High school can be the most stressful time for a girl. From trying to get the best grades to being the most athletic and trying to get the guy to fall in love with you, it is one hectic ride! May I also add the fact that we have to deal with sexist comments from fellow high schoolers? Despite all of those stressful stereotypical high school moments, I did not have to deal with some of those. Why you ask? Well let's start with the fact that I went to an all girl private catholic college prep school. Forget all of those things you hear about an all girl school! I am about to tell you the top 5 things that I learned from going to an all girl school!

1. You do not need make-up to look beautiful.

After going to my high school, I barely see a point in wearing make up. First of all it was an all girl school and there was no one to impress. Second of all I am way to cheap to regularly buy some (all I use is mascara). Third of all there is just no time in the morning! But since I had no need to wear make-up, I became more confident in myself and my own skin. I did not need seven layers of make-up to make myself look pretty. Be confident in yourself because that is what I call beauty!

2. You get a lot of sisters!

If you go to as small of a high school as I did (my graduating class was 74), you get pretty close! When I was in school, we were all close in my class. Yes some were not as close as others, but we generally all were. By having so many sisters, I learned what it was like to almost truly have a sister since I myself, do not have one. They always have your back, especially when you find out it is dress uniform day and you did not bring your tights. they're always on the look out for you; this came in handy when my "sisters" would remind me that we had a test next period. But most of all, you make bonds that last for a lifetime.

3. You get an amazing education.

Since my high school was a college prep school, we had books thrown at us! Well, not literally but you get my point. My school lived by the fact that we were a college prep school. What does that mean? Well you basically are handed a ton of homework which pretty much includes 25+ problems every night, essays due by the end of the week, a novel to read by next Wednesday, and a HUGE test that is on Monday, all while trying to have a social life! Funnnnn (insert eye twitch here.) There are some pretty "rad" and fun teachers that make you question every choice you have every made in life. But even through all of the craziness of classes, you end with an AMAZING education that makes transferring to college easier than it would be if you did not have one.

4. You gain confidence.

As mentioned earlier, one of the most positive things about an all girl school is that there are no boys to constantly fight over or try to impress! You get to hang out with your girlfriends everyday without the boy detector going off and you running into the nearest bathroom to turn yourself into some kind of model. Honey, let me just tell you that is not what you should be worried about. With having girls always with you, you learn that it is ok to sometimes have the awkward laugh or have that one weird thing that everyone thinks is so cool. Everything about yourself is ok and you are unique because you are you!

5. You discover yourself.

Out of all of the things that I learned from my school, the number one thing I can remember is discovering myself. I went from that girl who sat by herself after school to chilling my girls after school almost everyday. The kindness that I got from my sisters has always stuck with me. I can remember coming home freshmen year after one of our regular school holidays and read the letters that I had received and telling my family that I have never felt so loved. I found myself taking that love and eventually giving it to others and this made me the strong, willful, and independent woman I am today.

I will always be thankful to my sisters, teachers, faculty, staff, and family for giving me the education I was blessed with. I have a long road to go with just starting college, but I know the road will be easier thanks to my wonderful college preparatory private catholic all girl high school.