Usually, when I tell people that I went to an all-girls high school, I get funny looks in return. They say things like, "Oh, that must have been horrible," or ask questions like, "Did you even talk to any boys???" They assume I'm socially awkward around boys and have not been properly socialized.

First of all — yes, I did meet and befriend boys. I do know how to socialize like a normal human being.

Second, it was fricking awesome.

I truly believe that my high school shaped me into the independent and confident woman that I am today because it was all girls. We would roll out of bed, throw on our uniforms, and go to school to actually learn. The environment created was an incredibly encouraging and empowering one. Each and every girl in my high school became a part of an unbreakable bond the minute they stepped foot through the doors on their first day of school.

Because there were no boys, it lessened the competitiveness in that aspect. There was no need to look good for boys or to act a certain way to impress them. If we got all dolled up one day, it was for us. We were able to speak our minds completely and freely because we weren't worried about what that cute boy in algebra would think if we asked a "dumb" question. We were free to be goofy and creative and to look like a train wreck if we just weren't feeling it that day.

There were both female and male teachers, so it was honestly funny to see the male teachers squirm a bit when one girl would ask the class for a tampon and another would throw it across the classroom. We had close relationships with one another and great relationships with our teachers. Our teachers, having worked with girls for many years, knew how to handle us. They knew how to calm us down if we were having a hard day and knew how to dial us back if we were angry and/or too excited to function.

The atmosphere was amazing. The girls were completely free to express who they were without fear of judgment. My high school encouraged individuality and confidence. The academics were incredibly tough but prepared me for college. I was able to choose classes I was interested in, with teachers who wanted me to excel. The sporting teams were highly competitive while promoting unity and friendships.

The arts department was a place for girls to express their creative minds and was supported by the entirety of the student body. Girls were encouraged to pursue all of their interests. We were encouraged to not just be a jock or to only pursue the theater, but to explore all of the options available to help us to grow. As a school, we came together with a collective understanding that we need to encourage and support one another as women.

And finally, to answer the question that everyone always asks, yes we did meet boys. My high school held events with our "brother" school, the all-boys school in our area. The unisex schools had a community that we all became immersed in. There were several all-girls schools and all-boys schools that held events with one another.

All of us girls would go to the boys' football games on Friday nights, and they'd come to our volleyball games. We'd go to each other's homecoming, winter dances, and proms (yay double the dances!!). We were very familiar with one another and had no problem socializing.

Going to an all-girls school allowed me to focus on my education - something I will forever be grateful for. It allowed me to be completely comfortable in my learning environment. I was encouraged to find my passions and interests and had a community that was genuinely excited for whatever that may be for me.

It allowed me to focus on my athletics without fear that I'll look gross after practice. My all-girls high school was the best thing my parents could have introduced me to. It helped me to become a confident, independent woman that wasn't intimidated, but rather excited for my next steps in life.