# Things You Learned in School **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 21, 2020, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-in-school/918665 "2020-08-21T13:51:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-in-school/918665/1 "2020-08-21T13:51:00Z")
Is there something a teacher told you that has stuck with you all your life? Like a grammar rule, etc. My 6th-grade teacher was always on us about using the word “got”. She’d say, "You got the “got disease”. Now to this day, every time I’m writing, texting or speaking and the word “got” is ready to come out I always pause and think of a better word to use. When I do say it, I feel like it sounds horrible even though I know everyone uses it. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-in-school/918665/2 "2020-08-21T13:58:03Z")
Does spelling count? Only if it’s right. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-in-school/918665/3 "2020-08-21T14:11:58Z")
I learned that I would not be punished for retaliation strikes against bullies. I had one guy who was two grades ahead of me in high school that physically harassed me and other classmates for fun. It was only as an adult that I realized that the teachers knew what was going on but that they could not give them an ass whipping themselves without be faced with punishment or lawsuits. I went up behind this guy in science class with a geode and smacked him hard on the kneecap right in front of the teacher and class. He was clearly 8 inches taller than me and was a problem athlete that the coaches couldn’t reign in from his obvious hormonal rages. The teacher/coach just told him that he he better not mess with me anymore and told me to put the geode back on the table. No other action was taken and the class went on with the guy red faced and fighting back tears. I got an A in science. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-in-school/918665/4 "2020-08-21T14:15:25Z")
Had a variety of similar experiences. Teachers usually saw what was going on, the situation had to be right so they could briefly becomes as blind as a pro wrestling referee. At some point a teacher told me I’d never amount to anything. That’s when I learned not to listen to teachers. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-in-school/918665/5 "2020-08-21T14:23:13Z")
What’s wrong with got? I gotta know! ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-in-school/918665/6 "2020-08-21T14:51:12Z")
Fifth grade, Mrs.Jankowski’s class. I took out my comb and combed my hair. Mrs. J. took my comb and tossed it in the trash.I learned that personal grooming should not be done in class. And it was a brand, new comb, too! ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-in-school/918665/7 "2020-08-21T15:24:15Z")
You should say: I have a dog, not I got a dog or I’ve got a dog He has beautiful eyes, not he’s got beautiful eyes I received a letter in the mail, not I got a letter in the mail ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-in-school/918665/8 "2020-08-21T15:26:14Z")
Got it! ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-in-school/918665/9 "2020-08-21T16:29:32Z")
You got the got disease! ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-in-school/918665/10 "2020-08-21T16:53:01Z")
A teacher corrected my use of the word “very” in a composition. She told me instead of using “very”, change the word it modifies. Instead of “very angry”, use “furious”, instead of “very ugly” use “hideous”, instead of “very small” use “tiny”. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-in-school/918665/11 "2020-08-21T17:10:12Z")
What do you say if someone is very furious or very hideous or very tiny? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-in-school/918665/12 "2020-08-21T17:20:42Z")
“furious beyond belief”, “nauseatingly hideous”, “microscopically tiny”? ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-in-school/918665/13 "2020-08-21T17:31:29Z")
Mrs. Walker, my 9th grade English teacher, taught me not to say or write “snuck.” I used the word in a piece of creative writing, and she corrected it to “sneaked.” Ever since I’ve avoided “snuck” in favor of “sneaked.” I supposed “snuck” has become a legitimate English word through usage, but I still cringe a little bit when I hear it. I really liked Mrs. Walker. She was one of my favorite teachers through all of my K - 12 years. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-in-school/918665/14 "2020-08-21T17:33:39Z")
Books are your friends. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-in-school/918665/15 "2020-08-21T17:35:46Z")
Only if you don’t have any real ones. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-in-school/918665/16 "2020-08-21T18:44:55Z")
True…sad but true thanks for reminding me. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-in-school/918665/17 "2020-08-21T18:48:44Z")
What are these things you call books? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-in-school/918665/18 "2020-08-21T20:03:25Z")
Sorry, but that was the real lesson to learn. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-in-school/918665/19 "2020-08-21T20:16:10Z")
“Unique” is incapable of being modified. Something is either unique, or it isn’t. (There are those who disagree, but I think it’s a good rule and I stand by it). ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-in-school/918665/20 "2020-08-21T20:25:07Z")
I had a history class taught by the football coach. The entire conflict known as World War II was covered thus: _“Stay away from the tanks. Everybody likes to shoot at the tanks!”_ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-in-school/918665.md?page=2)