When I was in high school, I was an honors student and editor of my school paper. Senior year, some of my fellow honors students decided they didn't need to finish the fourth quarter. They wanted to take April through June off. And they wanted the school to sanction it. After all, they reasoned, they already had their test scores and their teacher recommendations; an "A" in every class was inevitable; and they were oh-so-very smart anyways.

These people were in my circle of friends. But not for long. Because I wrote an editorial stating that if these people wanted to choose early graduation, they could have -- in January. And, being the academic superstars of the school, they were setting a bad example for other students: that education is not an end in itself, but instead the ticket to a prestigious university, and, hence, big dollars and a big McMansion in a gated community. Plus, students who excelled in other areas didn't seem to think they "knew enough already." After all, the star football players still went to practice, right? I thought I made a reasoned argument. It was an editorial, after all, so I was entitled to my opinion. Right?

A shitstorm rained down upon me. People who didn't even know me were calling me a bitch. I was thrust from the social circle. My ex-boyfriend, one of the elitist scum, threatened to sue me for libel. He also sent a moaning, blatantly self-pitying letter to the paper whining that I hadn't done a thorough job of researching the issue since I "didn't call him to discuss it."

Only a handful of true friends stood by my side -- one of whom agreed to go to prom with the guy who got a 1600 on the SAT "as a friend," then spent the entire evening mouthing "help me" to me while her date clamped a sweaty palm around her shoulders and pressed her to his side.

The truth is, people aren't terribly fond of criticism, constructive or otherwise. I forget that, because while I am passionate in my beliefs, I don't expect everyone to agree with me. It doesn't offend me. As a result, I offend people. That makes me sad. But it doesn't make me want to change.