A student from my graduating high school class once posted a Facebook status that read “The school system values grades more than students value learning.” And while I am aware that this probably wasn’t his original thought, it’s a thought many students have had far too often. For myself, it was especially true when I began attending my middle school/high school.

In my six years there, I saw first-hand the corruption of the education system. Student-athletes had a free pass in classes, getting automatic A’s without even having to attend class. Students who were struggling in classes were turned away from getting extra help from teachers if they needed assistance that would take longer than ten minutes. Teachers would significantly change bad grades into undeserving good grades in order to save themselves from being reprimanded. Every opportunity turned into a photo opportunity to gloat a fake appearance to other schools in the area.

My school made getting good, deserving grades less of a priority. But if you weren’t a student-athlete, the son or daughter of faculty, or a wealthy student with parents who donated to the school regularly, your grades were your only trace of identity. The school system only wanted to see positive results on paper, not positive results in students who were actually able to learn something.

I was a good student. I organized various school functions, took part in a variety of clubs and extracurriculars, enrolled in numerous AP classes and was always an A-B student with a high GPA. But none of that mattered in comparison to the other students considered to be at the top of the totem pole. Myself and other students like me might as well have been invisible.

As someone who normally experiences anxiety, my senior year was a time of extreme stress due to the uncomfortable environment I was in as well as the daunting task of applying to colleges. I also realized that, other than a few select teachers who cared deeply for the students and their own jobs as educators, it was difficult to find faculty in the school who were willing to assist with these anxieties. It wasn’t until senior year that I began standing behind the claim that school puts a strain on the mental, emotional and physical well-being of students.

The amount of reasons why high school sucks is innumerable. It is an institution for people who enjoy being followers and designed with a goal of profit, whether that be through tuition payments, athletic records, or high test scores. It is not designed for kids to have a voice or to answer real questions, but rather proving how successful of a robot you are.

I’m thankful that my experience in college has been so much better than the experience I had in high school. Both the students and faculty are dedicated to their work. Having professors who love their job and are willing to help you both learn and succeed make it easy to say that I love the majority of my classes. Being able to enjoy my classes and have better social connections around campus are two major factors in recognizing that college isn’t high school and that my experiences will only get better from here.

I will say that high school wasn’t all bad; I made some amazing memories and always tried finding a way to find the bright side in the dark spots the school system cast. And although high school gave me a few lifelong friends and a lifetime worth of life lessons, I’d never go back. I’d much rather go onward and upwards.