Sometimes the best revenge isn’t yelling or gloating, it’s silence, success, and a perfectly blank stare. One Redditor shared how their high school guidance counsellor dismissed their dream of studying psychology, telling them they weren’t “university material.”
Years later, after earning multiple degrees with honors, including a Master’s in behavioral psychology, the OP crossed paths with that same counsellor at a family visitation. Instead of recognition or confrontation, they delivered a simple, cutting blow: “Sorry, I don’t remember you.”
The community loved it. Here’s the story and why it resonated with so many.
One woman’s high school dreams of studying psychology were crushed when her guidance counselor dismissed her as unfit for university, only for her to triumph years later and snub her former critic
OP later edited the post:
Stories like this one highlight how a single comment from an authority figure can echo through a student’s life. OP’s guidance counselor may have dismissed it as “practical advice,” but for a struggling teen, hearing “you’re not university material” can feel like a door slammed shut.
The conflicting perspectives here are clear: OP remembers discouragement, while the counselor likely saw herself as being “realistic.” Yet motivations aside, research shows that such negative feedback often sticks much longer than intended.
The broader issue is how teacher and counselor feedback shapes student outcomes. A 2020 report from the American Psychological Association found that teens who had supportive relationships with teachers reported better health and higher educational attainment well into adulthood.
Conversely, discouraging feedback can chip away at confidence. In fact, one study published in Frontiers in Psychology concluded that teacher praise and criticism directly affect students’ non-cognitive skills such as perseverance and motivation.
Experts emphasize the need for careful balance. Dr. Carol Dweck, professor of psychology at Stanford University and pioneer of the “growth mindset” concept, has noted: “The view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life.”
In other words, when students are told they’re “not the type” for higher education, they may internalize a fixed mindset that limits their potential. By contrast, encouragement framed around effort and growth fosters resilience.
For OP, the eventual choice to apply to university and succeed shows remarkable perseverance. Still, many students in similar situations might have given up entirely.
The best solution is not to deny challenges but to communicate them constructively: “This will take work, but here are resources that can help you get there.” Schools can also ensure guidance counselors receive support, since high caseloads and burnout reduce their ability to give individualized care (The Professional Counselor Journal).
Check out how the community responded:
These Reddit users cheered the Redditor’s triumph, sharing their own tales of proving doubters wrong with scholarships and degrees
This group praised her for flipping the script
Some cackled at the counselor’s crushed ego, calling the snub a “m**der”
Some commenters slammed the counselor’s failure, urging others to chase dreams despite naysayers
This person echoed OP’s petty vibe, snubbing a school that ignored her
For years, OP carried the sting of being told they weren’t “university material.” But through determination, they built a career exactly where they wanted to be teaching psychology and inspiring future counsellors.
And when the moment came, they didn’t need to brag. Just one simple phrase, “Sorry, I don’t remember you”, turned the tables, leaving the counsellor with the sting of being forgotten.
Sometimes the best revenge really is living well… and refusing to give credit where none was earned. So, readers, what do you think? Would you have confronted the counsellor directly, or do you agree that pretending she was a nobody was the ultimate victory?
