FWIW, my American experience tracks well with yours. Yeah, middle school was difficult, but that's because being a kid going through puberty is pretty difficult

FWIW, my American experience tracks well with yours. Yeah, middle school was difficult, but that's because being a kid going through puberty is pretty difficult across the board, I'd expect. I don't at all doubt that others had bad experiences, and I sympathize with them. But also "if it bleeds it leads" follows in online comments (especially on places like Reddit, which I often find to be rather negative). You aren't hearing the people who just think, "yeah, middle school was okay."