"Have you ever realized, high school was never like that?" Someone asked at me after an in-depth conversation about teen rom-coms. I decided to revisit high school themed entertainment and noticed the similarities of how it represents pop culture. Then I made a list.

For those of you about to enter high school, in high school, or happily out of high school, this is what that experience was supposed to look like. Apparently.

1. Everyone is strangely gorgeous

There is no such thing as lazy legging days or purple lipstick phases. Once you hit high school, you automatically morph into good looking version of yourself. If you haven't yet, you will. You'll take off your glasses, cut your hair and learn what a push-up bra is, don't worry.

2. There is one bad boy. And he will turn good because of love.

Love cures all. Including the SINGLE, ONLY bad boy who has a mysterious and grown-up dark past.

3. Speaking of love, you will also meet the love of your life and it will consume your whole experience.

You'll probably go to college near them or with them. Your dreams are now "our" dreams.

4. The actual school part of it doesn't matter at all

No one needs to study when you can hang out at "your spot" with your besties at all hours.

5. The parties are INSANE and exclusive, but yet everyone goes.

You're lucky if you get an invite, but the rest of the school did too so everyone else is lucky, I guess. Also these parties are never shy of booze and weed.

6. You have a tight group of 4-6 friends and you're all like "family" but you also end up dating each other at one point or another.

It just happens. We'll figure out who belongs with you by the time we graduate. We're also totally cool that my best friend is dating my ex and I'm dating my best friends ex. It's whatever. It's high school.

7. There's always one player who just can't be the star anymore

He just wants to be a singer or spend time with his girlfriend. You can't tell him how to live his life anymore, dad. He's basically an adult now. He might even sing about it.

8. Don't worry, you'll have a "cool" teacher who acts as another friend in your group

This is the teacher who you're probably too close with. Like on an outside of school basis. Like you go to their wedding and they know about your whole life. Yeah, that's... normal.

9. The mean girl will ALWAYS get what's coming to her

Don't worry about that girl who was mean to you. Eventually the whole school with turn on her, her boyfriend will break up with her or she'll get by a bus. Every time.

10. Prom is a BIG deal and EVERYONE goes

Everybody who is anybody goes to prom. Who you go with to prom is also a really big deal. If you go with someone to prom, it's basically a marriage proposal. Also, everyone stays the whole time and really interesting things happen. Nobody leaves early to go bowling or anything. Psh....

11. If a rumor, picture or video is spread about you, everyone cares and the world is over

Literally, everyone cares about you. Everyone. And the whole school is on a giant group chat so one embarrassing picture will hit all the cell phones at one time. You might as well drop out.

12. The person who you really want to be with you will be with in the end, don't worry. P.S: It's most likely your best friend since childhood or the person who thought you were invisible

Every. Time.