---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've never gotten over high school, to…"
description: "\"I've never gotten over high school, to the extent that I'm still a little surprised that my friends want to hang out with me.\" — Barbara Kingsolver"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd9/barbara-kingsolver-200_friends_i-ve-never-gotten-over-high-school-to-th_2355294.png"
---

#  I've never gotten over high school, to the extent that I'm…

![“I've never gotten over high school, to the extent that I'm still a little surprised that my friends want to hang out with me.” quote by Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd9/barbara-kingsolver-200_friends_i-ve-never-gotten-over-high-school-to-th_2355294.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd9/barbara-kingsolver-200_friends_i-ve-never-gotten-over-high-school-to-th_2355294.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd9/barbara-kingsolver-200_friends_i-ve-never-gotten-over-high-school-to-th_2355294.png)

> “I've never gotten over high school, to the extent that I'm still a little surprised that my friends want to hang out with me.”

[Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The narrator remains emotionally tied to high school, feeling surprised that friends still seek her company.

**In simple terms:** Stuck in past school feelings, surprised friends still want to hang out.

Key Takeaway

Recognize lingering school influences, seek new connections.

Themes

nostalgia friendship selfawareness

Mood

reflective bittersweet

Type

personal social

When to use this quote

- reconnecting with old friends
- joining new groups
- reflecting on personal growth

Key Concepts

identity social bonds

Questions to Reflect On

- How does high school shape your current relationships?
- What steps can you take to move beyond past expectations?

A Different Perspective

Emotional attachment may limit present opportunities.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends/) [Hanging out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hanging-out/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [Little Surprised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-surprised-782297/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [My friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-friends/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Surprised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprised/) [Surprised Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprised-friends-5748860/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/)

## Related quotes

> [I didn't get upset because I wasn't nominated, but I was a little surprised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-beresford/i-didn-t-get-upset-because-i-wasn-t-nominated-but-i-was-a-little/)

[Bruce Beresford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-beresford/)

> [I'm definitely a little surprised at what hip-hop was able to do to my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabolous/i-m-definitely-a-little-surprised-at-what-hip-hop-was-able-to-do-to/)

[Fabolous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabolous/)

> [“Hell, even I'm a little surprised by Nine--between this and our little heart-to-heart in the doorway earlier, I might have to upgrade him from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pittacus-lore/hell-even-i-m-a-little-surprised-by-nine-between-this-and-our-little/)

[Pittacus Lore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pittacus-lore/)

> [You're always a little surprised when something really takes off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-howard/you-re-always-a-little-surprised-when-something-really-takes-off/)

[Ron Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-howard/)

> [I was such a late bloomer I didn’t have feelings towards men or women, and frankly I was a little surprised when it turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-neal/i-was-such-a-late-bloomer-i-didn-t-have-feelings-towards-men-or-women/)

[Diane Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-neal/)

> [I have no idea what a high school party looks like. I was just with my friend, and we were walking down Venice and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-rickards/i-have-no-idea-what-a-high-school-party-looks-like-i-was-just-with-my/)

[Ashley Rickards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-rickards/)

> [Going to regular public high school and working and auditioning was really, really tough. I never really fit in and hit the stride that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naya-rivera/going-to-regular-public-high-school-and-working-and-auditioning-was/)

[Naya Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naya-rivera/)

> [I actually love spinning for relaxation and to keep my body healthy, but besides that, I love exploring new restaurants. I love being outdoors.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-agdal/i-actually-love-spinning-for-relaxation-and-to-keep-my-body-healthy/)

[Nina Agdal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-agdal/)

> [I avoid social networks and I try to live a very normal, simple life. I love spending time and hang out with my friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dakota-johnson/i-avoid-social-networks-and-i-try-to-live-a-very-normal-simple-life-i/)

[Dakota Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dakota-johnson/)

> [I love hanging out with my friends and family. I really, really, really love articulating original thought. That's probably my core, my biggest buzz.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-myss/i-love-hanging-out-with-my-friends-and-family-i-really-really-really/)

[Caroline Myss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-myss/)

> [I grew up around a lot of boys - all my friends on my street were boys, so I was the only girl for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz/i-grew-up-around-a-lot-of-boys-all-my-friends-on-my-street-were-boys/)

[LIZ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz/)

> [My friends and I love having girls' nights in. We're hardly ever all in the same city, but when we're finally able to hang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karlie-kloss/my-friends-and-i-love-having-girls-nights-in-we-re-hardly-ever-all-in/)

[Karlie Kloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karlie-kloss/)

> [Hell, when I was in high school, a "drive-by shooting" meant somebody had their rear end hanging out a car window!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-foxworthy/hell-when-i-was-in-high-school-a-drive-by-shooting-meant-somebody-had/)

[Jeff Foxworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-foxworthy/)

> [I am particularly surprised that certain outlets look at pass rates irrespective of student population. As if inner city high school kids are to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/i-am-particularly-surprised-that-certain-outlets-look-at-pass-rates/)

[Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/)

> [I was probably not the first to lose my virginity among my friends. I was definitely one of the last ones to reach puberty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-baker/i-was-probably-not-the-first-to-lose-my-virginity-among-my-friends-i/)

[Simon Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-baker/)

## More by Barbara Kingsolver

> [“Jesus was a more reliable backer, evidently, less likely to drink himself unconscious or get liver cancer. No wonder people chose Him as their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/jesus-was-a-more-reliable-backer-evidently-less-likely-to-drink/)

[Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/)

> [Now I'm starting to think he wasn't supposed to be my whole life, he was just this doorway to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/now-i-m-starting-to-think-he-wasn-t-supposed-to-be-my-whole-life-he/)

[Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/)

