Differences Between College and Boarding School | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Arts Entertainment

7 Ways Boarding School Is Nothing Like College

You actually get to be independent.

404
7 Ways Boarding School Is Nothing Like College
Ashley Britton

There's a common conception that boarding school and college are very similar to each other, mostly because you're attending school away from home and living away from your parents. This is definitely true, and there are actually quite a few other similarities between the two.

But if I'm being completely honest, boarding school and college aren't much alike. Here are a few reasons why college is a lot different from boarding school, and if you also went to boarding school, you'll most likely agree with this list:

College campuses are huge, like VERY huge.

Instagram

It's true that at boarding school there is the college-like feel present, because it has its own campus where you have to walk from building to building for classes. But at college, you're looking at ten minute walks to class instead of one or two minutes, because all of the buildings are on opposite sides of the large campus. Sometimes I find myself having to speed walk, or even run, to class because it's on the other edge of campus from my dorm, whereas in boarding school, my classrooms were literally one building over.

There's also ten times as many people in your class.

Giphy

In high school, I graduated with roughly 120 other people in my class, so it's safe to say that we all pretty much knew everyone else to an extent. However, in college, you'll probably know about 5% of the people in your graduating class, because of how many students there are on campus. But in a way, this is a lot nicer and I actually prefer this size over boarding school, because now I don't have the entirety of campus knowing me and everything about me, and I can blend in when I want to or need to.

The food in the dining halls are *somewhat* better.

Instagram

Yes, dining halls are dining halls no matter where you go, and they get tiring after awhile, even in college. But the only advantage that college dining halls have over boarding school dining halls is that they're a lot bigger and offer more variety and diversity of food choices. In high school, it was always a standard set menu, whereas in college, there's always pizza, pasta, or salad available, aside from the hot meals they've prepared.

Residence halls are typically co-ed.

Gfycat

Remember the struggle of trying to visit your guy friends at boarding school because they all lived in separate dorms, and you probably needed some type of permission to do so? Forget about that in college, because now they can literally live next door to you. This can be both a blessing and a curse, because while you get to live with your friends regardless of gender, sharing the bathroom spaces might be difficult at times.

There's not as many rules.

Giphy

I'm still sometimes triggered by all of the rules that we had to follow in boarding school, such as making sure to sign out whenever we were leaving campus, or having to check into the dorms by 10 PM. In college, none of this exists, because you're now technically an adult living on your own, so you have much more freedom in where you go, what you do, and the decisions you make.

You have more control over your class schedule.

Don't get your hopes up; you probably will still have one or two 8 AM classes at least some point in college. But the beauty of having more control of your schedule means you can actually hand pick the times you want to take the classes you're interested in or are required for your major. So if you want to start your day at noon, or want to not have Friday classes, you have a stronger chance of doing so, unlike in boarding school, where you had to stick to the standard 8 AM-3 PM schedule five days a week.

One word: tailgates.

Ashley Britton

Don't get me wrong, we still got hype for sports games at boarding school. But at college, game days are taken to a whole new level. Many people dress up in school colors and go to tailgates, followed by going to the game to cheer on the team. It's an entire day event, and it only makes you even prouder to go to the school you do just from seeing everyone's happy and positive school spirit.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

186792
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

12719
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

456285
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

25626
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments