I attended Catholic school from preschool at age 3 through my high school graduation at age 18. Until college, I was unknowingly sheltered and restricted in ways I would never have realized if I hadn't gone away to college. While I will never speak ill of my high school and wish I could go back all the time, I wish it would have prepared me for college life a bit more. When I say I wasn't prepared for college I do not mean academically, but rather socially, responsibly and emotionally. High school was great but it was an entirely different world from college.
1. You have to choose your own outfit every day.
Gone are the days of plaid skirts and knee-highs. "Dress-down-days" are practically holidays in a Catholic high school but the thrill of wearing jeans wears off surprisingly fast.
2. You get to decide when to eat meals rather than being assigned a specific period.
Being able to walk into the café whenever I'm hungry is probably not something I should find unusual, but coming from a school where you eat when you're told with no questions asked, this is a blessing.
3. You'll be able to eat and drink in class.
Again, I find it sad that eating is a privilege, but in my high school, you needed a pass just to have water in class. Snacks are heaven sent.
4. It's normal to eat lunch alone.
Whether it's because your friends are busy or you just want some alone time, eating lunch by yourself can be extremely relaxing and beneficial.
5. You can decide to skip class without someone immediately calling your parents.
Being able to decide when you really just need a break is a beautiful thing. While I do not recommend abusing this privilege, sometimes you can't handle a 3-hour lecture and other times you just need that extra hour of sleep. God bless.
6. You won't know everyone you pass on campus.
Coming from a school with less than 500 students, it is bizarre not being able, to at least, recognize the majority of people you see each day. I doubt a day will ever go by that I don't see an unfamiliar face on my campus.
7. You will never know everyone in your graduating class.
No matter how many times you introduce yourself or how many friend requests you send on Facebook, there will inevitably be dozens, if not hundreds of people in your class that you will never meet.
8. You can get up and leave class without asking.
I've embarrassed myself one too many times by raising my hand to excuse myself. People in college just get up and go. Whether it's to use the restroom, get food or water (see No.3), or just leave when your class time is up, no professor cares enough to make you stay like a high school teacher would. No one is stopping you. You're #free.
9. You won't be reprimanded for cursing.
The first time I heard a professor curse I was mortified. A few months ago I couldn't get away with saying the word "hell" without being scolded. This is honestly one of the weirdest adjustments I've had to make since I getting to college.
10. You decide how to spend your weekends.
If you decide to party all night and sleep all day you can. You can also decide to sleep all night and sleep all day. That's fine too.
11. You can actually take classes that interest you.
Not being forced to take classes for a strict curriculum is another blessing. Choosing your major and focusing on classes that you actually care about will not only benefit your happiness, but also your grades.
12. You have to learn to live with people you may not like.
People who blast music in the middle of the night. People who get drunk every night of the week. People who talk in the library. People who leave garbage everywhere. People who don't take their laundry out of the machine when it's done. People who talk on the phone while they're ordering food. I could go on forever. They're everywhere.
13. Your parents won't always be there every time you need them.
You will learn to appreciate your parents so much more when they aren't living down the hall from you. Don't be ashamed to tell them that you miss them because I guarantee they'll miss you just as much, if not more.
14. And many of your best friends will be hours away.
It'll be unbelievably difficult adjusting to your new college life without your best friends by your side but your reunion over breaks will make it all worth it. In the meantime, FaceTime and group chats will have to suffice.
15. And possibly worst of all, communal bathrooms.
A bathroom used by dozens of teenagers that wasn't been cleaned all weekend is the closest thing I can describe to a war zone. Avoid communal bathrooms at all costs. However, if you end up in one of these monstrosities, be clean, flush the toilet, wash your hands and for the love of God say thank you to the poor soul that has to clean up after you animals.