> [Cooking is 80 percent confidence, a skill best acquired starting from when the apron strings wrap around you twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/cooking-is-80-percent-confidence-a-skill-best-acquired-starting-from/)

[Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/)

> [“In Bobby Ogle's version of heaven everyone would wind up in one place, criminals and Muslims included.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/in-bobby-ogle-s-version-of-heaven-everyone-would-wind-up-in-one-place/)

[Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/)

> [“Weeds are job security for the gardener.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/weeds-are-job-security-for-the-gardener/)

[Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/)

> [“It's what you do that makes your soul, not the other way around.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/it-s-what-you-do-that-makes-your-soul-not-the-other-way-around/)

[Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/)

> [“Lusa turned to Crys, her eyes shining. "That was a luna." Crys shrugged. "So?" "So? So what? You want it should sing, too?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/lusa-turned-to-crys-her-eyes-shining-that-was-a-luna-crys-shrugged-so/)

[Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/)

> [The strength of motherhood is greater than natural laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/the-strength-of-motherhood-is-greater-than-natural-laws/)

[Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/)

> [“An imperfectly remembered life is a useless treachery. Every day, more fragments of the past roll around heavily in the chambers of an empty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/an-imperfectly-remembered-life-is-a-useless-treachery-every-day-more/)

[Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/)

> [Respecting the dignity of a spectacular food means enjoying it at its best. Europeans celebrate the short season of abundant asparagus as a form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/respecting-the-dignity-of-a-spectacular-food-means-enjoying-it-at-its/)

[Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/)

> [“Somehow it had come to pass that this man was her whole world, and she had failed to take his measure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/somehow-it-had-come-to-pass-that-this-man-was-her-whole-world-and-she/)

[Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/)

> [After 'The Poisonwood Bible' was published, several people believed that my parents were missionaries, which could not be further from the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/after-the-poisonwood-bible-was-published-several-people-believed-that/)

[Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/)

> [I can count all the ways in which being a mother has enriched my understanding of the world, of character, my sense of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/i-can-count-all-the-ways-in-which-being-a-mother-has-enriched-my/)

[Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/)

> [But we've all ended up giving body and soul to Africa, one way or another. Even Adah, who's becoming an expert in tropical epidemiology…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/but-we-ve-all-ended-up-giving-body-and-soul-to-africa-one-way-or/)

[Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/)

> [If the Lord hasn't got a boyfriend lined up for me to marry, that's his business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/if-the-lord-hasn-t-got-a-boyfriend-lined-up-for-me-to-marry-that-s/)

[Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/)

[Explore all 939 Barbara Kingsolver quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/)

## More Friends quotes

> [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. It could just as easily have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/whatever-meaning-annie-s-song-had-for-me-on-a-personal-level-there/)

[John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/)

> [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/)

[William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/)

> [Friends are like stars you can't always see them, but you know they're there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknwon/friends-are-like-stars-you-can-t-always-see-them-but-you-know-they-re/)

[Unknwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknwon/)

> [I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-have-friends-and-family-that-identify-as-lgbtq/)

[Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/)

> [“Light it up, bitch.' 'Light it up, asshole,' ...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/light-it-up-bitch-light-it-up-asshole/)

[Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/)

> [In life, we never lose friends we only get to know who the true ones are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ace-kid/in-life-we-never-lose-friends-we-only-get-to-know-who-the-true-ones/)

[Ace Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ace-kid/)

> [I always bump into people that Ive met. Not great friends, but if I bump into somebody Ive known and I wont recognise them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dario-franchitti/i-always-bump-into-people-that-ive-met-not-great-friends-but-if-i/)

[Dario Franchitti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dario-franchitti/)

> [It's hard to be JUST FRIENDS with the ONE YOU LOVE when every time you look at that person, all you see is EVERYTHING…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-hard-to-be-just-friends-with-the-one-you-love-when-every-time/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/)

[Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/)

> [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/)

[Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/)

> [Family over friends, because real friends are family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/family-over-friends-because-real-friends-are-family/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/)

[John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/)

> [“Cops aren't really your friends, they are trying to be your friends but they are not… - They are searching evidence to PIN YOU.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/cops-aren-t-really-your-friends-they-are-trying-to-be-your-friends/)

[Deyth Banger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deyth-banger/)

> [“Don’t waste your time trying to explain yourself to people that are committed to misunderstanding you. Instead, commit your time to explaining who they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/don-t-waste-your-time-trying-to-explain-yourself-to-people-that-are/)

[Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/)

> [Back home I get to see my old friends!(: But they don't understand the change in me and I can't explain it to them...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade/back-home-i-get-to-see-my-old-friends-but-they-don-t-understand-the/)

[Jade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade/)

[Browse all 13,428 Friends quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I've never gotten over high school, to the extent that I'm still a little surprised that my friends want to hang out with me.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Barbara Kingsolver"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/i-ve-never-gotten-over-high-school-to-the-extent-that-i-m-still-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Friends"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/i-ve-never-gotten-over-high-school-to-the-extent-that-i-m-still-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd9/barbara-kingsolver-200_friends_i-ve-never-gotten-over-high-school-to-th_2355294.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd9/barbara-kingsolver-200_friends_i-ve-never-gotten-over-high-school-to-th_2355294.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd9/barbara-kingsolver-200_friends_i-ve-never-gotten-over-high-school-to-th_2355294.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I've never gotten over high school, to the extent that I'm still a little surprised that my friends want to…” — Barbara Kingsolver",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Barbara Kingsolver",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I've never gotten over high school,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/i-ve-never-gotten-over-high-school-to-the-extent-that-i-m-still-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/i-ve-never-gotten-over-high-school-to-the-extent-that-i-m-still-a/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
