FO OF AN LGT STRUCK THE ACFT TAIL DURING TKOF DUE TO OVER ROTATION ON LIFTOFF RESULTING IN A PLANNED STOP SHORT OF DEST DUE TO REDUCED FUEL RANGE WITH THE TAIL SKID DOWN.

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TAIL SKID SCRAPED ON TKOF DUE TO POSSIBLE OVER ROTATION RATE DURING PERFORMANCE LIMITED TKOF AT HIGH ELEVATION ARPT. AFTER LIFTOFF; THE CAPT ADVISED ME THAT THE NOISE ON TKOF WAS THE SOUND OF SCRAPING THE TAIL SKID. I IMMEDIATELY HAD A SINKING FEELING IN MY MIND FOR LETTING DOWN OUR PAX AND MY COLLEAGUES (CREW; COMPANY AND FRIENDS). I THOUGHT THE NOISE WAS THE NOSEWHEEL SPINNING DOWN AFTER A LONG HIGH SPD GND ROLL. ALSO; AFTER GEAR RETRACTION; THE SO ADVISED THAT THE TAIL SKID LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. I THEN FELT EVEN WORSE (LIKE A SNAIL) KNOWING WE COULD NOT CONTINUE TO PLANNED DEST DUE TO FUEL PENALTY WITH TAIL SKID EXTENDED. DURING DEP WE WERE GIVEN A HDG TO FLY OUT OF A SPECIFIC ALT AND CLRED TO CLB HIGHER. WE WANTED TO STAY IN DEP CTL AIRSPACE WHILE SLOWING TO CYCLE GEAR AND RETURN IF NECESSARY. WE WERE GIVEN HDGS AND ALT TO FLY. CYCLING GEAR WAS FRUITLESS; MY LAST HOPE FOR CONTINUING TO PLANNED DEST VAPORIZED. CAPT COM WITH COMPANY RESULTED IN CONTINUING TO A COMPANY HUB CLOSER THAN OUR PLANNED DEST. AT THIS POINT I CAME OUT OF A SHELL TO PLT THE AIRPLANE AGAIN. FOR A SHORT TIME AFTER THE TAIL SCRAPE I WAS NOT FLYING AHEAD OF THE ACFT. THE SHAME WAS INCREDIBLE -- I NEVER SCRATCHED PAINT; NOW I DAMAGED AN AIRLINER AT MY OWN HANDS. IT FEELS LIKE I SHOULD WALK THE PLANK. CORRECTIVE ACTION INCLUDES PLT GNDING PENDING FURTHER TRAINING. A VALUABLE LESSON IS TO PUT THE PAST BEHIND AND ALWAYS FLY AHEAD OF THE ACFT.