The whole Junior High and High School years were quite painful for me, but I managed to survive.
In Junior High, I was going through puberty - and no one to talk to. I wasn't sure what was going on. I never got to play sports - outside of gym, and so was really... really... bad at any sport that involved a ball (I.E. baseball, volleyball, soccer, football, etc).
High School, was pretty much the same. I grew taller, and was about 6'0" tall. I remember the basketball coach approaching me one day during lunch, and asked me if I wanted to join the basketball team. I was flattered, flustered and frustrated all at the same time. So, I just turned beet red, mumbled something about "I can't", and disappeared into the crowd.
Being a JW was really a nightmare. Don't stand for the pledge of allegence. Don't go to football games. Don't participate in band (because they may have extracurricular activities). My High School experience was limited to just doing the 8:00 to 3:15 - and then straight home.
No friends - well, I have to be honest, I did know a few kiddos that weren't JWs, and I remember going over to their homes once or twice for an afternoon. But nothing beyond that.
I pretty much stayed to myself in school - knew the library very well, or a secluded corner of the building where no one could bother me.
As a funny anecdote, my ex-wife went to the same H.S. as I did, and later, she commented to me, "I never saw you in school." Very few did. I knew where to disappear to, where no one could bother me.
I was not one of those JWs who went around making everyone know who I was... I wasn't crazy! (Well, maybe I was... but not in a religious/persecution sort of way). I read a lot of books. I scribbled a lot of notes in my notebook.
I remember that there was a couple of young gals that were probably interested in me... I was just too shy and socially inept to know it. Geez... they musta thought that I was a real weirdo.
There were teachers that tried to 'guide' me into 'college bound' courses - but I wasn't going to go to college, so ignored all of their advice, even though I was a straight 'A' student (well... I got a few 'B's, too).
I also had the disadvantage of having older sisters who went through H.S. prior to me, and so knew a lot of what would be going on. Junior National Honor Society was one that my older sister was in. When I got the invitation, it was deemed by my mother, "No. You don't need to be in that."
The ironic part? In doing genealogical research, I also looked up old newspapers from my mom's hometown. There are articles in the paper about her being in High School. Editor of the School Newspaper. Other School activities where she was involved. She didn't get involved with the JWs until much later after she was married and had kids. So... she - in my opinion - unfairly denied me (and my siblings) the same opportunities that she had when she was a kiddo in school.
There are sometimes movies that I watch about kids in High School environments. There is no way that I would consider going back through that experience.
Regards,
Jim TX