On Aug. 28, a TikTok creator, @spiceoflifevlogs, spoke of an unexpected encounter with her former classmates and bullies. In the video, which has more than 289,000 likes, the creator recalled running into former classmates at a TJ Maxx near her old high school. Viewers shared their own stories about old classmates and the reality of “peaking in high school.”
The encounter began when the creator said she was approached by a former classmate, whom she named Lindsay Johnson. Johnson told the TikTok creator that she had returned to their hometown after college and was now working at their former school, which would explain why she was there too. According to the creator, Johnson is now helping run theater productions, though she does not have an education degree.
What was actually more surprising was that Johnson admitted that she had once mocked students who were into theater. “She said, ‘I’m making it to where they’re not losers anymore,’” the creator recalled.
@spiceoflifevlogs Maybe I just won’t go back again ?? but really how many people just don’t grow up past high school??? #storytime #storytimes #redditstories #highschool #unc
♬ original sound - spiceoflifevlogs
Johnson then introduced her former high school football coach, whom she said she had married the previous year.
The creator said she then invited her to brunch with Johnson and other women from school. The creator said the gathering surprised her — in her view, the women had remained deeply connected to their high school identities.
One was allegedly still wearing the school uniform's skirt, while another was a yoga instructor. Two others said they sold pottery on Etsy but later said they were actually dropshipping.
All of the women, she said, were either dating or married to people who had worked at their high school when they were students..
Commenters focused largely on the relationships with former school staff. Some viewers focused particularly on the relationships with former school staff. "Dating/married to someone you taught is absolutely wild!!!!!" one wrote. Another said it was odd that the creator's former classmate told her to call the coach by his first name. "'High school is so in the past' girl, not when you married it," they joked.
Other commenters shared their own experiences with people from their school days. One said a former bully was now complaining on Facebook about her own child being bullied. Another recalled a former classmate still working at the same job decades later and frequently talking about his high school basketball wins.
The comments section also saw some saying that they deliberately left their hometowns behind. One commenter said they moved to Australia and built a new life, which made returning home feel like meeting a different version of themselves. Another said that after they graduated in 2020, they blocked nearly everyone who had hurt them in high school.
Commenters repeatedly returned to the idea of "peaking in high school."
The creator ended the video saying the brunch had made her question whether she wanted to return to her hometown.
"I don't think I wanna go back," she concluded.
The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the events described in this video. The details above reflect the account shared on TikTok by @spiceoflifevlogs. The individuals mentioned, including the person referred to as Lindsay Johnson, have not been independently identified or contacted for comment.
