I’m sure you’ve heard that high school is supposed to be the best four years of your life. Well, in comparing it to college, it suddenly makes sense!

I am in no way trying to convince you that high school was the highlight of my life. But there are things that are only appreciated after you go off to college.

Everyone gets so excited to finally be rid of high school, and become independent “adults.”

It stinks and here’s why!

1. In high school, you get to see your friends all the time! You spoke to another human being that you are familiar with on a daily basis. Say goodbye to old friends when you get to college! I’m serious. I haven’t seen one of my best friends in literally an entire year. And while there is SnapChat, and other forms of communication, your social life gets taken away. You become consumed with work and school, and even if your friends didn’t leave town, you still have to specify ONE specific day to see that person. So clear up your calendars friends, because, on February 9th at 1:34 pm on the dot, you will FINALLY see your friend!

2. In high school, you didn’t have to pay for all of your textbooks! Now that is BLISS! We never appreciated them until college! Not that we truly appreciate textbooks, where we use page 56 for one homework problem out of the entire semester, but it was nice not having to pay!

3. Twenty slides have suddenly become fifty slides of information. Not to mention, that a majority of professors just read off of the slides, but when we have to make a presentation, that’s not allowed! Do you see something wrong here?

4. The bond you get in high school in an after-school activity will be difficult to find in college because you are a team. College is competitive and people become too consumed with themselves. Not that there aren’t friendly folks, but it’s not quite the same.

5. You did your homework with full effort (if you were a good student), but in college to get all A’s isn’t entirely determined by your effort, but instead how lucky you are in obtaining a good class with a good professor.

6. High school stress consists of finding a prom dress, doing your homework, and applying to college. Everyone talks about college and how exciting it will be, but you get there and you think...now what? You’re in college now. Your life has been waiting for this one specific moment and you're here! Now...you have to get a “real” job, get internships, worry about maintaining a GPA so you don’t lose your scholarship, make a resume that no longer includes anything you’ve accomplished in high school, you have to somehow keep a social life, eat healthy, not gain 500 pounds, exercise, keep a healthy stress level, worry about your scheduling, work so you can have money to attend school - which includes textbooks, get your homework done (however many late nights you choose to have for your several assigned papers!), finals week is even more stressful, and you have to do all of that while trying not to have a mental breakdown! It’s great!

7. The one thing I will say is I definitely don’t miss going to school super early and being there for 7 hours, plus any after school activities! I have no idea how I did that for all of my life! College gives you the gift of making your own schedule, that's fit for you!

Overall, there is some simplistic nostalgia that will always be attached to highschool. But, I’ve been there and done that. I don’t ever want to do it all over again! It’s time to look forward and I’m excited about it.

College isn’t all that bad! But, those were just a few of the things that make a bit of a difference! There is certainly a great amount of good things about college too, but I’ll save that list for next time!