, I never followed up on our budding friendship. He was found hung in a tree on the walk to school. It devastated me to think I could maybe had made a difference.

    Later in life I found out about all the abuse he endured from his parents… so heartbreaking.

    glassbelonglukluk , George Pak Report

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    #16

    Couple sitting on a bench overlooking mountains and a lake, symbolizing where the lonely kid from school ended up later. He’s married with no children.
    He works as a economy professor at university and we meet 2-3 times in a year. Good guy.

    Lopsided_Exercise_28 , Andre Furtado Report

    #17

    Family walking together holding hands, symbolizing growth and change in the life of the lonely kid from school. He met a girl at 16 years old, stayed with her until this very day, they moved to another country (France) they started from the bottom, he got a job as a manual laborer in construction, and she got a cleaning job, fast forward, they both have their own businesses now and a family of 3 kids, 4 dogs and a farmhouse in the countryside.

    so thats the fast forwarded version of what happend to the quiet lonely person (me).

    bretty666 , Emma Bauso Report

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    #18

    A soldier in camouflage walking alone on a deserted path through a barren, winter landscape. I’m in the Army with a job I like, married with two dogs. .

    ZwiththeBeard , Specna Arms Report

    #19

    Empty highway with few cars surrounded by trees and greenery under a cloudy sky representing life's journey and change. He died in a wrong way crash a few years ago. He was the guy going the wrong way. On a highway he knew for 20 years. A lot of us think it was intentional.

    veryniiiice , Iván Rivero Report

    #20

    Hand holding a burning matchstick in the dark, symbolizing stories about the lonely kid from school later in life. Poured petrol over his brother and his brother girlfriend after an argument whilst they slept and set them alight. Brother and the family dog died, everyone else got out. He'll still be lonely in jail.

    acmaximus , Pixabay Report

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    #21

    Man wearing apron smiling as he processes a payment, illustrating where the lonely kid from school ended up later. During high school he got a job at the video rental counter inside the local grocery store (small town). He eventually got promoted to assistant manager of the video rental area. Then Netflix and streaming in general slowly destroyed his career. Now 20 years later he still works at the same grocery store but they shuffle him around to different areas and not letting him go since he’s been there so long. He still lives with his mother, did not go to any sort of college or trade school or pursued any sort of skill that would benefit him. He has no significant other, no children, no friends. He simply exists in the same state he was in during 2004.

    Ucw2thebone , Kampus Production Report

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    #22

    Young person sitting alone, looking down, conveying feelings of loneliness and reflection in a simple indoor setting. She had a mental breakdown and made a terroristic type threat towards a local festival that draws in thousands of people from all over.
    The last I heard she was in a mental hospital.

    Brite_Butterfly , Liza Summer Report

    #23

    Couple walking through a lively street at night with glowing signs, reflecting stories of the lonely kid from school. I am him. 32, moved in japan, have a low paying job but a nice loving girlfriend. I could be worse, could be better.

    Kenouk , Satoshi Hirayama Report

    #24

    Medical professional comforting patient during surgery, illustrating transformation in where the lonely kid from school ended up later in life. He's a neurosurgeon now.

    mykarelocated , Jonathan Borba Report

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    #25

    Young woman reading a book by a window, reflecting the story of the lonely kid from school later in life. She wrote a fantasy book and got it published. Don’t know anything else.

    Pinkrivrdolphn , Rahul Shah Report

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    #26

    A lonely kid sitting on a wooden dock by calm water, reflecting a moody, cloudy sky. Her parents got a conservatorship of her after keeping her hospitalized repeatedly in high school and tried to put her in the state hospital after years she finally got out of the conservatorship and her mental health was improved away from her family but she was already too medically disabled by that point to really live her life at all.

    Possible_Sea_2186 Report

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    #27

    Group of stylish young adults socializing and celebrating, illustrating stories about the lonely kid from school later in life. Decided I needed friends, so I started going to as many parties as I was able, and became surprisingly popular in my town despite my weirdness.

    Spent all of my money doing that. But got me connections, a job I enjoy, and it’s so much easier for me to interact with others than it was in my teens and early twenties.

    CurlySphinx , cottonbro studio Report

    #28

    Man in headphones speaking into a microphone recording a podcast about where the lonely kid from school ended up later. He became a really overweight, but semi-popular newscaster on a popular news show here in Toronto.

    InviteTime1038 , Rawpixel Report

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    #29

    Three friends enjoying playing video games together, capturing moments of joy and connection from school days. The person I always thought of as possibly lonely retained the same couple of friends for the past 13 years and they still seem to enjoy getting together and doing the things they did back then. Video games, anime, etc.

    waddlyturtledaze , Weedezign_photo Report

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