First Primary School Small, Very Mediocre Village School
I spent my time in deep thought, or in lack of thought, skipping around the compound. Principal adored me, because I was a saint and I aced every single exam except something called "Penmanship," which I consistently failed. He suggested the diagnosis to my mum; he was a fairly careful person and we spoke often in his office. He cried when I left.
Second Primary School Big High-Reputation School
Distant Principal. Loving teachers. Class toppers [including me] were all very nice to each other, but I never actually "hung out" with children. Teachers and I would regularly hold discussions during lunches.
First Secondary School Decent-Reputation School
["ordinary levels"]
Thorough, intimate relationship with Principal, vice Principal and many teachers. Can safely claim that it is unlikely that any other student was in the Staff Room and/or Principal's Office as frequently or for as much time as I was.
Whoever sat next to me was most likely to be the person I was going to have a conversation with outside of class, but I preferred the Vice Principal above all. It was very much like a Harry Potter/ Albus Dumbledore relationship. Became most popular person in school in
second term of my first year, and retained title until I left. I had to associate with a lot of students, though, as I applied my trademark (autistic?) zeal to many of my activities.
Second Secondary School One of the best in my country
Thorough, intimate relationship with Principal, vice Principal and many teachers. Can safely claim that it is unlikely that any other student was in the Staff Room and/or Principal's Office as frequently or for as much time as I was.
Rocketting popularity by end of first term. Still, no actual "friends" other than staff, even though my universal policy is to "give my heart out" to every person who crosses my path. When comfortable I operate like a "cold" machine, so it is important that everyone who meets me knows that I am a sainty person even though I don't really care about the rest of the world, and even though I intend to claim it all for myself. Being riddled with predictable contradictions helps a lot.
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Since I was friends with all the office staff in every school in which I've been, I've never really needed any my own age; I could easily get many desired exceptions arranged. However, I think I got some respect from Deans by absolutely refusing to accept exceptions when I could just be responsible instead. In fact he only things I've ever asked for/accepted are sensory accommodations and permission to study in the library rather than attend some sub-par class.
So, in summary, I've ended up with the following groups of people in their particular contexts:
Singers, Musicians, MANY Math People, Teachers [Many of whom never taught me], Office Staff/Librarians, Principals/Administrators, My Feet (skipping around), Chess People, Scrabble People, MANY Hallucinations/Complicated Thoughts/ Math, "Rejects," Jocks[Strange, but true], Stage/Sound Crew, general-purpose Geeks/Nerds, Debaters, Security Guards and Literature People.
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I don't "socialize." [I definitively do not engage in that which is known as small talk; I do not bend my idiosyncracies for other people or groups; I request, without embellishments, that the conversers make an interesting topic or leave me alone in my solace; I avoid group activities unless I'm getting some sort of benefit; I minimize the number of people I have to deal with at a time.]
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Maybe because I'm nice, people meet me on my own terms.