Don't get me wrong, my high school freshman orientation was HORRIBLE. I absolutely dreaded going to school with all girls for four years. I didn't know much about high school at 14 but I did know a couple of things for sure; girls were MEAN and being friends with boys meant you had a social life.
So to be putting myself in this position felt like a recipe for disaster. However, as the first couple of months went by, I came to love my school and the environment it provided me with. Here are a few things I learned along the way.
Uniforms
Here is a snapshot of my typical high school morning: Wake up at 7:30, roll out of bed and throw on my uniform while putting my hair into a bun by 7:45, Dunkin' Donuts drive-thru at 7:50, be in class by the 8:00 bell. Amazing, right? It took absolutely no effort to get ready in the mornings, not only because I had a uniform, but I also didn't have to do hair or makeup.
Who was I impressing? No one. My biggest decision in the morning was whether to wear a navy or white polo shirt with my red plaid skirt and white socks. Now that I'm in college, I truly appreciate the concept of uniforms in high school as I struggle to find clothes to wear every day.
The Learning Environment
Have you ever been hesitant to speak out in class because there multiple obnoxious boys across the room? It's happened to every girl I know at some point in her life. When your in a classroom with all women that you have a genuine want to be present in class, there is a noticeable difference in the nature of that class and how learning takes place. There were never any distractions during lectures and all my peers were fully engaged in their school work.
Social Life
I swore my social life was going to go down the drain after starting high school. Contrary, my school and social life balance couldn't have been better. I was able to make my social life exactly what I wanted it to be on my own time. We were an affiliate for an all-boys brother school that held events for us like football games and dances. I met many of my lifelong guy friends during these times.
Friendships
When you spend almost every day of four years with all girls, you get to develop a strong sense of respect for women. Friendships you build in an environment like this are based a raw connection excluding looks and social status. The bonding between my high school friends hasn't begun to compare to the friendships I've made since then.
I would recommend going to an all-girls school at any stage of life, as I strongly believe it prepared me to take on my future as the strongest women I could possibly be.