May is one of the most beautiful months of the year. The wild flowers are blooming and the trees have regained their green leaves. No other time of the year feels quite as serene or is quite as anticipated. For students in high school and in college, the month of May is a big time. From a final prom of high school comes to an end, to moving out of college, May comes with a promise of excitement and occupied time. What follows are all the differences between May in high school and May in college, for the high school senior wondering what to expect or the college student wanting to reminisce:
1. Prom
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The month of May is most commonly known for the event every high school student dreams of: prom. From junior to senior prom, dressing up in the most elegant dresses and dancing with your friends is a night you will remember forever. I'd have to say my most fond memory of high school was prom. The anticipation of everyones dresses and the decorations at the venue were the topics of many conversations and many sleepless nights in hopes I did it all right.
2. Prom Weekend
The weekend following prom is usually marked with fun activities when friends hang out without parental guidance. Some students go to Seaside, some to Wildwood, or others spend a week in Poconos. Regardless, the memories that occur the weekend after prom are sure to be remembered forever.
3. Commitment Day
May 1st in a national holiday for high school seniors. On this day, most colleges require their potential attendees to officially commit to attending their school of choice. High school seniors traditionally go to school on May 1 repping their college of choice that they will be attending in the fall of that year. I remember being super excited to see where everyone officially committed and taking pictures with my good friends, our schools proudly represented on our t-shirts.
4. AP Testing
High school students taking AP courses, such as AP Psychology, Calculus, Physics, or Chemistry, meet their final test in the month of May. This is what they've been preparing for all year, and with specific strategies and course knowledge, they take on what could result in college course credit. In high school, I took five AP classes over the course of my junior and senior years. The AP exams also meant the end of work in those classes and marked how close it was to the end of the school year.
5. Senior Skip Day
Mac Miller even wrote a rap about it. Senior Skip Day is a non-school organized event where students of the senior class all pick one day of the year to skip class. Although Senior Skip Day isn't always in May, this month is generally when all students of the senior class can mutually agree on a date to skip. My senior skip day was in May because class assignments started to cool down and the work load wasn't as heavy. My senior class went to Long Branch Beach, New Jersey to spend a day full of volleyball tournaments and class bonding. Reliving those memories today makes me grin from ear to ear and yearn for a reunion.
6. Preparing For Graduation
High school graduation is a time that students have anticipated for four long years. With personal growth and long lasting friendships, high school also marked a time of hardships. With graduation usually occurring in the month of June, May is dedicated to setting a date for a graduation party, purchasing the cap and gown, and getting super excited. Graduation didn't feel real until the day it snuck up on me, and I wish I could relive it.
7. Finals
The difference between May in high school and in college is most notably determined by the lack of finals high school students have to drown in. A final is the cumulative final exam college courses assign their students to see how well a student has retained the knowledge learned in class. A hard final requires extensive studying, and sometimes that means pulling an all-nighter. For some, a good final could remind one why they should marry rich, or how the struggle you're in today is developing the strength you need for tomorrow.
8. Bittersweet See-You-Laters
Finals coming to a close means moving out of college dorms for underclassmen. With packing up all the furniture and clothing comes bittersweet goodbyes to those you've spent the last nine months living with at school. Roommates to hall-mates, you'll most likely see them next semesters. But after living the past two semesters together, imaging a summer without them could seem quite impossible to accomplish with a smile. But you'll see them in just three months, so don't worry!
9. Adjusting To Life At Home
After being exposed to a life with no curfews or reprimanding parents, moving home for the summer after your freshman or sophomore years, or after college graduation, can take a lot of adjustment. You may have to get a few yellings from your parents as they have to adjust as well. Eventually, it will be bittersweet to get to enjoy your parents presence while you can.
10. College Graduation
As graduation from high school is in June, graduation from college takes place in May. A commencement and celebration of your hard work over the past four or more years, college graduation basically means you're now an adult! With your degree or degrees, it'll open up the opportunity for the job of your dreams. Good luck!
11. Rekindling With Old Friends
The relationships you have with your friends you grew up with is an irreplaceable bond. You saw the same people every single day through elementary, middle, and high school. May marks the reunion of friends you haven't seen since last summer. These people knew you when you were brace-faced and had pimples all over. Reunions with these people are sure as heck bittersweet.
The differences between May in high school and May in college are astronomical. It is all a time of rejoice and happiness, and if you take all of these events with a strong and positive mind, it'll be a beautiful experience.
