I'm going to explain my high school experience, because it goes into why I dropped out.
My father died when I was around 5. My step dad was very verbally and mentally abusive. This had an effect on my life from grade 7 on.
First semester of grade 9 was at the high school that most of my peers went to. Things were ok, but things at home were getting worse, and I slowly went on the decline. We had moved a block away from another high school. My step dad would drive my brothers to our first high school, but if I wanted to go, I had to get up at 5:30 in the morning, to catch the city bus, where I would transfer onto another bus, in order to get to school on time. By the time I got home from school, it was about 5:30-6 in the evening.
I was always tired at school, as well as depressed. I couldn't focus in class. I was to tired to get my homework done. I ended up only doing my English exam because of it.
I ended up taking a train go live with my aunt in uncle, who lived 4 hours away. I lived there for about a month, but never fit in with that school. I am an introvert, so I was shy and reserve. I was bullied at school and on the bus, so I decided to move back.
I ended up going to the school that was a block away from our house. Now, even though I missed my exams, my grades were great. I was straight A's in science, English, B's in everything else. Never really good with math, but I got by. Home life was still shit, and it was taking it's toll.
I had sunk into such a deep depression, that I ended up failing grade 9, and had to repeat it. That hurt, because seeing everyone else move up a grade, while I stayed behind, was the straw that broke the camels back. I started skipping class, and eventually, got into drugs. I wasted the next 3 years on the streets, or friends houses, until I got to a point where I had had enough of being who I was, and decided to clean myself up.
Do I regret my decision? Yes and no. I learned a lot on the path that I'd walked in life. I realized that life is absolute shit, when you stop caring about yourself. That said, I wish I would have finished school and gone to college/university, maybe done something in the scientific field.
As for now, I'm 36 years old. I am married with 3 beautiful kids. I am a home owner. The ironic thing us, that, I am a custodian, in the sane high school I dropped out of. I'm planning on going back to school, and being a child youth worker, so I can work with teenagers that are going through the sane things I did, and hopefully lead them down a different road that I took.
And if there's anyone that is thinking about dropping out of school, don't. If you think you are cool, trust me, you're not, because when you've got nothing, and starting sponging off friends, those friends that thought you were "cool" get sick of your shit.
If the reason is because of depression, bad home life, etc... There IS help out there. Don't be embarrassed or scared to ask for help, because it's a lot worse if you don't.
And if you know of someone that is in need of help, please reach out and offer, or talk to a teacher or counsellor, and let them know that you are concerned about the person, because they may be too afraid to ask.