High school is a time that many people (for some reason) seem to adore. Many consider it to be the best four years of life. To that I have to ask if those were the best years of my life...what will the worst be like?
While I by no means had an awful experience, I am nevertheless thankful that high school does not last forever. Here are eight reasons why I am glad to never have to go back.
1. Personal Awkwardness.
Technically more of a personal problem, high school me was a painfully awkward creature -- physically, socially, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, ethically, etc. To this day, looking at my ninth grade yearbook picture never fails to send a shiver down my spine. Thankfully I have evolved, and well I still have the occasional, "did I really just say that?" moment, the days of overthinking every minute act have ended.
2. Bullies.
While it's true that there are always going to be nasty people in your life, they always seemed particularly more bothersome in high school. Maybe college-me just doesn't care what other people think, or maybe the people around me have changed. Nevertheless, I have yet to be made fun of for wearing a yellow shirt in college (yes, that actually happened to me in the ninth grade).
3. Early mornings and long hours.
The fact that my alarm used to go off at 5:45 every morning is something that I struggle to comprehend today. The fact that I would then be in school for seven straight hours is also an idea that I can't seem to grasp. And I used to have classes on Fridays? What?
4. A lack of freedom.
Are you not feeling too well in college? Cool, just don't go to class. The professor won't care (and in some cases may not even know). Gone are the days of needing to ask for permission to do anything from miss school to go to the bathroom.
5. No more cafeteria food.
College food may not always be the greatest, but compared to the food that was served in high school, it's practically fine dining. The year after I graduated, a girl actually found a worm in her school lunch. At least, college gives you options, all of which are worm-free.
6. Not having great friends.
Once you leave high school, you begin to realize that the people you tried so hard to always please might actually have been the ones who had the problem. I still have several great friends from home, but I've met most of my closest friends away at college.
7. Having to take useless classes.
I still remember how happy I was when I found out that I got a 66 on the trig final exam. How sad. While I understand the importance of critical learning, I can say that I have in no way used anything related to trigonometry or pre-calculus since my high school days. Getting to pick your classes (and when they are) is one of my favorite things about college.
8. You find out who you really are once you leave.
While it sounds cliché, it nevertheless is 100 percent true. Escaping from your hometown is something that I think everybody needs to do, at least for a period of time. Once you leave, you get a real sense of who you are, and who you want to be. What happened in high school really doesn't matter.
And to anybody struggling through the pits of high school right now, I promise you, it really does get better. You have your whole life to look forward to!
