Prior to my college days, I spent more than 12 (sometimes extremely long) years in Catholic school. While I chose to forgo attending a private school for college, I wouldn’t change my experience for anything. I loved going to Catholic school, and not just because I got out of going to class once a month to attend mass. I learned a lot in my years in Catholic school, and it was more than just the Nicene Creed. Below are some of the most important and influential things I learned throughout my Catholic school experience.
1. Hard work
My high school was incredibly competitive. If you didn’t do your homework or didn’t study for a test, you would fail a class. In addition to this, you would also have to face the wrath of your teachers, parents, and principals. Kids in private schools can not fall through the cracks because the teachers know every single student by name (and usually by their parents’ names as well). The smart kids were the "cool" kids in my high school, so you don’t want to be labeled a “slacker” by your classmates. Yes, when the college admissions process rolled around, things got very competitive very fast. At the end of the day, we not only got accepted to great schools, but we’re all performing well at these schools because the curriculum and standards that were set at my school successfully prepared me for college.
2. A sense of morality
This stems largely from being forced to sit through mass and religion classes. Say what you will about religion, but it does help develop a strong sense of right from wrong. Of course, having religion does not automatically make you a good person, just as people who are nonreligious are also moral people. However, I like to think I have a good head on my shoulders, a characteristic that was developed in my days at Catholic school.
3. A desire to help others
My grade school and high school required a certain number of service hours from its students. Volunteer work is not a chore; it is something that I absolutely love doing. Seeing the smiles on the faces of people you’re helping is something every person should experience in their lifetime. Luckily for me, I experienced this when I was a young child, which fostered a love for volunteering and helping others in my soul. Now, when I have to do a certain number of service hours for my sorority, I enjoy spending the time helping others and my community.
4. How to present yourself in public
My high school did not have uniforms, but we had a pretty strict dress code. My high school administration also monitored its students’ social media accounts pretty heavily. These are lessons that are going to aid me for years to come. I know dress codes are often seen as sexist, but I learned how to dress for the job I want as well as how to dress appropriately for certain situations. There is a time and place to wear short shorts and crop tops. School and work are not these places. In addition to the heavy surveillance of social media, I learned how to properly present myself to all people. Other people are going to make judgments about you, it’s just a fact of life. You must learn how to present yourself in the correct way to all kinds of people.
5. It’s alright to have faith
Coming to college, the starkest change I noticed was how unreligious people are. I felt like I couldn’t voice my religious views because the students around me would look at me in a certain way and make judgments about me. However, looking back on my Catholic school experience, I realized I learned a lot about other faiths, rather than solely the Catholic faith. I think I have a higher tolerance for these other religions because I was educated about them. I learned to accept every person and their religious beliefs as valid.
While there is a stigma surrounding Catholic schools, I wouldn’t change my experience for anything. My experiences in Catholic school will forever hold a special place in my heart.
