As I left my parents' house for another year at school, I realized that I needed to fill up my car with gas. The gas station I stopped at happened to be across the street from my old high school. Filling up my tank while trying not to gag on the fumes of the gasoline I spilled, I looked over at that big concrete building I spent four years at. Unsurprisingly, the school grounds didn't look like they had been cleaned since I graduated a few years ago.
What used to be my routine genuinely seems like it was in a different life, like when I was parking in the senior parking lot, planning pep rallies, or working on the yearbook. I watched kids going in with their backpacks and all I could think to myself was "Damn, I am so lucky to never have to go there again."
High school was so much fun, between homecoming dress-up days, parties on the weekends, and skipping school to go to the beach with all your friends, there was always something to look forward to. However, college is so much better.
There is an infinite number of reasons why college is better than high school. Sure, there is the obvious: getting to do literally whatever, wherever, whenever, with whoever you want! But, you also get to have your apartment, your space, and make your schedule -it rocks. Whereas in high school you go to school for basically 24/7, your parents (unless they're chill) forbid from going out on a Monday night, and the vibe is just generally, like, not cute.
With all that being said, of course, college isn't all fun and games (only 97% of the time). There is harder schoolwork, some bills, and you're held to a higher standard. You'll also have to learn how to ball on a budget and sometimes you'll miss your family. But, I can personally guarantee that the pros of college far outweigh the cons.
Staring at the dirty high school campus across the street made me appreciate my college even more. It made me appreciate the friends I've made at school that I can't believe I didn't even know in high school. It made me appreciate that I didn't have to sit through another AP class again. It made me realize that even though high school was great, your college years are truly are some of the best years of your life.