I went to one of those very small high schools where the graduating class is less than 40 people. The small school experience is quite different from that of a big school and it can sometimes feel like you are stuck in this small world, with no way to escape. Here are nine things that every kid who has been in this situation can relate to.

1. Everyone looks familiar

Everyone you see in one school day is someone you’ve seen before. Even if you don’t know their name, you know you have crossed paths with them and most likely even know what grade they are in. It’s when you walk by an unfamiliar face that you feel the need to look back and wonder where this outsider came from.

2. Teachers know you extremely well

You’ve probably had the same teachers all throughout your time at the school, so you’ve grown very close to them. You might even consider some of them your friends and are probably not afraid to discuss a bad grades with them. They will write you the best recommendation letters and when you graduate, they remain people you can confide in and are glad you go visit every once in a while.

3. The dating game is weird

Everyone has grown up together and see each other all the time. If someone hooked up with someone else, everyone knows, and it would be weird to start dating someone in your class because you probably already know everything about them. It’s just easier to date someone from another school who is not a part of the “club."

4. You can’t change as a person because everyone already perceives you in a certain way

Everyone has a preconceived notion of who you are, and they give you no chance to change. If you started out as a certain type of person, that is most likely how you will remain in everyone’s eyes for the rest of your time at that school, unless you make a big effort to really change yourself.

5. People from public schools think you’re rich and bratty

For real, though. Even if some people at my school were, I am not rich, and comments like that would always bother me, although people got better about it once we got older.

6. There is no such thing as “cliques”

In "High School Musical," there is a clear example of groups of students with different interests, popularity levels, and styles; such as the popular group, the nerds, the jocks, and so on. That doesn’t happen in a small school because there aren’t enough students. Everyone pretty much hangs out with everyone, and who would be the “popular” people are just the people that are liked by the most students.

7. If you don’t do your homework, you get caught

I mean, come on. With 18 students in a class, you’re going to be very lucky if the teacher forgets to ask you about the homework.

8. School dances are small

You basically dress up for yourself. There’s most likely not going to be anyone at the dance who you particularly want to impress, You just go to have fun with your friends and to see teachers dancing!

9. You make friendships that will last forever

There will always be those people who you have to be nice to just because you spend so much time with them, but you will never talk to again after you graduate; there is also, though, a group of people who will remain your friends for the rest of your life, and that is one of the best gifts a small high school will ever give you.