When I committed to going to boarding school, I thought I was perfectly ready, having watched every single episode of Nickelodeon's Zoey 101. Unfortunately, the show left out some important details.
1. You actually go to class.
Watching Zoey 101, I rarely saw the characters actually in class, and boarding school is definitely more focused on classes than having fun.
2. Schedules are pretty tight.
Living at school is pretty much what it sounds like. Classes are in the morning and afternoon, right after comes athletics, afterwards is dinner, then study hall, and finally lights out. Every day is pretty much the same, and there is not nearly as much free time as Zoey and her friends had.
3. Faculty is everywhere.
There were a couple of teachers around here and there, but I did not expect to be around them 24/7. Not only are they in class, they are our coaches, at our dinner tables, and they say goodnight to us at the end of the day. They really become your other parents, and there is no escaping them.
4. There are no such things as secrets.
Boarding schools are usually rather small (mine was about 350 students total). Eyes are everywhere and word travels at lightning speed, so your business is pretty much everybody's business, including faculty and staff.
5. Besides basic high school drama, there are deeper issues you face if you are a minority.
Zoey 101 only had a couple of characters of color, and I unfortunately do not recall any episodes regarding their culture/race. At my school, I was literally one of three latinos in my class of over 70 students. My senior year, I was one of three Mexican-Americans in the entire school. That being said, I experienced my fair share of racism and bullying. People said I only was accepted to fill the racial quota, and that my financial aid was only given to me because I am latina. Zoey 101 did very little to show me the cultural shock boarding school would give me.
All in all, boarding school was a unique experience that definitely prepared me for college and independence, and although it was difficult at times, I am not at all sorry that I went. I am, however, a little salty that Zoey and her friends did not prepare me as well as I had hoped. I guess there are some things you must learn all on your own!
