I like to think I’m a Rules Follower. Stop laughing. I’m serious. After all, rules are made for a reason. Right?

That said, I was just thinking about my senior year of high school. The school came up with a “rule” that each student had to take swimming in P.E. If they didn’t pass, they wouldn’t graduate. Swimming is for safety, so sounds all well and good–well, in theory anyway.

Now, being a Rules Girl, I thought about going to the swim class. I really did. It wasn’t all about going home to watch Days of Our Lives (although that was a bonus). But, for some reason I felt it was a total injustice to make me be in a swimsuit in front of guys. Nobody would ever use the word “shy” to describe me, so don’t ask me why I felt so strongly about this.

Completely indignant, I went to my Guidance Counselor and vented my issues. She told me I would NOT graduate if I didn’t take the swim class. Whatever. Didn’t scare me (much). So for the third of the quarter that I had swimming for P.E., I did not attend (but did watch Kayla & Patch break-up and make-up a lot).

Did I graduate high school? Uh, yes. The missed class was never even brought up. Which is weird. I mean, why make a rule if you’re not going to enforce it? And, if you’re not going to enforce it, why not have let me switch to volleyball or something where I’d be fully clothed? At least give us shy girls (stop laughing) another option besides whatever other soap was on during DOOL.

That’s my Rebel Girl story. Good food for thought for faculty who get to make up these kinds of rules. Cuz I’m a Rules Follower (normally). At least I think I am.

What about you? Are you a Rebel or a Rulie? Any exceptions to you (ie teen swim suit issues)?