I've been thinking about my school days since this came up yesterday. I was always in conflict with the authority figures in my high school, generally over some issue of principle (no pun intended). Years later, as we were graduating post-secondary, one of my friends with a spotless school history went to our former HS principal looking for a teaching job. The next time we met, my friend told me that the 'old guy' clearly didn't much remember him and that he probably wouldn't get a call (he didn't)- and then my friend gave me a funny look and said "you know, he would have remembered YOU and hired you in a second".

So perhaps there is an advantage to being a PITA. I'm just saying.