Let's face it, we all know someone who was extremely popular or exceptionally talented in high school, then never seemed to do anything with all of that potential and promise after graduation. They were the apple of just about everyone's eye for a good run, but if they couldn't make a go of it from that point on, it's a clear sign they're a person who peaked in high school.

While most people grow past that stage in their lives and go on to experience new levels of success and achievement as a grown up, someone who remains stuck in their youthful glory days may have trouble understanding exactly what when wrong when everything they did back then seemed so right.

Prostock-studio | Shutterstock

A glaring sign of a person who peaked in high school is if they're super judgmental. A person who peaked in high school used to be popular and well-liked once upon a time. Receiving thousands of compliments and only hanging out with the coolest, most popular kids, these individuals never associated with nerds or goths. Their reputation was far too important to be seen as a 'social outcast' and as a result, they grew up caring way too much about other people's perception of them -- which isn't great.

A study published in the Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry found that people who increasingly worry about the judgment of others tend to remember fewer facts in conversations, which can absolutely lead to a disconnect.

But at the end of the day, it won't matter. These individuals will likely stay the same, hyperfixated on the past and never moving forward.

RELATED: Woman Says The 'Normies' Need To Put The 'Nerds' & 'Weird Theatre Kids' From High School Back In Their Place -- 'Why Are We Scared Of These Massive Losers?'

Rido | Shutterstock

If someone wants to know if a person peaked in high school then they should ask themselves this question: do they talk about their high school days all the time? People who haven't moved love to reminisce about the good old days. They'll talk about how cool they were and how life was simpler and much more exciting than the bleak cold reality of adulthood.

That said, reminiscing isn't a bad thing necessarily. A study published in Nature Human Behavior found that reminiscing about positive memories can lead to people experiencing less stress.

However, just like anything in life, there's a need for balance. And for those who find themselves living too much in the past, this balance can quickly become unsteady as they struggle to find joy in the present.

oneinchpunch | Shutterstock

To be fair, most people will always have that one high school friend that they remain close with. Going through the ups and downs of high school, these individuals were bonded together through their shared pain of homework assignments and stressful ACT prep. That said, when the majority of your friends are people from the past, it does sound the alarm that someone peaked in high school.

It's only natural that friend groups change as people mature and get older. However, for people who did very little growing, this isn't the case. As a result, they'll hang out with people on the same wavelength as them, which explains why someone who peaked in high school only associates with people from their past. In truth, they're desperately clinging to their old life, even though they should've let it go.

RELATED: 9 Reasons You Didn't Get Along With The Popular Kids In School And It's Affecting You Now

Sun Shock | Shutterstock

A clear sign of a person who peaked in high school is if they try their hardest to seem cool. Whether it's saying cringe one-liners or laughing excessively, individuals who peaked in high school are always doing their best to get others to think they're awesome.

From only hanging out with specific people to wearing name-brand clothes, these individuals are always 'proving' how much better they are than everyone else. Unfortunately for them, this immature behavior is bound to leave them feeling exhausted, as caring too much about others isn't good for anyone.

A study published in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes found that when meeting others for the first time, engaging in catering behavior often leads to an increase in anxiety, which hinders performance. Knowing this, people who peaked in high school are probably more likely to feel burned out at the end of an intense social gathering. After all, spending so much time trying to look cool and pander to others is bound to leave even the strongest person feeling overwhelmed.

NastasiaRudenko | Shutterstock

In the adult world, people care about how they appear on the outside, but they also know it's far from the most important thing about them. As long as they're dressed well and keep up with their hygiene, who cares if everyone thinks they are aesthetically pleasing to look at, right?

However, a person who peaked in high school will be overly obsessed with looks. This can explain why they get plastic surgery, use filters, or dress a specific way. In their eyes, they can't be caught lacking or looking displeasing to others.

This type of critical behavior isn't reserved for themselves. People who peaked in high school judge others and talk about their looks. This can be maddening, as a study published in Springer found that people who self-compare based on looks experience either no effect or a negative effect on body satisfaction. Specifically, people who compared upwards experience lower body satisfaction while those who compare downwards didn't experience anything at all.

And though this fact remains, people who peaked in high school don't really care. As long as they look pretty and those around them are hot enough, they'll continue on with the juvenile behavior.

RELATED: Teacher Reveals 4 Things That Have Become Normalized In High School -- That Shouldn't Be Normal At All

DavideAngelini | Shutterstock

One of the most frustrating things about a person who peaked in high school is their need to be the center of attention. However, should anyone be all that shocked? Whether they were prom Queen or captain of the football team, these individuals were used to being front and center. People adored them and praised them for how talented or amazing they were. As a result, they've developed a bit of a superiority complex that unconsciously tells them that they need to be noticed to stay relevant.

