Everyday is a Popularity Contest in 8th grade

My grade is so ignorant its not even funny. All they care about is fashion, dating, drugs, friends, video games, sports (which isn't bad), looking good, and making sure they are always next to a friend just to not look like a loser. It's crazy how much kids depend on friends. There's a group of four girls in my science class who sit behind me who won't SHUTUP. They virtually live with each other. When we take quizzes only two students can sit at a lab table (to prevent cheating) and the other two have to sit in desks and once one of them would not leave their friend to sit 10 ft. away for 5 minutes! There was a huge argument and I remember how stupid it was. Eventually, she ended up sitting in my seat so she could still be with her friends. That is messed up. I had to go sit in the desks (which is fine by me) just so she could be within 5 ft of her friends. No one even talks during quizzes! There is no point! I just hate it so much. Only about 5 students in 8th grade actually care about their future (me included). It's a great school but the only bad thing about it is the students. Nobody even cares about education anymore. That is exactly why I applied for one of the top high school academies in the state so I could get away from these ignorant students and be with kids who actually cared. Also, I didn't want to get involved with drugs and I know kids at this high school won't do them. They're going to regret it when they're working the late shift at 7-Eleven. Please if you are reading this, strive to care and do go in school and not worry about the drama that goes with it. At least bullying isn't a problem in 8th grade. By now everyone respects everyone and they just focus on their own lives (yes, I was bullied in 6th and 7th grade). We have the worst reputation going through my junior high school. Literally, three kids have gotten expelled and one of them is in jail. It's just so corrupt to think about it.