Words or phrases you remember from school, but hardly ever use in real life

[The Burgomaster]

Here are a few:

* Meniscus
* Pectin
* Golgi apparatus
* Workbook
* Milk money
* Recess

[Jack]

Binomial Theorem
Cotton Gin - from what I remember of elementary school history, that was the only thing that was ever invented.
Absolutely everything from English class - pronoun, adverb, participles, vowels, consonants, etc.
Syllabus and of course syllabi
penmanship

[venomx]

I remember slang...

Rad
Hype
Fresh

[Flick James]

Cafeteria
Gymnasium
Pep rally
School spirit
Ditch day

[SPazzo]

* Golgi apparatus

I totally have to use that one for school now...  Stupid biology.

[RCMerchant]

.Tie-stick (high school)
.purple micro dot (high school)
."McGovern,McGovern-he's our man-Nixon belongs in the Garbage can!"
.Peerie,boulder,cat's eye,steelie,keepies,funsies (marble playing terms)
.Smear the Queer-(played with a football)
."Liar liar,pants on fire-hanging from a telephone wire!"
."I know you are,but what am I ?!?!" -witty comeback

[bob]

lavatory
Puedo ir al bano? -only reason I remember this from Spanish is that I had to ask that in high school if had to use the bathroom during class, if I remember right translated it roughly means may I go to the bathroom

Why do I only remember bathroom related phrases? 

[RCMerchant]

lavatory
Puedo ir al bano? -only reason I remember this from Spanish is that I had to ask that in high school if had to use the bathroom during class, if I remember right translated it roughly means may I go to the bathroom

Why do I only remember bathroom related phrases? 

It's psychological. But being I'm not a psychiatrist-I have no idea what it means! In fact-I may be wong! Actually-I have no idea what I'm talking about! AHHH!

Another grade school ryhme-

"Marihuana,marihuana
LSD,LSD
Doctors make it
Hippys take it
Why can't we?
Why can't we?"

Sign of the times (early 1970's)

[HappyGilmore]

Endometrium and Endometriosis.  The Endometrium is the inner lining of the uterus and Endometriosis is the growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterus.  I learned them in 9th grade English class on a day when I was bored and ahead of the class.  Don't know why I would NEED to know them or what I would use them for as A.) I'm a guy and don't have a uterus, and B.) I'm not a doctor of any degree.

[Killer Bees]

Endometrium and Endometriosis.  The Endometrium is the inner lining of the uterus and Endometriosis is the growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterus.  I learned them in 9th grade English class on a day when I was bored and ahead of the class.  Don't know why I would NEED to know them or what I would use them for as A.) I'm a guy and don't have a uterus, and B.) I'm not a doctor of any degree.

I had endometriosis in my early 20s.  It's not fun.  It makes your monthly cycle very painful, makes sex painful and can make you sterile.  Thankfully, my doctor sorted me out because 12 months after my last visit, I fell pregnant. 

[indianasmith]

Interesting difference in word usage there . . .
in America, women say "I got pregnant" or "I came up pregnant."  I don't think I've ever heard anyone say "I fell pregnant" before.

[HappyGilmore]

Endometrium and Endometriosis.  The Endometrium is the inner lining of the uterus and Endometriosis is the growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterus.  I learned them in 9th grade English class on a day when I was bored and ahead of the class.  Don't know why I would NEED to know them or what I would use them for as A.) I'm a guy and don't have a uterus, and B.) I'm not a doctor of any degree.

I had endometriosis in my early 20s.  It's not fun.  It makes your monthly cycle very painful, makes sex painful and can make you sterile.  Thankfully, my doctor sorted me out because 12 months after my last visit, I fell pregnant. 

It certainly doesn't sound like a pleasant time.  I've never known anyone to have gone through that before, certainly didn't know you had.  I don't know what to say to that.

[Flick James]

Interesting difference in word usage there . . .
in America, women say "I got pregnant" or "I came up pregnant."  I don't think I've ever heard anyone say "I fell pregnant" before.

True. That's just the common usage of the word "fell." It wouldn't surprise me if the phrase "I fell ill" were just as commonly used.

[bob]

I remembered a bunch of incredibly dull terminology from several communication courses I took in college. Todays term is culture shock.

Culture shock - a state of bewilderment and distress experienced by an individual who is suddenly exposed to a new, strange, or foreign social and cultural environment. Or it could mean the feelings of isolation, rejection, etc, experienced when one culture is brought into sudden contact with another, as when a primitive tribe is confronted by modern civilization. But I think this is the most accurate: a condition of confusion and anxiety affecting a person suddenly exposed to an unfamiliar culture.

Yes, I do realize that almost everyone knows what it means.

[AndyC]

Mucilage
Homeroom
Gymnatorium
Home Economics
Bagging (meaning to skip class)

One that surprises me is "decent." I can remember that being big when I was in elementary to middle school or thereabouts. Everything really good was decent. Kids would proclaim "Ever decent!" I suppose it got supplanted by "awesome," but it just seems weird that the usage appears to have disappeared completely. I mean, you still hear words like "cool" and "awesome" and even "groovy." The only slang or colloquial use of "decent" that remains is to declare something acceptable.