College is fantastic. I think that is a statement that most, if not all, people can agree with.

We get a tremendous amount of freedom which comes with countless responsibilities. College makes you mature quickly while your parents are miles and miles away. It makes you realize how strong you can be as a person and how to handle things on your own. You're able to create your own schedule and do things on your own time.

High school, on the other hand, is based on rules and structure. Personally, I didn't really enjoy high school as some of the other people did. I had a couple of good friends which made it easier to wake up and drive to school, but I just felt like a child. Even as a senior, we were still getting yelled at for being a second late to class. There were the normal social classes and cliques that individuals associated with and didn't really care to talk to anyone else. When it came to clothing, the administrators were strict. We could not wear hats or, at one point, yoga pants. And to make it even more ridiculous, females couldn't wear halter tops because THEY thought that it would distract the wandering eyes of males in class. I'm sorry, but don't tell me what to wear so a guy can pay attention in biology. That's not my problem. Also, we had to be separated from our friends and peers during lunches, based on what class you were in. That was always my biggest pet peeve because if you couldn't find anyone to sit with then you were the loser eating lunch alone.

College is such a fresh air of freedom and "free" Chick-fil-A. There is no one telling you what to wear, how to act and not to chew gum in class. It's up to you to get yourself out of bed to walk across campus and to do your homework. You can wear your pajamas, something nice or a crazy hat. Individuality is cherished and not destroyed. During freshman year of college, I had no problem eating by myself. I could grab some lunch after class and head to my room to squeeze in an episode of "The Office" before the next one. Also, everyone is so nice in college! You can meet someone new while you're waiting for your quesadilla or make a new friend on the bus. There is also way more school spirit in college than there was in my high school. I'm actually proud to scream "LET'S GO HOKIES" at the football games. My favorite thing about college is that nobody really judges you; you can be who you are.

I am really lucky and grateful to be able to attend a university. I am proud to be where I am at and who I'm with. I believe that I have grown as a young woman and put myself out there more at college. High school will always be a part of me, but I am forever happy that I have moved on to bigger and better things. I always wanted to leave high school, but I NEVER want to leave college.