It is early August, which means it’s back to school season. This usually means kids feel two different ways. For high school students, they are dreading the fact they have to go back in a month, while college students like me are very excited to move in again.

For as many people who said high school was the best four years of their life, there are those who refute that. I mean high school wasn’t 100% awful but it was far from great. I had to go to high school because I had to, as required by law and if I wanted to go college. The pros to high school should be stated first. There were fewer responsibilities and far less homework. It wasn’t like now in college where we have to be dependent on ourselves. Academically the work is more challenging in college as you’re required to think more critically and read more independently. Otherwise, high school was far from enjoyable.

I never looked forward to having to wake up every weekday at 6 a.m. (the crack of dawn) and scramble to shower, brush my teeth, pack my backpack and eat breakfast all before the school bus comes at 7 o’clock to take me school and bring me back at two or three in the afternoon. When it came to my class schedules or classes I want or didn’t want to say my opinion didn’t mean anything. In high school every day, I had eight periods with all the same classes. There were classes that I didn’t want take simply because I had zero interest. I suck at math and science, though I excelled at English and social studies. I never understood why I forced to Gym and Art as I’m far from athletic or artistic. Also, I couldn’t switch or drop a class with a mean or difficult teacher for someone else. The fact that I can go to a college and reside there is a blessing. I knew I wanted to do something involving film and journalism but there was not an elective class for that let alone any extra-curricular clubs that our school lacked big time. Now in college, the fact that reside in the dorms (where it take less than 10 minutes to walk to class) and can pick my classes is a blessing. Disclaimer: you have to take two years worth of liberal arts/gen ed classes in college but you will survive them.

The social and freedom part of high school was very much annoying. I’m from and attended high school in small-town Long Island. I switched back and forth between my neighborhood school and a small alternative high school for special ed kids. However, my high school social experience couldn’t have better been explained than by cartoon character Daria: “When you’re forced to coexist with people you’d never seek out on your own.” I really couldn’t tolerate my fellow students and classmates I was forced to be with for four years.

As I had no friends at my neighborhood school, I had to make use of my time in high school and befriend people at the alternative school as I had no other choice. It didn’t make it any better the school was not that much racially diverse. I also was very depressed and anxious from constantly dealing with bullying from the past and present. I can definitely say high school is like what movies portray to be. It’s cliquey, the popular kids are the fast (and white ones), and students are at their meanest and pettiest.

So for me to get out my high school and my town to a new place was a relief. I came to a point where being judged or harassed became very seldom and I was content with people who didn’t like me let alone befriend me. I couldn’t say that during high school where people rag on you for sounding educated, being dark skinned, your weight or the music you’re into. I never bothered to go my local school’s sports games, pep rallies etc. I did attend prom which was not fun. I didn’t attend any after parties and the music they played the prom was very much whack as it was catering to a mostly white graduating class.

In college we have so much more freedom than you can imagine. In high school, we couldn’t curse, wear certain clothing (with images on it), or skip class if we didn’t feel like going. In all, I’m glad I was able to graduate and leave because I’m definitely never coming back to my former school as well as my town once I complete college. I was glad I didn’t have to return to my county’s community college to be forced to see 10-15 people.

When I was at the alternative high school where I was graduated, it was very uncommon for students to attend or get into four-year colleges. Most opted to pursue a vocational career, join the military or go straight to work. Though there were teachers who didn’t believe I didn't let my circumstances hold me back. I now get to attend my desired school so I can pursue my dream career as a broadcast journalist and TV/film producer. So if I had to thank my high school for one thing it would be for allowing me to become the person they didn’t want me to be.