I was terrified of college. High school painted a picture to seem like college was the worst and basically the beginning to the end of the rest of your life. The school system drilled you will eight hours of lectures and busy work, then claimed that "it's preparation for college." A week into college, the only thing I realized was how full of shit everyone in high school was about college.

1. Dress Codes

The only time you have a dress code in college is if you have a JOB and even then, you're most likely allowed to express yourself in a work study environment. High school dress codes were sexist and inconsistent. In college, you can show up to class looking like Frank Gallagher and literally no one will care.

2. Absence Policies

"You can't just leave whenever you want, Miss. Guyton!" Guess what? I totally can. If I feel like I'm dying during class, I don't have to call my mom and make sure it's okay to leave. No one is forcing you to go to classes you hate anymore, and it's the most amazing feeling in the world. And no one sends you home for shorts on the second day of school. I'm looking at you, Shelia.

3. FERPA

FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act) is a thing, and your teachers definitely broke it every time they told you another student's grades inconvenience. I don't know why high schools think the law doesn't apply to them, but it's super illegal to gossip about student's grades to their peers, and I know for a fact that was always happening in high school.

https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/students.html

4. The statement "this is what college is like"

I hated when my teachers would say that. So far, I have never had to sit through eight hours of class with only a 45 minute break throughout the entire day then having a practice for three hours and homework for another two hours. Sure, I probably do spend two hours on homework still, but at least it's homework for your education and not busy work to prove to the administration that you're actually doing something in class.

5. "These are the best times of your life"

I throw up a little bit every time I hear that. Seniors, please don't listen to people who say that. High school maybe the easiest time of your life, but it surly isn't the best. There's so much of your life to look forward to still, so don't be scared to grow up because your teachers make it seem awful. It's apart of life, and you get used to that pretty quickly.