While I am not and won't dismiss your personal experiences with high school, but I think there is value in that pressure cooker environment, even if unpleasant.

While I am not and won't dismiss your personal experiences with high school, but I think there is value in that pressure cooker environment, even if unpleasant. College and the workforce/academia is rife with similar bad habits that I can see myself not being prepared for if I hadn't had a dose of the petty viciousness (albeit with somewhat less consequence in the long term). It's one thing to be emotionally abused by some catty behavior in a setting that is less likely to screw your life over or at least gives you a chance of redemption post hs. Than to find out that even worse cattiness exists within your PhD program and now you're royally screwed over with it becoming harder and harder to get a fresh start.