This is why they'll cry on social media for attention, or worse, why they'll go into podcasts completely making a fool out of themselves. Their complex makes it difficult for them to let go and move on from their high school days.

According to author and lecturer Gregg Levoy, though seeking attention isn't abnormal, doing it from a place of low self-esteem, loneliness, jealousy, or self-pity isn't healthy, as "it can take the form of bragging, fishing for compliments, being controversial to provoke a reaction, hijacking conversations, exhibitionism, promiscuity, playing victim, emotional outbursts, and pretending ineptitude so others will help."

All of this combined will make someone look extremely desperate, showcasing to others that they likely peaked in high school.

voronaman | Shutterstock

Another clear sign of someone who peaked in high school is if they feel the need to humble brag way too much. Now, for those who don't know, humble bragging is when people brag while trying to retain an air of humility. They'll say, "I can't believe I got promoted again, especially since I'm so new to this field! What an honor, I'm so lucky."

Not only is this type of bragging inauthentic, it's also straight-up annoying as well. People who are content with themselves don't feel the need to show off or humbly brag about how perfect their life is. Additionally, they dont' need to subject someone to hours of humble bragging to make themselves look good. Truly content people who move in silence will always keep their personal achievements to themselves.

Humble bragging face-to-face causes people to treat them less positively, cited a study published in Harvard Business School. Unfortunately for people who peaked in high school, they never quite got the memo that their commentary was completely unnecessary. As a result, they continuously engaged in this annoying behavior, making those closest to them want to duck and turn the other way.

The next clear sign of a person who peaked in high school is if they still use language from back in their high school days. Like, not to sound mean, or whatever, but using teenage slang is totally not cool, right? Like, they need to get real and recognize that they're totally not in high school anymore and that using immature language is so not fetch.

But in all seriousness, language does matter and can impact the way people see you. For instance, if someone was to speak this way to their boss this might not go over so well. Furthermore, speaking the same way as they did years ago shows a lack of growth on their part. Psychologist Mark Travers, Ph.D., notes that, "Language is more than just a conduit for conversation; it is a powerful force that shapes the way we think, perceive, and understand the world around us.

Therefore, people can tell whether someone peaked in high school or not if their language and behavior are still the same.

AJR_photo | Shutterstock

Not to stereotype, but people who peaked in high school tend to be immature and highly uneducated. Since they were overly focused on their popularity and self-image, they never found their life's passion. As a result, they chased all the wrong things and ended up not maturing or reaching higher education.

This is unfortunate, as women with a bachelor's degree earn $450,000 more in their lifetime while men earned $655,000 more in their lifetime, according to the Social Security Administration.

Combined with the fact that their maturity hasn't developed since then, is it any wonder why their 'greatest' years were in high school, a place where cool clothes and good looks were the only things needed to get people far?

RELATED: People Are Questioning Why Millennials Refuse To Attend Their High School Reunions -- 'Do They Think They're Too Good To Go?'

mentatdgt | Shutterstock

A person who peaked in high school often clings way too hard to status. Though it might sound embarrassing, these individuals desperately want to be in the 'in crowd.' As a result, they'll say or do whatever it takes to be noticed or to be deemed worthy.

Such desperation can lead to making irrational decisions that are pretty irreversible. Whether that means having kids too soon, marrying someone at a young age, or moving out to go live with a stranger, people who peaked in high school often can't help but chase the things they believe will bring them the most status.

This is unfortunate, as this type of behavior will only end in disappointment as reality sinks in and life doesn't pan out the way they thought it would.

Stokkete | Shutterstock

Finally, the last clear sign of a person who peaked in high school is if they don't do anything productive with themselves. People who depended too much on high school almost always did nothing with their lives after the fact. They never tried getting out of their small town, they never advocated for any major causes, and they certainly never climbed the corporate ladder, hoping to reach a greater form of success.

Instead, they likely settled down entirely too early and are now entirely too focused on their children's success. Coming to every PTA meeting you can think of, these people are the soccer moms or volleyball dads who are a bit too enthusiastic to be at their kid's cheerleading practice, as though they are reliving their youth by proxy.

Though this might be considered sweet, most of them spend too much time trying to recreate their good old days through their children, which, unfortunately, leads them to never find their true life purpose outside of what they can do for others.

RELATED: 9 Signs You Were Surrounded By Fake Friends Growing Up And It's Affecting You Now