I took a few minutes today to realize how much I didn't enjoy high school. To be exact, it was during my college chemistry class which is ten times harder than any high school class I ever took, but I don't dread going to class every day. High school just wasn't one of my high points; it wasn't my peers, teachers, or anyone who made it awful, by any means. I'm just very thankful to be at a university today, and there are many reasons for that.

My professors.

They are all so passionate about the material they present to us in class. I have yet to meet a professor at my university who doesn't care about my success, and even in large lectures they will remind us to talk to them with any problems we have. In high school, I had some fantastic teachers, but all of my college professors are literal industry leaders in their field. It's inspiring to me and helps deepen my love for education.

The independence.

What I realized that I disliked the most about high school was the "hand-holding" to treat every student as an equal. I, along with many of my peers, needed to be let free and make decisions for ourselves to succeed. This past semester of college I have felt more praise for my accomplishments because I chose to achieve them. I did everything for myself, which is the best feeling.

My friends.

My peers. My mentors. I have a lovely support system, especially in college. I always have somebody to count on, whether that be a peer in class to help me study, a girl in my sorority to catch dinner with, or my roommate to make sure I don't nap too long. When they say you make lifetime friends in college, it's true. The connections and network I've made is so much greater to me than any of my education.

My classes.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fan of chemistry at all. I even told my TA that during the first recitation class of syllabus week. But learning it at a higher level keeps me engaged and busy. Having my classes all be different to keep me interested, yet all blend to help me be successful, is one of the greatest feelings. I don't actually feel like I'm just learning like I was in high school, I'm engaging myself into my future.

The free time.

Wow, suddenly I'm not in seven activities and feel obligated to attend a meeting and practice every night after school. I have the freedom in college to choose a couple of clubs to be involved in, but past that, I am in love with the free time that I have. Some weeks, with tests and such, free time is a long stretch. In high school, I think I took about 1/8 of the naps I take in college. How did I survive?

No drama.

I'm a happier person without the drama of high school hitting my ears every day I walked into those halls. College is so free of that if you have the right group of friends. I think the closest to "drama" I got this year was when my friends and I would argue about which pizza delivery was best.

Being myself.

I think this is the best lesson I've learned in college so far. In high school, it's easy to lose your sense of individualism. I'm now studying what I want, not what the state wants me to pass on an exam, and I am much more confident in my future. High school was the cookie cutter, and those of us who attend college are the cookies who come out shaped way differently than what the maker wanted. That's the pretty awesome part of college.

Maybe your opinions speak differently from mine, but hey, that's good. I'm just one mind. I feel absolutely blessed with the opportunity to attend such a honest university with high values for their students. The programs I'm involved in help me grow not only academically, but as a leader and role model.

I hope everyone else has a college experience at least half of what mine has been so far.