I grew up in a private, Christian school. So when I had to switch to public school my sophomore year, I was beyond overwhelmed. There are a lot of differences between both of these educational facilities, so needless to say, it was a difficult adjustment. Here's a list of thoughts that ran through my mind when I had to partake in this rough transition.
1. "Wow, there must be a thousand kids here!"
In a private school, class sizes are small. There were seven students in my grade, and we all had the same courses together. After my switch to public school, I found out I had at least two hundred kids in my grade. Talk about a major shift in pace.
2. "I get to pick my classes?!"
At my private school, our class schedules were made for us. We had no options and were forced to take whatever courses were part of the curriculum. When I got to choose my classes at my new school, I'd never felt so free.
3. "These kids are rebels!"
Keep in mind I attended a Christian school, so 90% of my fellow schoolmates were well-behaved (most of the time). When I made my transition, I was surprised to see other students acting rebellious and care-free. To be honest, I'd take the latter any day.
4. "Oh my gosh, my teacher just cussed!"
Come on, give me a break. The teachers at my private school obviously didn't cuss, but I wasn't expecting my public school teachers to do it. They were A LOT more care free...and I liked that.
5. "Look at that outfit! How is he/she allowed to wear that?!"
At my old school, the dress code was somewhat strict (no flip flops, no images on shirts, no sweatpants, etc.). At my new school, my classmates came to school in their pajamas and no one batted an eye.
6. "Look at those piercings! And tattoos! I wonder how many he/she has..."
The only piercings allowed at my private school were in the ears (only one pair). No nose, bellybutton, or lip. And if you had anything hidden underneath your clothes, you had to show the school's principal. At public school, they didn't care.
7. "This place is huge! I'm going to get lost!"
Clearly private schools are smaller due to the small number of students, so it was easier to find my way around. When I made my switch, I was like a lost puppy.
8. "There's people kissing in the halls!"
PDA wasn't allowed at my old school. The teachers even threw hissy fits when we hugged our friends. At public school, couples kissed all the time in between classes, whether it was a peck or full on tongue action. Either way, all of the lovebirds needed to get a room.
9. "Whoa, look at all these clubs and activities!"
Just like the extremely limited classes, the variety of extracurricular activities wasn't much better. Sure, we had sports like volleyball, soccer, and basketball, but no clubs to join. I was delighted to find all sorts of clubs to check out at my new school.
10. "Class rank? GPA? What the heck is that?"
Since the number of students in each grade was very small, class rank and GPA didn't matter, so we weren't informed much about it. When I switched, there were students fighting to be valedictorian. Who knew it mattered?
11. "Wow, everyone is so chill and laidback here!"
Yes, I will admit most of the teachers, kids, and staff were pretty easy going. I felt both secure and free. I felt more restricted at my private school.
12. "Wow, this is so much better than my old school!"
Don't get me wrong, public school isn't for everyone, but it was one of the best things to happen to me. I had more opportunities and was much happier. So yeah, I think it's ten times better than private school.
