Whenever I tell people I went to an all-girls high school, they usually respond by saying something like: "Wow! I could never do that." Although I had my doubts freshman year, it wasn't long before school became my second home - and the girls in it became the sisters I never had. While we were sometimes dysfunctional, we also had an amazing bond, just as families do. Within those walls, you didn't have to be anyone else but yourself! Going from this sheltered, familiar environment to a much larger university can be a bit of a culture shock, and I often find myself missing these unique aspects of high school when boys are nowhere to be found.
1. Napping anywhere and everywhere.
Let’s face it. When you are kept up all night doing homework, and you see a nice, cozy corner in the hallway, it’s nap time! College floors just aren’t the same.
2. Going a week without brushing my hair - and it being socially acceptable.
Messy buns for days. 'Nuff said.
3. No makeup Monday is every day.
When there are no boys to impress, the time you used to set aside for makeup in the morning literally disappears. It's a scientific phenomenon! How to make this chunk of time reappear in college, though, is even more of a mystery - a mystery I have yet to solve. I'll keep you posted on that one.
4. Having people to openly commiserate with when you're on your period.
Not only is it easier to whine about cramps in a group, but your period syncs up with those of all your friends! You won't ever have to buy tampons again - that is, until you go to college. (Hear that? It's the sound of my wallet crying).
5. Uniforms. Uniforms. Uniforms.
They may be a fashion statement, but that's a fashion statement that everyone gets to make together. Plus, those ten minutes that used to be spent picking out an outfit can be spent doing better things - like sleeping. (Can you tell that we took our sleep very seriously?) Now that I'm in college, I don't know how to dress myself. God bless my roommates for not letting me walk out the door wearing a fashion abomination.
6. No boys allowed!
Ah, life was so much simpler when those drama-inducing boys were just a distant rumor. And in the rare event that one was spotted on campus, you had a field day yelling things like: "IS THAT AN ALIEN?" Now I go to a college that is half girls and half aliens. I don't think I'll ever get over it.
7. Your teachers truly get to know you for who you are as a person, not just as a student.
Don't get me wrong, my professors at college are great. There's just something about the teachers at an all-girls school though that makes them more than just teachers. It's probably the fact that they were so damn good at emotional life talks and helping any girl deal with a breakup.
8. Seemingly weird and random traditions.
Whether it's having a half day and a picnic to celebrate the founders of your school (with food, of course) or having a special senior dinner with a hypnotist performance, every all-girls school has some kind of unique tradition. As a freshman, it's easy to get intimidated by these seemingly random ceremonies, but trust me on this one, you'll still be secretly counting it as a special day long after high school.
9. Watching the freshmen adjust to their new home.
Everyone abstains from makeup and doing their hair. Each individual unapologetically embraces who they are, no matter how weird or crazy they may be! After all, we all have quirky traits. This culture shock often causes the freshmen to react like this:
And, before they even realize it, they're one of us.
10. Finally, you didn't just have friends by your side - you were surrounded by lifelong sisters each and every day.
The best part is that these girls are still my very closest friends today. Because of this sisterhood bond we found during high school, we will always have each other - no matter what life after high school may entail.
