I went to Catholic school all my life, I adorned that gorgeous plaid from kindergarten until I graduated my senior year of high school. Now I’m thrown into a public college, and a lot of things have changed that I ignore, or don’t choose to believe all of the time. Catholic school was and still is such a big part of me, that letting go proves to be harder than I thought.

Some things I still don’t quite understand:

I don’t know everyone in my class. I don’t follow them on three different social media platforms. But that’s OK.

Uniforms are not a thing, and they never will be again. I will never go to school again in a freshly pleated plaid skirt and bleached polo shirt. Those days are over, and yes, I will need to pick out my own outfits every day for the rest of my life. I just keep thinking it's like, constant dress down passes with a First Friday Liturgy dress up day every once in awhile.

We don’t pray before every class. I still walk into class and think I'll hear the following generic morning greeting: "Good morning, class, who would like to lead prayer?”

Not everyone knows cursive?

Why are your shorts and/or skirts so short? What ever happened to the fingertip rule? Also, why can I see your stomach?

There aren’t weird dress up days? Every day can be pajama day if I believe it to be? What happened to crazy sock day? No “pink day” in October? Weird.

Not everyone knows a nun? Or has them on speed dial?

I need a vent session. Wait, you mean those don’t just happen in class? My teacher can’t tell that we all have a lot of papers due and could really use a relaxing class where we talk about our feelings?

When is my yearly retreat, and what will be the theme? Wait, there's no retreat?

Why do I talk more about my elementary/high school than everyone else? Is it because I love it so much, or because I’m still traumatized? Can’t tell.

Catholic school was definitely some of the best years of my life thus far. I wouldn't trade in the plaid and black or blue closed-toe shoes or the friendships and relationships I've made for anything in the world.

It's undeniable that Catholic schooling has become a part of me (for better or for worse), but it's hard to let those things go. You can take a girl out of Catholic school, but I guess you can’t take the Catholic school out of the girl.