First of all, I know exactly where you are coming from. High School is a very hectic time to say the least, and I feel like if you didn’t love high school, then you didn’t really like it either. For all of you in that didn't really like it boat, I am here to give you hope, to say that it does get better! College is fantastic. You have more freedom, get to take more classes that you’re interested in, a wider variety of activities to participate in, and a whole lot of people that didn’t watch you go through your awkward preteen years, no one misses the bright blue eyeliner.
In high school there is so much pressure to excel. You have to be the best in the class, be the best on the team, get the highest scores. There is pressure from so many people too, peers, teachers and parents. They mean the best for us, but it can be quite intimidating. It doesn't help that we as students also put so much pressure on ourselves. Pressure to get into the best schools, to get the highest scholarships and into the best programs. There is a lot of pressure put on students by the schools as well. Pressure to get high scores on national exams, to help make the schools look better, pressure to make it on the honor roll and to be the valedictorian or the top percentage of your graduating class. All of this leads to quite a bit of unnecessary stress put on young people.
During college there is still a lot of pressure for a person to excel but this time the end goal is set by the individual. You, for the most part, decide how hard you push yourself, what you want to study, and what activities you get involved in. You can decide to push yourself hard and finish early/on time, or you can relax a bit and stay in school a little longer. The best part about college is that other than gen ed classes you pretty much decide what you can take. Even within your major there may be some flexibility in the classes that you take. Most people get to pick their minors, unless your in a program like premed, and that can usually be anything of your choice!
Depending on the size of your high school there may or may not have been a lot of activities for you to chose to get involved in. In college there are so many activities on campus. There are musical groups to join, honors colleges, departmental clubs, Greek organizations, volunteer opportunities, on campus jobs and the list go on. These organizations are wonderful ways to not only get involved but to meet new people. I have made almost all of my friends in college through activities that I got involved in on campus.
In high school you are “supposed” to make all these friends and all these memories, but most of us are just beginning to figure out who we are and what we want to do with our lives. Prom and homecoming are supposed to be magical moments that you remember forever. I went to only one or two high school dances, one was homecoming but no prom for me And in all honesty I don’t regret not going. I have had so much more fun at my sorority socials in college than I ever would have at prom. I didn't have a ton of friends in high school and my few close friends weren't interested in going to dances either, we had loads of fun hanging out those nights not in the cafeteria of our high school being smooshed by sweaty teenagers. Seriously though you spend hours getting ready to go, get all dressed up and fancy to spend three hours in a hot room packed tightly with very very sweaty people. The girls all brought flip flops, because no one could stay in their shoes all night and there was always the fear, at my high school, of going barefoot and stepping on some very unpleasant items.
I don’t regret not dating in high school or going to all the pep rallies, football games or any high school parties. For those of you who did/do enjoy high school, that is awesome and I genuinely hope that you enjoy whatever adventure awaits you. But high school isn’t for everyone and that is absolutely fine. So for any of you high school seniors, or even you younger students, who aren’t enjoying every second of high school, college will be so much different. Keep studying, keep pushing through, the end is near!
