'My guidance counselor told me I wasn’t "university material"': Former student gets petty revenge on guidance counselor years later

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Nov 17, 2024 3:00 PM EST

Haters are your motivators, as they say. But is that always true? 

It can, at times, be highly motivating to want to get back at those who doubted you. Maybe you had a teacher who told you you wouldn't succeed, and those words have stuck in your mind for decades since then. On the other hand,  words of encouragement from teachers or other students can be just as motivating, and they make you feel good about your abilities from the start. 

U/Pineapple8900 shared a story of the way their guidance counselor talked down to them when they were in high school, and according to some commenters, the counselor was trying to motivate them. I don't think that's how it works at all! As a teacher, you're supposed to give your students positive reinforcement if possible, but a lot of teachers just don't have the temperament to do so. Instead, they're working with tons of students each day (many of whom do not want to be in school at all), and these teachers or counselors can lose their cool. At least this person got some petty revenge as a grownup: it seems like they really embarrassed their former counselor. 

Next, read about the reason this grandparent told their daughter that "She is the reason I am an absent grandparent." 

Advertisement
  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10429429504
    via Victoria Heath on Unsplash +

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    My guidance counsellor told me I wasn't "university material", and years later I pretended not to know her.
    via u/Pineapple8900
  • 03
    I know it doesn't sound much like revenge, but it was oh so sweet, let me tell you. Back in high school, I struggled hard. I had a step-dad who adopted me and then ignored me my whole life, and a mom who was wrapped up in making his life perfect. Yeah he was what some might call a textbook narcissist, with my mom as his "flying monkey" (wizard of oz reference).
    via u/Pineapple8900
  • 04
    Anyway, school was a difficult time for me, and I had a lot of anxiety and a hard time focusing. I attended all my classes, and was always doing very well on my assignments, but had trouble completing them.
    via u/Pineapple8900
  • 05
    My guidance counsellor was the same all through high school, and every year would start with a meeting with her, and I would explain I needed more help, because I was struggling to focus. She brushed me off every time, stating that I obviously wasn't trying hard enough. because I had no excuse, since my step-dad (adopted dad) was...wait for it...a social worker for the school board and personal friend of hers. Yeah it was awful.
    via u/Pineapple8900
  • 06
    At the end of high school we had our obligatory meeting about what colleges/universities or trades schools to apply to. I told her I was interested in psychology and would like to be a counsellor or to teach psychology.
    via u/Pineapple8900
  • 07
    This woman scoffed. Literally scoffed at me. She said, and I quote "please do not apply to university. It would be a huge. disappointment for you. You are not university material, and you may be better with a community college or even certificate in administration".
    via u/Pineapple8900
  • 08
    Now let me say THERE IS NOTHING WRONG with going to community college or getting a certificate in something. Nothing at all. But this woman's words would haunt me my whole life. I wanted to pursue something I was very interested in, and she essentially told me I wasn't smart enough or capable enough to do it.
    via u/Pineapple8900
  • 09
    Fast forward to my late 20s. I worked at a variety of small jobs here and there and became very depressed. I finally decided one day that university. it - I'm applying for
    via u/Pineapple8900
  • 10
    Well I got in and I graduated with honors. So I went to teachers college for another bachelor degree. Again, graduated with honors. And about 5 years ago, I finally finished my Masters in behavioral psychology.
    via u/Pineapple8900
  • 11
    Two years ago step-dad di d, and who is at the visitation? My old guidance counsellor. She came right over and started talking to me immediately like she knew me, like we're old friends. I cut her off and said "I'm so sorry,
    via u/Pineapple8900
  • 12
    my you must be confusing me with someone else". She looked absolutely shocked and said "I was your guidance counsellor! For 4 years." And I just shook head and gave the best blank look I could give, shrugged and said "sorry, I honestly don't remember you". When I left she looked a bit confused and disappointed. I think she had hoped for me to have all of these
    via u/Pineapple8900
  • 13
    good memories of her, how helpful she was to me as a teen. But nope. I wanted her to feel that she was nothing to me. Had zero effect (even though she did affect me, I wasn't letting her know that). I felt pretty good about that.
    via u/Pineapple8900
  • 14
    EDIT: To anyone wondering, I now teach psychology to future counsellors! So I'm doing what I originally wanted, and that made this so much sweeter.
    via u/Pineapple8900
  • 15
    2nd EDIT: my mom had run into her a few times at the grocery store before this, and has bragged about my accomplishments, so I didn't have to tell her about them, she knew I was successful. Since she already knew, I pretended she was nobody to me, to ensure she understood she contributed nothing.
    via u/Pineapple8900
  • 16
    Also those who say she helped me in the end and she was right. No. I asked her to help me for 4 years and got nothing. She laughed at my dreams and goals. She did not do her job. She failed as a guidance counsellor and, frankly, also as a decent human being.
    via u/Pineapple8900
  • 17
    3rd EDIT: Wow thank you for all of the encouraging words!! You guys are awesome. It sounds like this touched a nerve for a lot of people. It makes me sad how many people were treated like this too. I'd love to expand on my story more but I wouldn't know where to do that. I'm just glad this post was able to inspire some people to achieve their dreams in spite of the adults who said they couldn't.
    via u/Pineapple8900
  • 18
    To the haters who still want to argue "BuT sHe HelpEd You", yeah no. I motivated and helped myself. How dare you try to diminish my hard work by saying this woman who failed me was helping? Shame on you for saying that. Bu ies aren't motivational tools, they're just tools.
    via u/Pineapple8900
  • 19
    Rumour972 My honours supervisor said I wasn't suited to a career in science and talked my assessors into lowering my thesis grade so I wouldn't get a scholarship. Got a scholarship for a phd in a top 20 university (and number 1 in my country). F_them.
    via u/Rumour972
  • 20
    dellaevaine Good for you. She wanted kudos for a job well done and you showed her she wasn't worth remembering.
    via u/dellaevaine
  • 21
    VerimTamunSalsus Evil genius. Playing the long game.
    via u/VerimTamunSalsus
  • 22
    That-Dutch-Mec... Oh look, it's a former student of mine. She did well thanks to me. I should go over and pat both our backs. "Lady I don't even know you, let alone remember you" Soul and ego crushed.
    via u/That-Dutch-Mechanic
  • 23
    EthereaBlotzky You showed her. Also it really me off that a guidance counselor refused to be encouraging to a student...for years. Does she hate her job? Does she hate kids? Because she's doing everyone a disservice to everyone by being in that profession. Good luck to you!
    via u/EthereaBlotzky

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

teens school petty-revenge-reddit students teenagers revenge revenge-stories petty revenge counselor petty counseling high school student counsel
Scroll Down For The Next Article